The U’s travels take them to South Yorkshire on match day thirty-three as they clash with the Blades at Bramall Lane. Our league record vs. Sheffield United: @ Sheffield P 05 W 01 D 01 L 03 F 04 A 10 -6 @ Colchester P 06 W 02 D 04 L 00 F 11 A 07 +4 25/08/12 Colchester United 1 - 1 Sheffield United Clinton Morrison 72; John Cofie 17 4017 13/03/12 Colchester United 1 - 1 Sheffield United Steven Gillespie 56; Will Hoskins 32 4572 17/09/11 Sheffield United 3 - 0 Colchester United Ched Evans 2, Chris Porter 11, Stephen Quinn 71 15783 02/02/08 Colchester United 2 - 2 Sheffield United Luton Shelton 45, Kevin Lisbie 46, Chris Armstrong 64OG, David Carney 66 5695 11/08/07 Sheffield United 2 - 2 Colchester United James Beattie 68, Kevin McLeod 68, Michael Tonge 82, Clive Platt 89 26202 07/01/06 FAC R3 Sheffield United 1 - 2 Colchester United Steve Kabba 5; Neil Danns 33, Gareth Williams 72 11820 15/02/04 FAC R5 Sheffield United 1 - 0 Colchester United Paul Peschisolido 61 17074 27/09/00 LC R2-2 Colchester United 0 - 1 Sheffield United Paul Devlin 59 1981 19/09/00 LC R2-1 Sheffield United 3 - 0 Colchester United Paul Devlin 18, Simon Clark 80OG, David Kelly 83 3531 31/01/89 FAC R4R Colchester United 0 - 2 Sheffield United Brian Deane 3, 76 7588 28/01/89 FAC R4 Sheffield United 3 - 3 Colchester United Mark Todd 40, Brian Deane 58, Ian Bryson 72; Stuart Hicks 27, Colin Hill 37, Steve Hetzke 81 14406 06/02/82 Colchester United 5 - 2 Sheffield United John Lyons 4, Roy McDonough 8, Ian Allinson 9, 36, Tony Kenworthy 38P, Kevin Bremner 59, Keith Edwards 62 5194 12/09/81 Sheffield United 1 - 0 Colchester United Bob Hatton 43 11293 04/04/81 Colchester United 1 - 1 Sheffield United Ian Allinson 13, Trenton Wiggan 52 2439 01/11/80 Sheffield United 3 - 0 Colchester United Tony Kenworthy 1, Mike Trusson 44, Steve Charles 68 12810 09/10/79 Sheffield United 1 - 2 Colchester United Jeff Bourne 63, Steve Foley 73, Bobby Gough 77 18712 21/08/79 Colchester United 1 - 0 Sheffield United Trevor Lee 83 4191 Background Fifth placed Sheffield United will be looking to take three points on Saturday to boost their prospects in the incredibly tight League One promotion race. Twentieth placed Colchester United are in danger of slipping back into the relegation zone for the third time this season, with many of their close rivals finding form. The Blades’ having been wobbling of late, particularly at Bramall Lane where they’ve won just once in six matches, however wins Shrewsbury (2-1) and Bury (2-0) suggest the Sheffield outfit are rediscovering their form. The U’s have consistently been one of the worst travelling teams in League One this season currently on a run of just one win in their last seven away games. Following League One match day thirty-two: Sheffield have the seventh strongest home attack (scoring 1.60 goals per game) and the tenth strongest home defence (conceding 1.13 goals per game); Colchester United possess the worst away attacking record in the division (scoring 0.80 goals per game) as well as the third worst away defence (conceding 1.80 goals per game). Form: Sheff Utd DLDLWW 14/24 (Home: DDWLLL 19/24) vs. Colchester LLWWLW 11/24 (Away: LLLLLW 23/24) Sheffield United 15/12/12 L1 22 Sheffield United 0 - 0 Tranmere Rovers ☼ 22/12/12 L1 23 Crawley Town 0 - 2 Sheffield United ☼ 26/12/12 L1 24 Sheffield United 3 - 0 Scunthorpe United ☼ 29/12/12 L1 25 Sheffield United 2 - 3 Hartlepool United ☼ 01/01/13 L1 26 Doncaster Rovers 2 - 2 Sheffield United ☼ 05/01/13 FAC R3 Oxford United 0 - 3 Sheffield United ☼ 12/01/13 L1 28 Sheffield United 0 - 2 Yeovil Town ☼ 19/01/13 L1 29 Notts County 1 - 1 Sheffield United ☼ 26/01/13 FAC R4 Reading 4 - 0 Sheffield United ☼ 01/02/13 L1 31 Sheffield United 1 - 2 Coventry City ☼ 09/02/13 L1 32 Shrewsbury Town 1 - 2 Sheffield United ☼ 12/02/13 L1 27 Bury 0 - 2 Sheffield United ☼ Colchester United 15/12/12 L1 22 AFC Bournemouth 1 - 0 Colchester United ☼ 22/12/12 L1 23 Walsall 1 - 0 Colchester United ☼ 26/12/12 L1 24 Colchester United 1 - 3 Brentford ☼ 01/01/13 L1 26 Crawley Town 3 - 0 Colchester United ☼ 05/01/13 L1 27 Doncaster Rovers 1 - 0 Colchester United ☼ 12/01/13 L1 28 Colchester United 1 - 2 Scunthorpe United ☼ 19/01/13 L1 29 Hartlepool United P - P Colchester United ☼ [SUB][¬05/03/13][/SUB] 26/01/13 L1 30 Colchester United 2 - 0 Walsall ☼ 02/02/13 L1 31 Portsmouth 2 - 3 Colchester United ☼ 05/02/13 L1 25 Colchester United 0 - 1 Swindon Town ☼ 09/02/13 L1 32 Colchester United 1 - 0 Preston North End ☼ The Blades are overwhelming favourites to record an easy home win against the struggling U’s. Probability of full-time result: Sheffield win 58%; Draw 23%; Colchester win 19%. This weekend’s Npower League One programme: 15/02/13 Tranmere Rovers (3) v Shrewsbury Town (19) 19:45 16/02/13 Bury (22) v Coventry City (8) 15:00 16/02/13 Hartlepool United (24) v Leyton Orient (10) 15:00 16/02/13 Portsmouth (23) v Carlisle United (16) 15:00 16/02/13 Preston North End (17) v AFC Bournemouth (1) 15:00 16/02/13 Sheffield United (5) v Colchester United (20) 15:00 16/02/13 Walsall (9) v Notts County (11) 15:00 16/02/13 Yeovil Town (7) v Scunthorpe United (18) 15:00 18/02/13 Crawley Town (15) v Doncaster Rovers (2) 19:45 19/02/13 Stevenage (14) v Oldham Athletic (21) 19:45 U’s Team News New loan defender Bradley Garmston is in line to replace John White a left back to make his U’s debut. Mark Cousins (Wrist) and Brian Wilson (Calf) are doubts ahead of the trip to Bramall Lane, while Kem Izzet (Ankle) is definitely out with a long-term injury.
