Brandon Comley is set to go straight back into Colchester United’s starting line-up, after returning from an exhausting round trip to Montserrat at the beginning of this week.

Midfielder Comley made his international debut, in Montserrat’s 2-1 home defeat to El Salvador in a CONCACAF Nations League qualifier last weekend, causing him to miss the U’s trip to Tranmere Rovers.

His deputy, 20-year-old Diaz Wright, the younger brother of former U’s stalwart Drey Wright, made his full league debut at Prenton Park and did well, but he is likely to return to the bench for the visit of Cambridge.

Fellow midfielder, Tom Lapslie, remains on the sidelines after recent knee surgery. He is set to be out of action for another four weeks.

And left-sided specialist, Brennan Dickenson, faces a late fitness test on a sore hamstring – he was substituted after 83 minutes at Tranmere.

“We have had to be careful with Brennan in training this week,” confirmed U’s boss John McGreal.

“We had to take him off last week, because his hamstring tightened up. He has not seemed as explosive as usual, so we have to keep an eye on it.”

Meanwhile, Cambridge United, who have lost four of their first seven league matches, should welcome back skipper Gary Taylor to the starting line-up. The defender was an unused substitute in last weekend’s 2-1 home defeat to Carlisle.

Former Colchester striker Jabo Ibere could spearhead the Cambridge front-line, although ex-Southend United front-runner Barry Corr is pushing for a start.

Midfielder Paul Lewis is also poised for a recall after a recent hamstring injury.

Squads

COLCHESTER: D Barnes, Eastman, Prosser, Kent, Jackson, Pell, Comley, Vincent-Young, Dickenson, Szmodics, Nouble, Mandron, Senior, Collins, Norris, A Barnes, Wright, Gondoh & Ross.

CAMBRIDGE: Forde, Halliday, Taft, Taylor, Carroll, Lewis, Amoo, Maris, Brown, Corr, Azeez, Ibehre, John, Deegan, O’Neil, Osadebe, Davies & Mitov.

Referee: Lee Swabey (Devon)