Ali Smith Shines on Colchester Debut – Loan Watch Review 27/1/24

Ali Smith starred in his Colchester United debut on Saturday, as multiple Imps impressed in a weekend full of action.

Sam Long featured in a 5-0 win for Falkirk over Alloa Athletic as they continued their impressive campaign and extend their lead at the top of the league to 11 points. Long kept his second cleansheet in four games as he continued his run in the team after losing his place towards the back end of 2023.

Staying in Scotland, Jaden Brown failed to make his debut on Sky Sports in the Scottish Premiership against Rangers. The full-back is expected to make his first appearance for St Mirren in the coming weeks though after signing on loan last week.

Elicha Ahui was absent from Ayr United’s matchday squad as they made it three wins on the bounce. Fellow full-back, Jay Benn played the full 90 minutes as Solihull Moors lost away at Maidenhead United.

Hayden Cann and Oisin Gallagher weren’t in action with Drogheda still preparing for the start of their League of Ireland campaign. The pair did feature in a 3-1 win on the 22nd January against Bohemians in the Leinster Senior Cup.

Smith had a very impressive debut for Danny Cowley’s Colchester at the weekend as they secured a 1-0 away win over Morecambe. The midfielder was praised by fans for his performance after signing for the club on loan last week.

Hakeeb Adelakun made his debut for Doncaster Rovers as a half-time substitute, but he couldn’t make a big impact as Grant McCann’s side fell to a heavy 5-1 defeat at the Keepmoat Stadium.