• The FA Cup 1st Rnd
  • 12 Nov 2011
  • KO 15:00
  • Ground: Alexandra Stadium
Home team Score Away team

Crewe Alexandra

1-4

Colchester United

Byron Moore 19
Lloyd James 60, 90+2
Andrew Bond 77
Ben Coker 87

Crewe v Colchester preview

Friday 11th November 2011 12:13

Bell: Set to return for Crewe

Bell: Set to return for Crewe

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Team news ahead of Saturday's FA Cup first-round clash between Crewe Alexandra and Colchester United at Gresty Road.

New Crewe boss Steve Davis is expecting to have a fully-fit squad to choose from.

Davis took control of first-team affairs at Gresty Road on Thursday after long-serving boss Dario Gradi elected to focus on his director of football role full-time.

Defender Harry Davis and forward Ajay Leitch-Smith both missed Tuesday's 3-1 Johnstone's Paint Trophy defeat at Oldham with respective hip and groin problems, but both are winning their battles to be in contention against the U's.

Young striker Nick Powell brought the Alex level with a second-half strike at Boundary Park and is expected to have done enough to retain his starting place.

David Artell returned to the defence following a hamstring injury in midweek and suffered no ill-effects, while midfielder Lee Bell is set to return having being rested among the substitutes.

Casey Thomas is set to make his Colchester debut.

The striker arrived from Swansea on loan last Friday but failed to come off the bench in the goalless draw at Tranmere 24 hours later.

Having been cleared to play in the FA Cup by his parent club, Thomas is now set to get a run-out against a Crewe side who announced on Thursday that Steve Davis has taken the managerial reins after Dario Gradi opted to concentrate on the development of the League Two club's Academy.

The U's will be without Michail Antonio as the winger's three-month loan spell came to an end following the clash at Prenton Park and he returned to Reading.

Striker Steven Gillespie remains sidelined with the hamstring injury sustained against Notts County two weeks ago, as do centre-back Pat Baldwin (fractured toe) and goalkeeper Mark Cousins (shoulder).