League Two is the only English league with a full schedule this weekend, so there will be plenty more attention on the league than usual. In this game, we get to see the league leaders in action, as Mansfield are at home and their visitors are struggling Colchester, a team just above the relegation zone, for now.
Mansfield Form GuideMansfield have been excellent all season, they are one of just two teams to sit with 20 wins in the season, and have played a game less to get it done than the other, which is MK Dons. They are top of the league heading into the weekend, with a four point gap to second placed Stockport, and a five point cushion for the automatic spots.
They come here on the back of a really good and dominant win last weekend, where they beat Bradford City 5-1 away from home. But before that, they did suffer defeat, losing 2-1 away from home against Tranmere. They continue to score a lot of goals, and with 78, are the highest scorers in this division, six ahead of the next best.
Colchester Form GuideColchester are right on the edge of the relegation zone, they come into the weekend safe, in 22nd place, but are only safe on goal difference, tied on points with Forest Green below them, and only three ahead of Sutton who are bottom. They've been drawing a lot of games recently, they have saved them from falling into the bottom two, but at the same time, a win is overdue and much needed right now.
Colchester haven't won any of their last seven games, but as I said, draws are helping them and they've drawn five of those last seven games, five valuable points. Last weekend, they picked up a good point in a home draw against Walsall, but lost to Barrow before that, two sides in the playoff race.
Match PredictionI see a comfortable win for Mansfield here, they should have far too much quality and beat Colchester. As big scorers, I will take Mansfield on the Asian handicap line at -1.5, which increases the odds a lot, and means we need Mansfield to win by two goals or more in this one.