Colchester United centre-half, Tom Eastman, is back in contention for a place in the squad after recovering from a recent head injury.

Eastman has been out of action since the 1-0 defeat at Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup, on November 10, after sustaining a small fracture near the eye.

The 27-year-old former Ipswich Town defender has sat out the last five weeks, and missed the last five matches, but he is back in the frame again ahead of this weekend’s long trek up to Cumbria to take on Carlisle United.

Centre-backs Luke Prosser and Frankie Kent are expected to again start, but Eastman could be back on the bench, and might even be given the nod if manager John McGreal decides to switch to a three-man defence.

“Tom is back in training and he has also been heading the ball,” revealed McGreal, following this morning’s training session at Florence Park.

“We are still undecided about what to do at the moment, but he’s going to be back soon.

“He has done enough of everything else in the last three weeks in training, so his level of fitness is high.

“It gives us the ability to adapt our style of play, if we want,” added McGreal.