Iwelumo & Yeates To Face Each Other

Former Colchester United team-mates Chris Iwelumo and Mark Yeates are set to face one another as Scotland B take on Ireland B in a friendly at the New Broomfield Stadium.

The two teams met in Dublin almost a year ago to the day but neither Iwelumo, who was net-busting with the U`s, or Yeates, whose miserable spell with Hull City had taken its toll, featured on the international radar back then.

Yeates has since returned to Essex where he formed a prolific partnership with Iwelumo during the 2005/6 season when Colchester rose to an unprecedented promotion from League One.

Winger Yeates, 22, is now the U`s top scorer with seven goals this term and Iwelumo, whose desire to represent the full squad is well-known, has been in fine form for Charlton. He now has three in his last three matches for the London side.

On Iwelumo, Scotland boss Alex McLeish has told Charlton`s official website today: "There have been calls for him to be included earlier in the qualifying process but the timing wasn't right because all the players in the senior squad were doing exceptionally well."

The big forward went on record last season as saying he felt he`d have to add a 'Mac` prefix in front of his name just to be considered for selection for the national team.

Yeates, meanwhile, has described the chance to stake a claim for the full Republic squad as "an honour," and will be hoping to produce an electric display tonight.