Colchester vs Walsall - Match preview

Having limped off in the defeat at Rochdale a few weeks ago with a hamstring issue, it was thought Kinsella’s season could be over.

The fans’ favourite, though, has trained this week ahead of the lengthy trip down to the Jobserve Community Stadium.

Tomorrow’s clash has a bit more of an edge to it for Kinsella, too.

The 26-year-old midfielder was born in Colchester and lived there until the age of seven.

Kinsella’s father, Mark, made his professional breakthrough with the U’s, too, while the Saddlers man still has family down there.

He always puts in the hard yards, but Kinsella is eager to catch the eye in this one.

“When the fixtures are released, you always look at certain games, and for me, Colchester is one of them,” he said.

“I was born there and dad played there as well, so it’s something I’m looking forward to.

“The whole Essex family are going to be down there at the game and supporting.

“Thankfully, my injury at Rochdale was nothing serious in the end.

“Now, I can try to have an effect in the last two games of the season and go from there.”

Kinsella could come straight back in after the ACL injury suffered by Joss Labadie, shortly after Conor Wilkinson suffered the same injury.

He sends his best wishes to both and says Walsall will support them ‘every step of the way’.

Rollin Menayese and Sam Perry could be handed starts as the Saddlers aim to snap a seven-game winless streak on the road.

“Obviously, our away form hasn’t been good enough,” added Kinsella.

“It’s probably why we are where we are in the league.

“Colchester have hit a little bit of form, but we want to go there and get a win. Then, we can take it into the last game of the season and ruin Swindon’s party.”

Walsall chief Michael Flynn, meanwhile, is aiming to exorcise a few personal demons at Colchester.

He said: “I can’t stand the place! I’ve not had much success there – even when it was the old stadium.

“We actually won there last year with Newport.

“Prior to that, I don’t think Newport had won there since 1973. I think they’d only scored a few goals in that time as well.

“I’m not with Newport now, of course. I’m with Walsall, but that’s why I don’t like it there.

“I lost my first start as a professional there, playing for Wigan, so I don’t really enjoy going down there.

“But, hopefully, we’ll win there this year with Walsall.

“It’s about us going out and putting on a performance we can take into the last game of the season, back in front of our own fans against Swindon.

“We just want to finish as high as we can and as well as we can.”