By Paul Holmes
September 19 2002

Colchester have failed in their bid to sign Rotherham defender Guy Branston on-loan. The U's are facing a defensive injury crisis with Scott Fitzgerald, Gavin Johnson, Pat Baldwin and Danny Steele all out injured.

Colchester boss Steve Whitton hoped to bring Branston to the club on loan but the proposal was turned down by Millers boss Ronnie Moore, who still sees Branston as a key member of his team that is riding high in the division.

Branston spent two different spells at Layer Road as a 19-year-old in 1998.

Whitton told BBC Essex that he would have to keep searching. "We're ringing round to see who's available.

"But it's at times like this we have to pull together and work even harder as a group."