LDV Trophy 20th Dec

[thehandicapman]

Ven Versus Pos H 2 - 0 Wimbledon W 20 A 1 - 1 Swansea D 1 H 5 - 0 Gillingham W 20 H 3 - 2 Blackpool W 18 A 2 - 1 Rotherham W 17 H 3 - 2 Yeovil W 9 A 0 - 0 Tranmere D 23 H 0 - 1 Bournemouth L 11 A 2 - 1 Blackpool W 19 H 1 - 2 Chesterfield L 10

Colchesters last 10 league games courtesy of soccer-stats. Some impressive looking form

MK Dons -

Ven		Versus		Pos
A	0 - 2	Colchester	L	6
H	2 - 3	Doncaster	L	13
A	0 - 2	Bournemouth	L	13
H	2 - 1	Walsall	W	13
A	2 - 1	Tranmere	W	19
H	1 - 1	Rotherham	D	17
A	1 - 2	Hartlepool	L	21
H	0 - 0	Chesterfield	D	6
A	1 - 1	Walsall	D	12
H	3 - 1	Swindon	W	24

A little worried about their home form, looks fairly solid here, Donny are a form team and teams are oftem very different home and away. interesting how 3 defeats on the bounce will affect them though

thehandicapman

[thehandicapman]

MK Dons v Colchester

MK Dons are likely to be without strikers Izale McLeod (knee) and Clive Platt (ankle). Elsewhere, defender Ben Chorley begins a three-match ban while midfielder Gary Smith has damaged knee ligaments. Colchester will be forced into making at least one change as on-loan striker Jamie Cureton is cup-tied, having played for Swindon earlier this season. The likes of Karl Duguid, Kem Izzet, Garry Richards and goalkeeper Dean Gerken could therefore come in. No strikers?!?! currently 2.58 on betfair - i'm getting tempted

[MickeyPaul]

That Dons team news has been posted 3 times now. Don't forget Colchester beat them 2-0 at the weekend, handicapman (pissed on them by the sounds of it).

edit: oops, I thought I posted the team news too. I was thinking of Cheltenham. I'm meant to be looking into that game too actually....

[thehandicapman]

Danny Wilson after Saturdays defeat at Colchester:

'any team would miss two of their best strikers.....Going into a game without that pair we were always going to struggle to score'

[MickeyPaul]

Aye. Colchester are bloody tight too AND can score goals. I'm on. I don't care if the Dons are tough to beat at home.

[thehandicapman]

mmmm....... can't copy and paste from Colchester home page but apparently their are a few niggles in the squad and 4 youth team players travelled

there is a decent prize in the form of a millenium stadium final in this competition but i am worried that with them riding high in the league and with a hectic crimbo period ahead, their might be changes in the team - this after they have played with the same team for the past five games. I still think they could win, but i'm not gonna risk it, oh and i've found another bet on this game instead .........

[kompressaur]

well i was shouting up colchester on saturday and the Betfred 4/5 price on them and they duely obligied. I could be joining you fellas in them. Time for some food and to get some bets together for tonight. Lifes great really

[MickeyPaul]

Don't tell me the BBC team news isn't accurate?

[MickeyPaul]

Urrrrgh:

U's boss Phil Parkinson has a number of niggles to think about as he takes his side to MK Dons for the LDV Vans tie on Tuesday.

In the previous round against Northampton Town, Parky made a number changes to his side from the eleven that started in the previous league game and he may well do the same for the trip to the National Hockey Stadium.

Several of the team who turned out against the Dons at the weekend have knocks, which may encourage the U's boss to rest them ahead of a hectic Christmas schedule.

The U's manager has therefore taken down a number of younger players for the game against Danny Wilson's side - with Robbie King, Jamie Guy, David Wareham and Matt Paine in the squad - to cover any potential absentees.

And the game could also see the likes of Richard Garcia, Karl Duguid, Kem Izzet, Gareth Williams and Pat Baldwin stake a claim for the festive fixture list

[thehandicapman]

MK Dons vs Colchester - Under 2.5 goals

gotta make this quick,

Colchester have had only 22 goals in 11 away games

as mentioned above Dons have their first choice strikers missing - which should slow up their scoring a bit

50% of Dons league home games are under 2.5
63% of Colchester away games are under 2.5

The Dons love drawing at home - with 7 out of their 12 league games ending up that way. Colchester don;t mind it either 5 of their 11 league games ending up the same way.

Neither team will want a replay and/or extra time whatever they play in the LDV but its still a possibility. Colchester could nick this one 1-0 but with strikers out for the Dons and a drab atmosphere, I just can't see their being many goals at all and don;t fancy sticking my neck out

Last 4 games between these 2 have been under 2.5

1.94 currently on Betfair

thehandicapman

[kompressaur]

cheers THM. Bah i dunno. What we got left?

[MickeyPaul]

I'm swaying back toward Cheltenham a bit as at least their manager seems to take it seriously:

John Ward interviewed before the LDV Vans Trophy area quarter-final against Oxford United:

"We've got a short period to rest before the Christmas period when we've got four games in eight days but we'll cope with that because of the run we have just been on. I think altogether it's nine games in 31 days but the interesting thing is that a lot of our players have taken part in all the games. I haven't had to change it around too much and when you play on a pitch like we did on Saturday, which was pretty dreadful, then it is a big test of players' fitness both mentally and physically. They came through it really well.

"Monday morning training was lively and bright and I know they are looking forward to playing Oxford again back on our own pitch. If we can win this game then we can lead into Christmas being ninth in the league, still in the FA Cup and in the last four of the area in the LDV. That would be a really good position for us to be in so we regard this match as massively important. I've been pleased with the preparation by the players - we've tried to work it out with the coaching staff and quite rightly there have been lighter and shorter training sessions - and we've requested that we get as much as we can out of the matches. I have tremendous praise for the way the players have performed in them.

"Maybe I'm old fashioned but I want more games for my team. If you are doing well it means more games in the cups and that's important. It's a great position for us to be in and we want more of it.

"Brian Talbot [Oxford manager] will be very keen to win the game and pick things up for his team. They lost on Friday against Lincoln and we put them out of the FA Cup so they really want to push on if they can. They've got good players and there have been three cracking games, I think. There might not have been some fast-flowing football in the replay but they've been played in great spirit by both sets of players. The two managers have accepted the results in the right manner and the supporters have been brilliant. If you want an entertaining game and some good football then Whaddon Road is the place to be against Oxford.

"I will be picking a strong team and I'm thinking about playing Steven Gillespie. We'll look at that nearer the time but I want it to be a team to try and win the game. I'm not in the business of changing the team around to try and give people a game because we have been on a decent run and want to keep that going. I'm sure our supporters want that as well and this competition gets bigger the longer you stay in it."

They've been the better side in the 3 previous matches with Oxford and I reckon I may as well have a wee go with them tonight. Not much confidence mind.

[MickeyPaul]

And from the Oxford site:

It's the fourth and final instalment of the U's v The Robins saga, which has taken in the FA Cup, the League, an FA Cup replay and now the LDV Vans Trophy regional quarter final, and with things tied at one win each and one draw it's a chance to find a decider! Even the aggregate scores are level at 4-4.

United are without Jon Ashton, who serves a suspension after picking up five yellow cards this season, but hope to have Steve Basham and Adam Griffin available again after injury.

Billy Turley is under pressure from Chris Tardif in goal, while Chris Hackett is likely to return to the starting line up on the right of midfield with Lee Mansell dropping back to right back in place of Ashton.

Eric Sabin, who has scored on both of our visits to Whaddon Road so far, will be looking to carry on that run, but Scott Fitzgerald is cup tied, having played for Brentford against The U's in a previous round.

The Opposition

Cheltenham took a break from the Cotswolds saga to draw 0-0 at Boston on Saturday, and in Kayode Odejayi have a striker who has caused problems in every game so far. Steve Guinan has scored twice as well, so Craig DaviesUnited will need to be alert.

Grant McCann and Brian Wilson are the driving forces in the team, but hen you knew that anyway!

4-4 on aggregate eh? Well I reckon Cheltenham are going to finally edge it. It's tight, tough and tricky and probably not worth betting on but what the hell.

[MickeyPaul]

Blow the bloody whistle now!!!!!

[MickeyPaul]

My work here is done....... goodbye.