Colchester United suffered several injuries during their game against Mansfield Town on Tuesday night, having already lost Tommy Smith to a back problem according to the Gazette News.

The 31-year-old played in both of the U’s games before the fixture against the Stags but was sidelined after a back problem flared up on Monday.

It meant that he had to sit and watch from the stands last night, as the club managed a 1-1 draw.

However, it’s a decision that may have paid off for boss Hayden Mullins. Tom Eastman and Ryan Clampin also put themselves on the injury list last night - and if they aren’t fit for the weekend, at least Smith may be in better shape than if he featured in the game against Mansfield.

Speaking about the decision to leave out Smith, Mullins said to the Gazette: “Tommy jarred his back (on Monday) right at the beginning of training. He didn’t train and we were waiting to see if it was better.

“He came in (on Tuesday) and said ‘yeah, it feels better’. I took the decision out of his hands and decided to keep him out of the game.“

The defender has been a mainstay in the side since his move to the club and he’ll want to be back involved on the field sooner rather than later. That decision could prove to be vital then, considering he’s had some extra time to rest and can now feature at a time when his club may need it more than ever.

The Verdict

Tommy Smith is an important member of the Colchester side and it could therefore be a wise decision to keep him out for the game last night.

The games come thick and fast in League Two and the rest of the EFL, so it’s better to get rid of an injury completely than to risk aggravating it.

With two other injuries to key squad members now, it’s even more essential that the club captain is able to feature regularly and help them battle at the right end of the table. He might not be able to feature against Oldham but by giving him that extra game’s rest, it could prove more beneficial to the side in the long run.