Colchester United have travelled here for an entertaining battle versus the hosting Walsall. Get smart on the game with this full League Two preview!
Both teams should be fairly well rested for this game, as they have had some quiet days to prepare. Hopefully this will translate into lots of action on the pitch.
Walsall form and stats
OK but not perfect. That could be the conclusion for Walsall's two home games in the League Two so far this season, having collected 4 points here at Poundland Bescot Stadium.
The home followers saw a 1-1 draw versus Grimsby Town last time out and are looking for a victory here. Midfield player Stirk got a match rating of 7.65 in that game, the max score being 10. Stirk scored one goal and hit one key pass.
Before that fixture, a home loss in the EFL Trophy against Brighton U21. The bookmakers consider this a fairly even contest. One could say only the home advantage separates the teams. It could be relevant to look at how Walsall have performed in matches similar to this (as small favourites). Our database has found 13 matches with the results: Won 5, drawn 3 and lost 5.
Both teams score at least one goal! That has happened in 5 league games in a row for this club. Will it happen again?
Walsall has scored {3 goals} so far and conceded {2 goals} from 2 home games. These are numbers from the league only.
Colchester United form and stats
Things could have gone better for Colchester United in their League Two away matches, but 3 points from 2 games is all right.
It's the second away game in a row for Colchester, but there's smiles all around after the 3-0 victory versus Gillingham (placed 2nd) last time out. That win felt sweet as this team had gone three league fixtures without winning. Defender Greenidge was the best team player with a rating of 9.1. Greenidge signed up for two assists, hit two key passes and won 11 of 14 duels.
A loss against Milton Keynes Dons was the result prior to that, in a home game.So, this is expected to be a close game, an even contest. Looking at earlier matches with Colchester United playing away and similar expectations, we found 9 relevant matches. Results were 5 Colchester United wins, 1 draw and 3 defeats.
{4 goals} so far away for Colchester United, while their defence has allowed the opposition to score 2. All from 2 league matches away.
Head 2 Head
Walsall have avoided defeat in the last 4 games (1-3-0) against Colchester United.Top Goalscorers
  J. Taylor 3 goals |   D. Johnson 2 goals |  I. Hutchinson 1 goals |
Walsall missing players
Colchester United missing players
| Walsall | Colchester United | ||||||
| Total | Home | vs | Statistics | Stat | vs | Away | Total |
| 5 | 2 | 1 | Played | P | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| 1 | 1 | 1 | Won | W | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | 1 | 0 | Drew | D | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | Lost | L | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| 8 | 3 | 2 | Scored | S | 0 | 4 | 6 |
| 10 | 2 | 1 | Conceded | C | 0 | 2 | 7 |
| 100% | 100% | 100% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 0% | 100% | 100% |
| 100% | 100% | 100% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 0% | 100% | 100% |
| 80% | 50% | 100% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 0% | 100% | 75% |
| 40% | 0% | 0% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 0% | 0% | 25% |
| 20% | 0% | 0% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 0% | 0% | 25% |
| 100% | 100% | 100% | BTTS | BTTS | 0% | 50% | 50% |
| 0% | 0% | 0% | Clean Sheets | C S | 0% | 50% | 25% |
| 0% | 0% | 0% | Failed to Score | F T | 0% | 0% | 25% |
| 4.6 | 6 | 4 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 0 | 7.5 | 6.2 |
| 8 | 10.5 | 11 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 0 | 3.5 | 5.5 |
| 2.8 | 3 | 3 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 0 | 3 | 3.5 |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | Red cards | R C | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 13.4 | 12.5 | 9 | Shots (avg) | S ( | 0 | 11.5 | 11 |
| 4.2 | 4 | 2 | Shots on Target (avg) | S O | 0 | 3.5 | 4 |
| 38% | 38% | 100% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 0% | 57% | 38% |
| 13.6 | 14.5 | 18 | Shots against (avg) | S A | 0 | 14.5 | 16.8 |
| 4.8 | 2.5 | 3 | Shots on Target against (avg) | S O | 0 | 5.5 | 6 |
| Walsall | Last season | Colchester United | |||||
| Total | Home | Statistics | Stat | Away | Total | ||
| 46 | 23 | Played | P | 23 | 46 | ||
| 12 | 9 | Won | W | 6 | 12 | ||
| 19 | 9 | Drew | D | 4 | 13 | ||
| 15 | 5 | Lost | L | 13 | 21 | ||
| 46 | 28 | Scored | S | 19 | 44 | ||
| 49 | 19 | Conceded | C | 28 | 51 | ||
| 80% | 83% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 96% | 93% | ||
| 65% | 65% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 52% | 59% | ||
| 35% | 35% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 35% | 33% | ||
| 15% | 17% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 17% | 17% | ||
| 7% | 4% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 4% | 4% | ||
| 50% | 52% | BTTS | BTTS | 43% | 46% | ||
| 33% | 35% | Clean Sheets | C S | 17% | 22% | ||
| 37% | 30% | Failed to Score | F T | 43% | 39% | ||
| 4.4 | 4.5 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 3.7 | 4.9 | ||
| 4.5 | 4 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 4.9 | 5.1 | ||
| 1.9 | 1.8 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 2 | 1.9 | ||
| 5 | 1 | Red cards | R C | 1 | 1 | ||
| 11 | 11.8 | Shots (avg) | S ( | 8.2 | 9.7 | ||
| 3.2 | 4.3 | Shots on Target (avg) | S O | 1.9 | 2 | ||
| 31% | 29% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 44% | 47% | ||
| 11.2 | 10.9 | Shots against (avg) | S A | 12.3 | 11.4 | ||
| 3.1 | 2.9 | Shots on Target against (avg) | S O | 4 | 3.6 | ||
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Milton Keynes Dons | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 12 |
| 2 | Gillingham | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 12 |
| 3 | Accrington Stanley | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 10 |
| 4 | Notts County | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 10 |
| 5 | AFC Wimbledon | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 9 |
| 6 | Newport County | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 9 |
| 7 | Mansfield Town | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 9 |
| 8 | Swindon Town | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 15 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| 9 | Barrow | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 8 |
| 10 | Salford City | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 7 |
| 11 | Morecambe | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | -1 | 7 |
| 12 | Bradford City | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | -2 | 7 |
| 13 | Crawley Town | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | -5 | 7 |
| 14 | Crewe Alexandra | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6 |
| 15 | Grimsby Town | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 6 |
| 16 | Wrexham | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 14 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
| 17 | Harrogate Town | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | -2 | 6 |
| 18 | Walsall | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 8 | -2 | 5 |
| 19 | Stockport County | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | -2 | 4 |
| 20 | Forest Green Rovers | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | -5 | 4 |
| 21 | Tranmere Rovers | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | -1 | 3 |
| 22 | Colchester United | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | -1 | 3 |
| 23 | Sutton United | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | -3 | 3 |
| 24 | Doncaster Rovers | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 6 | -8 | 1 |
- Walsall FC
- Express & Star - (local newspaper)
- Bescot Banter - (supporter site)
- Up the Saddlers - (supporter forum)
