COLCHESTER United have a fighting chance of overturning a one-goal deficit, against visiting Swansea City this evening, to book their first-ever appearance at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.

By Carl Marston

COLCHESTER United have a fighting chance of overturning a one-goal deficit, against visiting Swansea City this evening, to book their first-ever appearance at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.

The U's lost the first leg (1-0) of this LDV Vans Trophy southern area final last week, but Phil Parkinson's men enjoy home advantage in the second leg tonight.

A bumper crowd is expected, although it is not all-ticket. Supporters can turn up on the night and pay at the turnstiles.

The U's will be without the suspended Kem Izzet, who serves a one-match ban for his sending-off in the 1-0 defeat at Oldham on Saturday. Striker Richard Garcia is also sidelined with a knee injury, incurred in the first leg at the Liberty Stadium.

Fellow front-runner Tony Thorpe is cup-tied, so Gareth Williams might get the nod to partner Chris Iwelumo up front.

The Swans, thanks to an 88th-minute deflected equaliser from Adebayo Akinfenwa, recorded their fifth straight league draw against visiting Walsall (1-1) on Sunday.

Former Torquay centre-forward Akinfenwa, who scored the only goal in the first leg against Colchester, was employed as a substitute against the Saddlers, although he should start alongside leading scorer Lee Trundle this evening.

Fellow striker Rory Fallon is cup-tied, having played for his former club Swindon in this competition earlier in the season. Fallon partnered Trundle on Sunday, after the ex-Wrexham marksman passed a fitness test on a stomach injury.

Defender Tom Williams is also cup-tied, but Kristian O'Leary is available again after serving a two-match suspension.

Manager Kenny Jackett strengthened his squad by signing defender Keith Lowe on loan from Championship club Wolves last week.

Jackett was not happy after the Walsall game. He said: “It was a poor performance. Everyone of us, including me, can do a lot better than we showed.”

If the aggregate scores are level after normal time, then extra-time will be played (it is not sudden-death). The away goal rule will only apply after extra-time.

If Colchester win 1-0 on the night, to make it 1-1 on aggregate, then a penalty shoot-out will decide the outcome.

Tonight's squads

COLCHESTER UNITED: Gerken or Davison, Stockley, Chilvers, Brown, White, Halford, Watson, Danns, Yeates, Iwelumo, Williams, Elokobi, Guy, King, Baldwin, Richards and Duguid.

SWANSEA CITY: Gueret, Forbes, Monk, O'Leary, Ricketts, Britton, Tate, Martinez, Robinson, Trundle, Akinfenwa, Macdonald, Knight, Way, Murphy, Lowe and Bond.