Colchester start with Craig Fagan returning fom his second suspension of the season.
City kick off. Danny Coles makes an early tackle to concede a corner. He then concedes a free kick on the edge of the area and is booked. Joe Keith fires the free kick over the bar. Leroy Lita flicks through to Steve Brooker who controls on the chest shoots but hits the bar with a touch from the keeper. The corner is cleared.
Dave Cotterill has a shot that the keeper struggles to deal with but the ball doesn't break to a City player off Dean Gerken's body. A Colchester free kick is saved comfortably by Steve Phillips. Steve brooker breaks clear but shoots wide from a tight angle after a long punt from Steve Phillips. Scott Brown has an ambitious effort from distance but it goes well wide.
Bradford City are a goal down to Luton and Hartlepool have the lead against Port Vale. Sheffield Wednesday are a goal up at Chesterfield. Yeovil are a goal up at Chester City.
Wilkshire flashes a cross-shot wide after good work from Lita and Brooker. A glancing header from Brooker reaches Cotterill who steps on the ball before having a shot which is blocked and rebounds to him but he knocks it over the bar. Tommy Doherty has a shot from 35 yards but Gerken gets both hands on it and puts it behind for a corner.
Torquay have taken the lead at home to Swindon.
Leroy Lita shoots wide after turning his man well and shooting from 10 yards. City are creating all the chances but are failing to score. Steve Phillips claims a whipped in cross from Halford as Colchester assert a bit of pressure. A good run by Scott Brown is thwarted inside the Colchester penalty area.
Leroy Lita gets between two defenders on the end of a Wilkshire cross but his header is straight at Dean Gerken. At the other end Phillips saves miraculously from Danns who was unmarked 8 yards out. City break from the corner and win a free kick on the edge of the area. Wilkshires shot is deflected for a corner.
Sam Parkin has equalised for Swindon at Torquay and Hull lead at home to Wrexham. Yeovil are two up at Chester.
Brooker does well and his attempted pass to Lita breaks to Wilkshire but he blasts wide from 6 yards. Wilkshire again shoots into the side netting as we reach a minute of injury time with City well on top (15 goal attempts to 4).
A very encouraging half for City but no goals to show for their 15 efforts. Cotterill and Brown look lively. Wilkshire is playing well as are Brooker, Doherty and Coles.
HT 0-0
Joe Keith has a shot deflected behind for a corner. Lita heads clear and Danns shot goes wide. The ball reaches Brooker who twists and turns in the area before drilling the ball home!!
0-1 (Brooker 51mins)
Louis Carey clears a dangerous cross well and the nippy Cotterill launches a counter attack but is tackled. Ireland clears well from a long ball to the edge of the City area. Danns has a shot saved by Steve Phillips. Halford follows through on Phillips who is hurt but can carry on (no substitute keeper for City all season).
Sheffield Wednesday have a second at Chesterfield, a second for Steve McLean. Doncaster have the lead at Peterborough. Hull are now 2 up. Swindon are ahead at Torquay with a second for Sam Parkin. The Gas are a goal down at home to Boston.
Luke Wilkshire breaks away but his cross is disappointing. Good work from Lita Doherty and Cotterill leads to a crashing shot from Brooker just wide.
Torquay have equalised against Swindon. A mention for Brentford who have equalised having been two goals down at Southampton in the FA Cup.
A looping shot from Greg Halford goes just over. Joe Keith has been replaced by Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu. A penalty claim for Colchester is turned down. City break and Leroy Lita scores from 18 yards, a bobbling effort that the keeper can't get to.
0-2 (Leroy Lita 71 mins)
Scott Golbourne comes on to replace Luke Wilkshire. The Gas have equalised. Wrexham have a goal back at Hull but trail 2-1. Cole Skuse comes on to replace Dave Cotterill who has had a good full debut. Lee Peacock has scored Sheffield Wednesdays third at Chesterfield.
Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu has his hands at Tommy Doherty's throat and it kicks off a bit as the referee stands and watches. His assistant intervenes and consults with the ref. Doherty is booked and will serve a two match suspension for his tenth yellow card. Ndumbu-Nsungu and Danns are also booked. Danns had a swipe at Louis Carey during the melay.
Gareth Williams comes on for Steven Hunt. Craig Fagan is then booked for a foul on Scott Brown, obviously not wanting to be left out. Scott Brown is then booked for a hot-headed challenge as the yellow card flurry continues. Good work from Golbourne and Skuse leads to a Bell cross which Brooker heads wide.
Doncaster are 2 up and Bournemouth have taken the lead at Oldham. Meanwhile Plymouth are 5-0 down at West Ham as their collapse continues.
Joe Anyinsah comes on for Leroy Lita in 2 minutes of injury time. An Anyinsah shot is deflected but does not beet the keeper. The full time whistle goes.
A vital win for City achieved largely due to the freshness of the changes enforced upon them. Brown and Cotterill have excellent games. Brooker leads from the front. Another goal from Lita. Welcome returns for Coles, Wilkshire, Doherty and Bell.
FT 0-2
Att. 3,412
Teams
Colchester United
Gerken, Baldwin, Chilvers, W.Brown, Hunt, Keith, Watson, Danns, Johnson, Fagan, Halford
Subs: Davison, Williams, White, N'Dumbu-N'Sungu, Guy
City
Phillips, Carey, Ireland, Coles, Bell, Cotterill, Doherty, S.Brown, Wilkshire, Brooker, Lita
Subs: Anyinsah, Skuse, Golbourne, Heffernan, Gillespie
Ref: Paul Taylor (Hertfordshire)
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