Colchester United’s under-23s will attempt to round off what has been a productive month with a positive result against Birmingham City tonight.

Wayne Brown’s development side travel to play the Blues at St Andrews in Professional Development League Two, on the back of wins over Hull City and Sunderland in the Premier League Cup.

Colchester’s 1-0 win against the Black Cats booked them a quarter-final meeting at Portsmouth next Monday but they revert back to league action tonight against Birmingham (7pm kick-off).

Lewis Kinsella, Tommy O'Sullivan and Kane Vincent-Young are all set to feature for the U's.

Meanwhile, Colchester first-team coach John McGreal says he will not hesitate to blood more of the club’s youngsters in senior games.

Cameron James is the latest academy product to shine in the EFL for the U’s, having started the last eight consecutive games for the club in League Two.

McGreal said: “We’re going to play our young lads and we’ve proved that this year by the amount that have played.

“Frankie Kent has come into his own and we know that Cameron James can do it.

“I’ve been with Cameron for a good three years at under-21 and under-18 level and if they’re willing and able and ready to give it a go, they’ll get their opportunities.

“I think they’ve proved that, this year.

“They did really well at Sunderland.

“It bodes well, both for this season and also next year, because we know we can throw a couple more in during pre-season.”

Colchester’s under-23s lie sixth in the Professional Development League Two table and still have a further six league games remaining, after tonight.

Meanwhile, boss McGreal says the club will no longer be looking to send young goalkeeper Dillon Barnes out on loan before the end of the current season.

The U’s had been considering allowing Barnes to spend time away from the club following Dean Brill’s arrival in January.

But Barnes had been on the bench for Colchester over recent games as Sam Walker’s understudy.

And although Brill has now recovered from the quad injury that had kept him sidelined over recent weeks, boss McGreal says they will keep their three goalkeepers within their ranks in the final six weeks of the campaign.

McGreal added: “Dean’s reacted well to that game and we’re going to stick with the keepers we’ve got.”