Rovers end a run of three consecutive league games at home as they take on Colchester United at The Fully Charged New Lawn on Tuesday night.

Here’s the lowdown on the Essex outfit, the U’s.

MEET THE MANAGER: HAYDEN MULLINS

Hayden Mullins had a very impressive 17 year career in English football playing in each of the top three divisions making over 600 appearances.

Mullins began his career with Crystal Palace quickly becoming a mainstay in the team, playing over 250 games for the Eagles.

The 42 year old went on to play top flight football with West Ham United and Portsmouth before spells with Reading, Birmingham City and Notts County, where he retired in 2015.

Four years coaching with Watford followed where he worked with the u23’s as well as being an interim first team manager on two occasions.

Mullins became Colchester United assistant head coach in 2020 and after two changes in manager, he himself was appointed head coach of the U’s last summer, in what is his first permanent job .

KEY PLAYER: FREDDIE SEARS

Freddie Sears returned to Colchester in the summer signing a two year contract after leaving for Ipswich Town back in 2015.

Sears came through the West Ham academy setup and won his first team debut aged 18, coming on to score the winner against Blackburn Rovers In the Premier League.

During his time with the Hammers, Sears played alongside now manager Hayden Mullins who left Upton Park in 2009.

After various loan spells including one to Colchester, Sears joined the U’s following his release from West Ham in 2012.

A key move to Ipswich Town followed where he played an impressive 218 games over a six year period going through a Championship play-off campaign as well as a relegation to League One.

The now 32 year old has had a strong first half of the season scoring eight and assisting one playing in all 21 of Colchester’s League Two games.

FORM - LLDDW

23/11/21 – Colchester United 3-1 Exeter City

26/11/21 – Colchester United 1-1 Newport County

08/12/21 – Bradford City 0-0 Colchester United

11/12/21 – Walsall 3-0 Colchester United

01/01/22 – Crawley Town 3-1 Colchester United

PLAYED FOR BOTH SIDES

Ben Stevenson:

FGR midfielder Ben Stevenson has been a key cog in the Rob Edwards machine this campaign playing in all 22 of Rovers’ league games.

The 24 year old had a loan spell with the U’s before joining permanently in 2019 where he played almost 100 games.

Tuesdays game will be the first time Stevenson has played against his former club since his move from Essex to GL6 in the summer.

Aaron Collins:

Aaron Collins played in every league game for FGR last season and scored 15 league goals in his two year stint with Forest Green.

Collins had a short loan spell with Colchester where he made seven appearances just months before he moved to GL6.

The young Welshman now plays his football with fellow League Two side Bristol Rovers and returned to the New Lawn just two months ago.

LAST TIME OUT

Colchester United’s trip to Crawley Town ended in a 3-1 defeat largely thanks to an Ashley Nadesan brace at The People’s Pension Stadium.

Jon Yems’ hosts took the lead early on as Nadesan powered home his header after some good work from Tom Nichols down the left hand side.

Not long before the break and it was two, Ludwig Francillette’s header found Joel Lynch who blasted Crawley into a very comfortable position.

Nadesan made it three 10 minutes after the interval, another header this time diverting it brilliantly past Jake Turner in the U’s net to put the game to bed.

The home side came close to adding a fourth but Hayden Mullins’ side did grab a consolation through top scorer Freddie Sears to give the traveling fans something to cheer about.

The result was the U’s second defeat In two meaning they sit just three points outside the relegation zone.

LAST TIME WE MET

Last February, Forest Green Rovers got back to winning ways at home to Colchester United, easing past the U’s by three goals to nil.

The opening goal came on 25 minutes when a one-two between Jamille Matt and Aaron Collins allowed Matt to fumble his header home.

Just five minutes later and Matt made it two, this time volleying in after his initial header was saved off the line from a Nicky Cadden corner.

Rovers were cruising but an Ebou Adams red card just before the break gave the away side a lifeline and a chance to get back into the game.

Into the second half and despite Rovers being down a man they got their all-important third as Brendan Sarpong-Wiredu turned a Collins free-kick into his own net.

The win was Rovers’ fifth win in seven whilst the away side fell to a third defeat in as many matches.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

Rovers and the U’s have met on seven occasions, all in League Two action and first met only five years ago.

The record between the two sides is very even, with FGR winning three of the meetings compared to Colchester’s four victories.

There has never been a draw between the two sides and a total of 18 goals have been scored, a rate of over 2.5 goals a meeting.