Colchester frontman Ian Henderson spoke to the Daily Gazette ahead of his side's League One match against Carlisle at Brunton Park tomorrow, Henderson talking about his role in the U's frontline:
“I started off as a striker and played in that position through the youth team and reserves when I was at Norwich. But for some reason or other, managers have liked me out wide. It will only add to competition for places in the squad if I keep playing as a striker as we have Kay (Kayode Odejayi) and Steven Gillespie and Craig Arnott is also knocking at the door. It’s only healthy. I always believe in my own ability and I’m sure I will get goals if the manager wants to keep me up there. I feel comfortable anywhere along the front line – as long as I’m attacking.”
In team news for the U’s tomorrow they will probably be missing three players through injury, the first of those being centre-half Pat Baldwin who is sidelined with a broken toe, while striker Steven Gillespie is rated at 50-50 to appear on the substitutes bench having had a niggling hamstring injury for the last few weeks. Finally central midfielder John-Joe O’Toole is likely to return to action in mid-December having recently undergone surgery in an attempt to hasten his return from a troublesome groin problem.
In better news for Colchester boss John Ward though he is able to welcome back Magnus Okuonghae after the centre-half missed last week’s 5-1 home hammering against MK Dons due to a one-match suspension for picking up five bookings this season. As far as another central defender is concerned though, in former Blues defender Tom Aldred, well yesterday he joined League Two side Torquay United on loan until early January. That leaving the Colchester squad for tomorrow as follows:
Goalkeepers - Mark Cousins and Ben Williams.
Defenders - Ben Coker, Tom Eastman, Bradley Hamilton, Matt Heath, Magnus Okuonghae, Michael Rose, John White and Brian Wilson.
Midfielders - Andy Bond, Karl Duguid, Kemal Izzet, Lloyd James, Ashley Vincent and Anthony Wordsworth.
Strikers - Steven Gillespie, Ian Henderson, Kayode Odejayi and Casey Thomas.
The referee for tomorrow afternoon's match is Mark Heywood from Northwich in Cheshire and he will be assisted down the lines by Nick Greenhalgh from Bury and Peter Wright from Southport. Meanwhile the fourth official is Richard Clark from Morpeth in Northumberland.