Team news

Colchester lost for Wordsworth Colchester are without Anthony Wordsworth as they welcome fellow strugglers Scunthorpe to the Weston Homes Community Stadium.

The U's have lost their last eight games and are just one point above their opponents, who are in the relegation zone.

Boss Joe Dunne goes into the game without Wordsworth after the midfielder picked up a 10th booking of the campaign during the 1-0 defeat to Doncaster at the weekend and starts a two-match ban.

Fellow midfielder Kem Izzet is a doubt after suffering an ankle problem at Doncaster last time out.

But defender Tom Eastman is hoping to make a return to the side after taking part in training this week. The 21-year-old has missed the last two games after suffering a dead leg in training on New Year's Eve.

Scunthorpe's new signing Akpo Sodje is hoping to make his debut for his latest club.

Sodje, at his 15th club, has teamed back up with former Sheffield Wednesday boss Brian Laws following his recent release from Preston and will be included in the squad.

But Laws will be without midfielder Damien Mozika, who tore a hamstring in last week's goalless home draw with Shrewsbury and is expected to be sidelined for a month.

Andy Barcham replaced Mozika last weekend and is likely to return to the starting line-up in the Frenchman's absence.

Karl Hawley partnered Nathan Ellington up front against Shrewsbury, while fellow striker Mike Grella appeared as a second half substitute and all three will be vying with Sodje for a place in the starting line-up.

Central defender David Mirfin, sidelined since the beginning of November with knee ligament damage, and midfielder Josh Walker (ankle), who has missed the last five games, are both hoping to return to the squad.

Colchester vs Scunthorpe

Last modified 09:38 21/01/13

Iron on the up Scunthorpe climbed out of the relegation zone at fellow strugglers Colchester's expense after claiming a vital 2-1 win.

Dominic Samuel and Gavin Massey both went close for Colchester early on, while Scunthorpe debutant Akpo Sodje fired straight at keeper Mark Cousins and the U's keeper then denied both Jimmy Ryan and Andy Barcham.

Ryan cleared Josh Thompson's close-range effort off the line, and four minutes before the break Ryan's blistering 25-yard strike flew into the net, despite Cousins getting a hand to the shot.

Scunthorpe doubled their lead in the opening minute of the second half when Karl Hawley finished well from close range from Sodje's flick-on.

It was almost 3-0 soon after when Callum Kennedy's free-kick rattled the woodwork and Hawley did the same, before Colchester substitute Freddie Sears reduced the deficit when he lashed home from close range after latching onto Clinton Morrison's flick.

Colchester pressed for an equaliser in the closing stages but were unable to prevent a club record ninth successive league defeat.