COLCHESTER United are facing a midfield injury crisis after Ben Stevenson limped out of their defeat against Forest Green Rovers.

The former Wolves playmaker suffered a groin problem in the 3-0 loss against Rovers and was replaced by Abo Eisa with 11 minutes remaining, at the JobServe Community Stadium.

Colchester are already without a number of midfielders, with Harry Pell, Tom Lapslie and Brandon Comley all sidelined.

And now the U's will have to assess Stevenson's fitness, ahead of their important game at fellow play-off hopefuls Exeter City

Colchester head coach John McGreal said: "Ben has gone off with a groin injury. "We'll be looking at that because he's another centre midfielder who's potentially out, on Saturday.

"It's one where we just have to get on with it.

"He's carried his groin for the last couple of weeks now and I think it was a little bit of a bridge too far."

Colchester have lost two of their last three matches and dropped to seventh spot in League Two, following their defeat against Forest Green.

And McGreal says they have to pick themselves up quickly for the match against the Grecians.

"It's unlike us, especially with the boys have been performing," added McGreal.

"But things like this happen in football, especially at our level.

"Forest Green have been through it at this stage.

"We're a little bit inconsistent over the last couple of games and it's back to the drawing board.

"We've moved shape around, we've gone with two boys up top and a diamond in midfield and I thought it was working second half.

"We stopped their midfielders, we got hold of it and we got more in good areas but it wasn't to be."