COLCHESTER United need to start the new year with a bang, if they are to mount a serious challenge for play-offs, and at least history is on their side.
Carl Marston
Colchester soccer
By Carl Marston
COLCHESTER United need to start the new year with a bang, if they are to mount a serious challenge for play-offs, and at least history is on their side.
The U's entertain Tranmere Rovers at the Community Stadium tomorrow afternoon. Both sides are in form, and looking to gatecrash the top six during the second half of the season.
Rovers are six points and three places better off than Paul Lambert's men, and whatever tomorrow's result, the U's cannot improve on their current position of 11th in League One - they are four points adrift of the top 10.
But they can make up some lost ground, something they have been accustomed to achieving during the opening fixtures of a new year.
In fact, Colchester have tended to celebrate the new year in style, losing just one of their last 10 matches at the start of a new calendar year.
With the exception of a 1-0 defeat at QPR on January 1, 2007, when the late Ray Jones scored the only goal of the game for struggling Rangers, it's been all smiles for the U's.
Kevin Lisbie scored both goals against his old club in a 2-1 win at Charlton a year ago, while Nottingham Forest were defeated 3-1 at Layer Road during the promotion-winning season.
That win over Forest was a club record ninth successive victory, and their 11th on the bounce at home. Richard Garcia netted a brace and Chris Iwelumo the other that day.
And 2005 started in terrific fashion, with a resounding 3-0 victory at Swindon. Gavin Johnson, Neil Danns and Garcia were the marksmen.
In addition to history being on their side, current form is also giving the U's new confidence. Just one defeat in the last seven league games, with 10 points accrued from a possible 12, makes United one of the in-form teams of the division.
Defender Chris Coyne is a big doubt with a knee injury, but otherwise Lambert has a full-strength squad at his disposal.
Fact-file
HOW the U's have fared in their opening fixtures of the new year:
2008: won 2-1 at Charlton
2007: lost 1-0 at QPR
2006: won 3-1 v Nottingham Forest
2005: won 3-0 at Swindon
2004: drew 0-0 at Accrington Stanley
2003: drew 2-2 v Tranmere
2002: won 2-1 v Wrexham
2001: won 5-4 v Bristol Rovers
2000: drew 1-1 at Oldham
1999: drew 2-2 v Luton
1998: lost 2-1 to Hartlepool
1997: won 3-3 at Millwall
1996: won 3-2 at Torquay
1995: lost 1-0 at Wimbledon
1994: drew 0-0 v Chester
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