Colchester United have won 1-0 at Forest Green to pick up a win against a fellow promotion contender.

Neither keeper was unduly troubled in the first half, until Sammie Szmodics hit his shot across James Montgomery and into the bottom corner.

The home side tried to get level after the break, but it was the U's who looked more likely to extend their lead with quick attacking moves.

They stayed ahead by the solitary goal, and took three valuable away points that kept them in the top three.

Throughout the game, the U's defended resolutely and with total discipline, and the professional performance resulted in the deserved points.

The start of the game saw the home team keeping the ball well, but struggling to get in behind the U’s defence.

When the U’s did gain possession of the ball in the early stages, they were uncharacteristically careless and often gave that possession back to Forest Green.

Neither keeper had any troubling moments until twenty five minutes had passed, and it was James Montgomery picking the ball out of his net.

Courtney Senior and Mikael Mandron were involved on the right and they set up Frank Nouble for a shot from just outside the box.

The effort was blocked, but Szmodics struck his right foot shot well and it beat Montgomery diving to his right.

Chances were still at a premium after the U’s goal, and it was the visitors who had them as the half came to an end.

Szmodics had another effort well saved on forty one minutes, then Frankie Kent’s shot flew over after Szmodics had just overhit his diagonal pass to Nouble.

The half time whistle went after three minutes of added time, and the U’s would have been happy with the defensive discipline they showed, and with scoring the only goal.

And it was the U’s who started the second half better, with Nouble’s shot from the angle taken comfortably by Montgomery.

The home side had a penalty appeal turned down when sub Archibald went over in the box, and then Morris should have put the ball in the net, but it wouldn’t have mattered as the flag was up for offside.

Szmodics had a shot easily saved, before another home sub was thwarted by the officials, as Reuben Reid was flagged offside as he swept home a left foot cross.

On sixty eight minutes, John McGreal had to make a change when Ryan Jackson went down with a hamstring injury and the U’s boss replaced him with Brennan Dickenson.

With his defence superb in front of him, Dillon Barnes had his only meaningful save on seventy one minutes when he beat Reid to a near post cross and palmed away.

Brown shot over the bar seven minutes later, before Brandon Comley was introduced in place of Courtney Senior.

The U’s were staying solid at the back, but were a threat on the break as the game went into the final ten minutes.

Mandron struck a powerful shot goalwards that rebounded off the chest of Montgomery and just failed to fall to Tom Lapslie, and then Harry Pell shot was too close to the home keeper.

The five minutes of injury time passed without incident for the U’s, and a supremely professional performance got the reward of an away win and three points.