WAYNE Brown is now preparing to take charge of his first game as Colchester United's interim first-team coach.

And there will be certain players in the U's first-team ranks who will no doubt be hoping that his appointment might result in them earning a recall.

The likes of Paris Cowan-Hall and Josh Bohui have found themselves out of the reckoning over in recent weeks for the U's, under Steve Ball.

But Brown will no doubt come in with his own fresh ideas, having been busy managing Maldon and Tiptree in Pitching In Isthmian League division north.

And that could mean players who have hardly featured for the U's under Ball might be given a fresh chance by the interim coach.

Cowan-Hall has made only one start for Colchester this season, in their Papa John's Trophy defeat at the hands of West Ham United under-21s back in September.

The attacker's last appearance came as a late substitute in the U's 0-0 draw with Cheltenham Town, in December.

When asked by the Gazette last week about Cowan-Hall's chances of a first-team recall, Ball admitted that the experienced attacker was not in his plans.

He said: “Paris is a great pro.

“I think he’d probably say that the move hasn’t really worked out as he’d have wanted, over the two years and not just with me.

“He’s had loads of niggly injuries and stop-start bits.

“Of late, he’s been fit but I think it’s obvious to say that Paris’s future will lie elsewhere.

“I think he knows that and we know that – we tried to get a move in the window but that didn’t happen for one reason or another.

“He’s trained this week and he’s been fine but every club in the world will have players that don’t get in teams or don’t get in squads and unfortunately for Paris at Colchester, it’s worked out that way.

“Paris is young enough still to kick his career on elsewhere and I really hope that he can do that."

Halstead Gazette:

Like Cowan-Hall, fellow attacker Bohui has also found his opportunities few and far between since arriving at Colchester, in October.

The former Manchester United youngster, who featured for the under-23s in their 3-1 loss at Charlton Athletic earlier this week, is yet to start for the U's and has made 11 substitute appearances to date, the latest of which coming against Cambridge United on January 16.

Halstead Gazette:

The likes of Andre Hasanally and Billy Cracknell will also be hoping they might be elevated to first-team duties again in the coming weeks, having played under Brown at Maldon and Tiptree.

Brown may well need to use all of his squad in the coming weeks, given the club's busy schedule.

Colchester are currently in a sequence of playing 11 matches in the space of just 35 days, in League Two.