Town's U18s continue their FA Youth Cup campaign this evening when they take on Colchester United at Layer Road (KO 7.30pm). A place in the semi-finals awaits the winners of a rare East Anglian derby between the two sides.

The Blues were very impressive in their fifth round tie, a 3-1 victory over Aston Villa, and will probably field a largely unchanged side. The youngsters had previously defeated Portsmouth and Stoke City.

Northern Irish central defender Chris Casement missed the victory over Villa through injury but returned to action in the league game with Southampton at the weekend. Casement, a former schoolboy international, was the man of the match in the fourth round win at Stoke and could be recalled, with James Krause moving to left-back and Stuart Ainsley dropping to the bench.

Full-back Michael Synnott, one of five Republic of Ireland players involved at this level, is set to again miss out through injury.

Town's most influential players against Aston Villa were strikers Billy Clarke and Darryl Knights and Irish midfielders Owen Garvan and Cathal Lordan, while keeper Shane Supple also impressed.

Knights and central defender Aidan Collins are the only players with first team experience, although Supple and Garvan have both been on the bench and Clarke was recently on standby for the squad.

Charlie Sheringham, son of Teddy, is likely to be on the bench, while full-back Stuart Ainsley's father George was a Town youth player in the late seventies.

Colchester have beaten Chelsea, Crewe and Cardiff to get to this stage and are a team very much based on a team ethic.

Striker Jamie Guy scored for a Colchester reserves side in a friendly against the Blues earlier in the season and has twice played for the first team.

Midfielder Robbie King, on the bench twice for the senior side this term, and Ipswich-based Matt Paine are amongst the other U's players to look out for.

Colchester are segregating fans for the game with Town supporters given blocks E, F, G, H, I and J and Terrace Six.

Tickets are available from Colchester's Ticket Office - 0871 2262161 - and cost £7 for adults, £5 for concessions and £2 for under-16s.

If Town win they will then face the winners of Thursday's tie between Watford and Tottenham. Youth Cup semi-finals are played over two legs, the first game at home on Saturday, 9th April and the second away on Saturday, 23rd April.

The two-legged final, covered live by Sky, will be played on Monday, 23rd May and Friday, 27th May. The Blues, if they make it that far, will want to play the home leg first, as the stage from the Neil Diamond gig the previous night is likely to still be in place on the day of the second game.

Likely line-up: Supple, Moore, Krause, Trotter, Collins, Casement, Lordan, Knights, Clarke, Garvan, Craig. Subs from: Blackmore, Beveridge, Sheringham, Hammond, Haynes, Ainsley, Haverson.

Town's reserves are also in action today in a friendly against Cambridge United at the Playford Road Training Centre (KO Midday).

Photo: Action Images

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