Colchester United have lost 1-0 against Forest Green Rovers

The home side took the lead on the half hour mark, with Luke Prosser's interception rolling into the bottom corner.

After the break, the U's threatened an equaliser, but Rovers held them at bay and took the three points with the 1-0 win.

Luke Gambin returned from international duty to start, the only change from last week's game against Walsall, but fellow international Brandon Comley was left out of the matchday eighteen.

Forest Green were expected to try and play possession football, and they certainly started the game in that fashion.

They were probing and were only denied an early opener on seven minutes by a fantastically timed tackle from in-form centre-half Tom Eastman.

Dean Gerken in the U’s goal was the next to deny Rovers, making a double save to prevent both Jack Aitchison and Kyle Taylor scoring.

That incident took place on sixteen minutes, and the U’s looked like they were getting a foothold in the game as the half wore on.

On the half hour mark though, the hosts did open the scoring, but it came from U’s defender and captain Luke Prosser.

A dangerous ball in behind the U’s back line, and with Taylor lurking at the far post, Prosser slid in to intercept but could only divert the ball into the bottom corner.

Less than a minute later, Gerken had to save well from Taylor after Ryan Clampin lost possession just outside the U’s box.

Gerken himself then handed the hosts a chance, losing the ball to Matty Stevens – but the striker’s lob cleared the crossbar.

Towards the end of the half, Frank Nouble and Luke Gambin had efforts at goal, but both failed to test Lewis Thomas in the home goal.

After the break, the ball possession was far more even, and chances were being created at both ends.

Carl Winchester’s strong run forward eventually came to nothing, and then Luke Norris headed over from a U’s corner.

The best U’s chance came just ahead of the hour mark, but Courtney Senior’s shot missed the far post by inches after goo work from Norris.

Brendan Sarpong-Wiredu was introduced for Ryan Clampin, seconds before Senior had a shot blocked after a darting run forward.

Wiredu created the next U’s chance, on seventy minutes, as his clever turn resulted in a low near post cross, resulting in Nouble’s backheel being blocked just in front of Thomas.

That was Nouble’s last involvement, he was replaced two minutes later by Theo Robinson.

Youngster Kwame Poku was the final change, coming on for Gambin.

A great chance went begging for the U’s to equalise on seventy six minutes, but Senior’s ball gave Robinson too much to do, as Thomas did enough to deflect the ball over.

Another corner was headed over by Wiredu, and Robinson had a shot blocked but the U’s couldn’t find a leveller in the remaining minutes, nor the five of injury time.

It was a disappointing result of course, but it was against a side making a decent stat to the season, and a first defeat in seven for the U’s.

There’s not long to wait for the U’s first opportunity to put it behind them, with another trip down the M4 on Tuesday – with the game against Swindon Town.