Forest Green boss Mark Cooper has defensive problems ahead of Saturday’s League Two fixture against Colchester.

Club captain Chris Stokes is facing several weeks out after suffering a thigh strain during Wednesday night’s 3-1 home defeat by struggling Southend.

His misfortune struck with fellow defender Dan Sweeney having been ruled out for the rest of the campaign following a scan on a knee injury.

Cooper is also having to manage striker Jamille Matt, who was used only as a second-half substitute in midweek after limping off with cramp in both legs during the dying minutes of Sunday’s 2-0 win at Newport.

Interim Colchester head coach Wayne Brown will run the rule over the players he has inherited from Steve Ball after he was relieved of his duties earlier this week.

Ball left the club in the wake of Tuesday night’s 2-1 home defeat by Exeter, which left them without a win in 13 games and sitting in 21st place in the table.

Skipper Harry Pell sat out that game as he nursed a calf injury with Ball replacing him, Kwame Poku, Omar Sowunmi and Aramide Oteh with Michael Folivi, Brendan Wiredu, Noah Chilvers and Josh Doherty.

His departure could see the likes of strikers Paris Cowan-Hall and Josh Bohui return to contention, while Andre Hasanally and Billy Cracknell, who played under Brown at Maldon and Tiptree, will hope for a chance.