Colchester game will be a bumpy ride, warns Tony Mowbray

Mar 27 2008 By Bill Howell

AN ANXIOUS Hawthorns crowd have been told to prepare for another bumpy ride on Saturday.

Rock-bottom Colchester arrive at a stadium which used to be deemed a fortress but has recently resembled something of a bouncy castle after a run of just two wins and nine points from seven league games, including damaging defeats to Hull and Leicester.

Colchester are the division's whipping boys. They were battered 5-1 at Norwich last week and have registered just two draws and seven losses since they beat Preston last month.

But they arrive looking to register an unlikely double over Albion after a 3-2 win in October.

And they won at Charlton on New Year's Day - more than Albion managed last time out.

"It will be a tough game. There are no easy games," Mowbray said.

" I am sure our supporters now realise that having watched the Leicester game.

"We all need to stay very focused and use great concentration levels in trying to win."

A win at Albion could transform Colchester's season and give them hope of closing the 11-point gap between themselves and safety.

Mowbray admits the Essex club might fancy their chances of an upset.

He added: "They will look at our last few results at home and will be looking to make it a nervous occasion for us by being very solid and by not giving anything away early on."