Harry Anderson will go in search of much needed minutes at Colchester United - after Stevenage agreed a loan deal with the League Two club.

Anderson arrived at the Lamex in the summer but injuries have kept his appearances down to just three - a debut in the Carabao Cup at Exeter City, the EFL Trophy match at AFC Wimbledon and a very late substitute appearance at Leyton Orient in the league.

Steve Evans had said while he is now fully fit, he is also in desperate need of minutes now and a temporary switch was right for both the player and the club.

His move to Essex brings Anderson back under the wing of Danny Crowley, the man who signed him for Lincoln City in 2017.

The United boss was in the crowd on Wednesday when Anderson played 45 minutes for Stevenage in their Herts Senior Cup match at Potters Bar Town.

And he was absolutely unrestrained with his praise for the Boro man.

"Harry is a brilliant kid," gushed Cowley. "We had him first just as a baby at Braintree on loan from Peterborough, where he did great.

"We managed to sign him on loan in our first season at Lincoln and he played a huge part in getting us promoted and in the FA Cup run that we had.

"He's a brilliant kid and a fantastic player who plays with so much energy, so much determination and so much fight.

"He gives absolutely everything he's got.

"You can go to bed on a Friday night as a manager of Harry Anderson knowing that you have a wide player who's going to give their absolute all for the team and as a consequence, is able to play with a real level of consistency.

"Even when the top end of his game is not quite there, he still gives you such a work ethic and such a shift.

"He scores goals, he creates goals, he gives the team everything and what a lovely kid.

"For me and Nicky to wake up every morning knowing that we're going to see Harry Anderson is a good thing for us and I know that he'll fit in really well for this group."

The Colchester boss also addressed Anderson's injury problems this season.

He said: "He's had a difficult period with injury which amazes us because I think he played near on 200 games consecutively for us, game after game after game.

"He's a powerful, athletic boy.

"When you're 26, nearly 27 playing in that game, sometimes for the lesser professionals, maybe players who don't quite have his love for the game it's a challenging match.

"But Harry's got so much energy and so much enthusiasm.

"We'll have to bed him in because he hasn't had so much game time, whereas probably our other signings have all had good game time and played well over 1,000 minutes.

"He's one that's been short of game time in this first half of the season but a player as good as Harry Anderson doesn't become available to you unless they've had a difficult time with injury.

"Having looked at him and looked at his body, we're pretty sure we know the solutions and we're just delighted to have him with us."