COLCHESTER United have recalled Tom Eastman from his loan stay at Crawley Town.

Former Ipswich Town defender Eastman, who rejected the offer of a short-term contract at Portman Road to join the U’s over the summer, had impressed during his first month at League Two high-fliers Crawley.

He was in the early stages of his second month at the Sussex club when U’s manager John Ward, due to a defensive crisis, decided to recall 19-year-old Eastman today.

Magnus Okuonghae is suspended for this Saturday’s trip to Sheffield Wednesday, while fellow centre-halves Pat Baldwin and Matt Heath are both struggling with toe and ankle injuries respectively.

Meanwhile, the U’s Reserves were beaten 4-2 by Southend United’s second string yesterday afternoon.

On the plus side for the U’s, winger Ashley Vincent played the full 90 minutes in his second comeback game following a knee injury, suffered at the end of the first week of the season.

Vincent and Steven Gillespie were the U’s scorers against visiting Southend..