NEW dad Glen Little will be hoping to avoid the call from the Burnley bench this week by helping the Clarets to beat Colchester United and stay top of the table.

Little's mobile phone was in the dug-out at Preston last Saturday as he waited news of the imminent arrival of his son.

Baby Keiron didn't arrive until the following day but Little was still taken off with 20 minutes to go as the Clarets were unable to break the deadlock.

However if he can warrant a full 90 minutes against Colchester at Turf Moor tomorrow, Burnley could be well on their way to a fourth straight home success.

Little said: "Last season we did well against Colchester and won 4-0 and 3-1 but it's a totally different season.

"But if you are trying to win the league, and we have aspirations to be near the top, you really have to beat Colchester.

"But it won't be easy. We'll see how we get on and we're looking forward to it."

Burnley turned in their best performance of the season when beating Bournemouth at Turf Moor a fortnight ago.

And Little is hoping they can continue their formula for success against a Colchester side sitting just above the bottom four.

"You try to win at home no matter who you're playing," he added. "We had a good point at Preston last week and if you win your home games and pick up points away you won't go far wrong. That's the aim really.

"If that happens during the season we won't be far off.

"They've had a couple of dodgy results but like I said if you have aspirations to be up the top you have to win you home games no matter who you're playing and Colchester are no exception."

Little was inspirational against Bournemouth and he is likely to be a key figure again tomorrow in unlocking the visitors' defence to lay on the chances for Andy Payton and Graham Branch or to get off the mark himself.

However, the winger has had to work hard to cement his place in the side after being an automatic choice for the past season-and-a-half.

"I was dropped for a couple of games and I was a bit disappointed. But you always are going to be," he admitted.

"I don't feel in too bad form, it was just one of those things, and I'm just looking forward to establishing myself again and getting back to playing week-in, week-out.

"We have had a couple of good results in the past few weeks. We had a good win against Bournemouth and a good draw at Preston, although it was a bit of a scrappy game and I didn't play too well myself. It was quite difficult for the forward players to get into it.

"But we're looking forward to another home game and if we could have another 4-0 or 3-1 like last season we'd be happy." Burnley boss Stan Ternent has also stressed the value of turning last week's point at Preston into a valuable one by following it up with a fifth win of the season.

And Ternent is expected to name an unchanged side with Andy Cooke still a week away from a return from his hamstring injury.

Colchester boss Steve Whitton, who replaced Mick Wadsworth in charge at Layer Road earlier this season, is expected to recall defender Sagi Burton, a summer signing from Crystal Palace, following a one-match ban.

However, former Spurs and Ipswich midfielder Jason Dozell is still sidelined with a cracked rib.

The U's won away on the opening day of the season but have lost their subsequent two away games, conceding nine goals in the process to Bury and Bournemouth.

Burnley from: Crichton, West, Smith, Mellon, Davis, Thomas, Cook, Little, Payton, Branch, Armstrong, Jepson, Lee, Johnrose, Cowan, Mullin, Brass, Robertson.

Colchester from: Brown, Duguid, Keith, Wilkins, Greene, Burton, Launders, Aspinall, D Gregory, Moralee, Lua Lua, Richard, Opara, Germaine, Farley, Pinault, Walker.

Burnley's youth team play Tranmere Youth at home tomorrow (11am).

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