Colchester United were defeated 3-1 at Wycombe Wanderers as the Chairboys completed the double over their rivals this season.

First half goals from Adebayo Akinfenwa and Paris Cowan-Hall flattered the hosts, who had withstood a lot of pressure from the U's.

A fantastic third goal on seventy four minutes, through Luke O'Nien's long range strike, made the game safe, although Sammie Szmodics did score a consolation three minutes later.

McGreal made three changes to his starting line-up, bringing in Ryan Inniss, Sammie Szmodics and Sean Murray.

Kyel Reid, Tom Lapslie and Kane Vincent-Young were the trio that came out of the side, with only Lapslie making the U’s bench.

Also amongst the subs was Luke Prosser, who had been out injured for fourteen months following a knee injury.

The U’s had an attacking look to their line-up, and started the game on the front foot.

And it was the visitors who had the first sight of goal, but Kurtis Guthrie’s low instinctive header from Tom Eastman’s cross was saved by Brown.

A looping header from Mikael Mandron then went narrowly over the bar, before the hosts went ahead with their first real foray into the U’s final third.

A quick throw in was taken on the left, and the cross was headed past Walker by the diving Adebayo Akinfenwa.

That goal didn’t affect the flow of the game and Inniss was next to try his luck, with his header pushed over by Brown.

Halfway through the first period, Wycombe extended their lead when they managed to keep a corner active when a header was won on the edge of the box.

Mackail-Smith kept possession and Cowan-Hall’s shot took a wicked deflection to wrong-foot Walker and make it 2-0.

On twenty six minutes, a penalty appeal was turned away by the referee after it looked like Mandron was fouled by McGinley.

The loanee then made three blocks to prevent the U’s testing Brown any further, with Wright, Guthrie and Eastman the players taking the shots.

Szmodics, who was announced as the December League Two Player of the Month on Friday morning, was being kept quiet by the Chairboys but had a few minutes before half time.

First, he miscued a shot after being set up by Eastman and then he volleyed over when he had to shoot quickly from the edge of the box.

That came on forty three minutes, and was the last chance to U’s had to half the deficit before the whistle went for half time.

The second half started slower for both teams, and it was the U’s who had the first shot as Wright’s effort went narrowly wide.

The hosts held the U’s at arm’s length in the following minutes and it was halfway through the second period before the home goal was under threat.

Mandron’s shot looked like it was heading into the top corner, but Brown at full length tipped the ball wide for a corner.

From the corner, Kent had a shot blocked and then put another effort wide from the second corner.

In the seventy third minute, Walker made a save from Moore and then Kent had to clear off the line from Mackail-Smith’s rebound effort.

Luke Prosser came on for Inniss straight after the corner was given, but he was on for less than a minute before a third made the game safe for Wycombe.

The ball was cleared to the edge of the box and O’Nien drilled his effort into the top corner giving Walker no chance.

Young Courtney Senior was then introduced, coming on for Brandon Comley, and he was involved when the U’s reduced the arrears on seventy seven minutes.

He received the ball from Szmodics and then got it back to the U’s top scorer, who shot into the bottom corner from twenty yards out.

That made it 3-1 but the U’s couldn’t force any more chances on goal and the final whistle went after five minutes of injury time.