Swindon Town suffered defeat at The JobServe Community Stadium on a frustrating afternoon in Essex, as a first-half Luke Hannant goal somewhat against the run of play ended up proving decisive.
Two potential penalty shouts turned down and some impressive saves from United stopper Kieran O’Hara only added to The Robins disappointment, who were unable to build on the midweek win away at Northampton.
Town Head Coach Scott Lindsey made one change to his starting line-up from the midweek victory over The Cobblers on Thursday night, with Louis Reed chosen ahead of Saidou Khan who was named among the substitutes.
There was also a place on the bench for the returning Ciaran Brennan after a spell out with illness.
It was a bright start from Town as they made good use of the ball in the early exchanges, and just two minutes in, a pinpoint floated ball into the box was volleyed over by the onrushing Jonny Williams – a chance he may feel he could have done better with.
Two minutes later, Remeao Hutton opted to curl a dangerous ball into the box from the middle of the Colchester half which found the chest of Williams, but he put a little too much on the pass for Luke Jephcott and Kieran O’Hara was able to smother.
Swindon were enjoying all the early possession and created another chance on eight minutes. Good build-up play resulted in Jephcott scooping the ball over the United defence to set Tyrese Shade free, but the attacker fired over with a powerful left-footed strike.
On thirteen-minutes, Town created their best opportunity of the game from a corner.
Louis Reed swung the ball in from the left and Frazer Blake-Tracy rose highest to head towards goal, but backpedaling slightly, O’Hara did well to tip the effort over his bar.
Town were controlling the game with confidence with Reed running the show in midfield, but that illusive goal was still evading Scott Lindsey’s side.
After a slight lull in play, Colchester created their first opportunity of the tie on twenty-six minutes, as Noah Chilvers found space inside the box to shoot low at Brynn, but the Town stopper got down superbly to his right to push the effort wide, only for Remeao Hutton to block Luke Hannant’s follow-up from a narrow angle.
But three minute later, and against the run of play, the hosts took the lead, as Hannant jumped high to meet Al-Amin Kazeem ‘s corner on the right that somehow looped over Brynn and into the net to make it one-nil.
Town looked to respond quickly, and Marcel Lavinier, in similar circumstances to his wonder goal against Northampton in midweek, cut inside on the left, evading several challenges before unleashing one at goal, but he couldn’t keep this one down and it sailed well over.
The U’s could have doubled their advantage on forty-one minutes, as Sol Brynn misjudged his punch from an in swinging corner from the left, but Luke Chambers could only head wide of the mark.
Despite dominating the majority of the first half, Town went in a goal down at the break.
Scott Lindsey introduced Rushian Hepburn-Murphy at half-time in place of Luke Jephcott to add some fresh legs to his attack, and it was the latter’s replacement that had an instant impact.
A pacey run from Hepburn-Murphy on fifty-minutes saw him turn neatly in the box before loud cheers from the 500 travelling Town fans as the forward claimed the ball had hit the hand of U’s defender Tom Dallison, but the protests were waved away by referee Carl Brook.
The official found himself making another bold call on fifty-four minutes, as Hepburn-Murphy again, looking to get onto a clever reverse pass from Marcel Lavinier, appeared to be dragged down by his marker, but once again, the penalty shouts were turned down.
Then, as we reached the hour mark, Tyrese Shade thought he’d forced the equaliser as he received the ball from Marcel Lavinier on the edge of the U’s area after some quick feet from the former, but the attackers low drive at goal was well saved by the stretching O’Hara.
That proved to be his last contribution as he was replaced by Jacob Wakeling, before the tie burst into life on sixty-three minutes as we saw a host of chances for both sides.
First, a Louis Reed corner from the left was met well by a giant leap from Frazer Blake-Tracy, but Ellis Iandolo, adjusting his body well to produce an overhead kick from close range, was unable to generate any power on his effort and O’Hara gathered.
On sixty-five minutes, it was Sol Brynn to the rescue as he made a fantastic double save to deny Luke Hannant from close-range and then the follow-up from Al-Amin Kazeem.
A minute later, Jacob Wakeling looked odds on to score, as Hutton sent in another trademark cross from the right, and the striker did everything right by rising high to nod down towards goal, but O’Hara matched him and pushed it away to safety.
At the other end, on sixty-nine minutes, Sol Brynn was forced into action again, as he denied Ossama Ashley inside the area this time around.
On seventy-nine minutes, Jonny Williams beat Kieran O’Hara in the Colchester goal but not the crossbar, as he met a floated near post corner from the left by Ben Gladwin, but the ball skimmed across the frame of the goal and out to safety.
Colchester made a host of changes and stuck men behind the ball to limit Town to any further opportunities on goal, and it ended one-nil to the hosts, condemning Swindon to defeat and seeing them slip a place to sixth in the League Two table.
MATCH INFORMATION:
Colchester United Starting Line-up: 3-4-2-1
13. Kieran O’Hara (GK) – 4. Luke Chambers, 6. Tom Dallison-Lisbon, 5. Tommy Smith ©, 8. Cole Skuse, 22. Junior Tchamadeu, 30. Al-Amin Kazeem, 17. Ossama Ashley (33. Marley Marshall-Miranda 81mins), 14. Noah Chilvers (11. Freddie Sears 90+1mins) 34. Samson Tovide (24. John Akinde 78mins), 7. Luke Hannant (42. Jayden Fevrier 81mins).
Subs not used: 1. Sam Hornby (GK) – 19. Alex Newby, 45. Frank Nouble.
Scorers: Hannant 30
Yellow Cards: 17. Ashley 70mins, 7. Hannant 74mins, 42. Fevrier 90+2mins.
Red Cards: None
Swindon Town Line-up: 4-3-3
1. Sol Brynn (GK) – 22. Marcel Lavinier (10. Ronan Darcy 68mins), 20. Frazer Blake-Tracy, 21. Angus MacDonald ©, 2. Remeao Hutton, 5. Louis Reed (23. Saidou Khan 68mins), 3. Ellis Iandolo, 7. Ben Gladwin, 8. Jonny Williams, 28. Tyrese Shade (24. Jacob Wakeling 61mins), 15. Luke Jephcott (19. Rushian Hepburn-Murphy 45mins).
Subs not used: 41. Jack Copland (GK) – 34. Ciaran Brennan, 33. Morgan Roberts.
Scorers:
Yellow Cards: 23. Khan 76mins, 21. MacDonald 84mins.
Red Cards: None
HT: 1-0
Referee: Carl Brook
Assistant Referees: Stuart Butler & Adrian Tranter
Fourth Official: Paul Kelly
Attendance: 3,599 (500 Town fans)
