Colchester United

The U’s named an unchanged starting eleven and substitutes bench for the game against Swindon, after their triumph at Portsmouth at the weekend.

The goal knocked the U's out of their stride and, in difficult conditions, it was Paolo Di Canio's side who were able to control the game from that point and pick up an important victory.

Gavin Massey looked destined to score at the far post before Jay McEveley's intervention and, within a couple of minutes, Town were in front through substitute James Collins' sharp finish.

The U's game against Swindon changed on a key moment at the start of the second half, as the visitors ran out 1-0 winners.

The home team started the game brightly, as they looked to replicate that explosive start at Fratton Park that saw them 3-1 up early on.

The chances were at a premium in those early stages, this time around, and it wasn’t until 12 minutes in that there was an effort on goal.

The ball was thrown into the box by Williams, and Ward was unchallenged as he headed towards but his effort was well wide.

It was a spell where the Robins were growing into the game, without really testing the U’s back line.

The U’s almost opened the scoring on twenty minutes though as a free kick from Clifford dropped at the feet of White, who swept in a low shot that Foderingham held with one hand low to his left.

At the other end, Wilson put in a sensational block to clear a fierce volley from danger, before from the resultant corner, Ward again put an effort just wide of the post.

It was the visitors with the better chances and Rooney made the most of a ball that broke in his favour to dart towards goal and struck in a shot that Okuonghae deflected wide.

Foderingham and Navarro just about combined on 28 minutes to get the ball away from danger as Ibehre hunted down the ball.

The U’s then almost took the lead on the half hour mark as some brilliant footwork from Clifford on the edge of the box saw him earn space to curl one towards the top corner, forcing a great stop out of Foderingham.

The visitors were becoming happy to hit the U’s on the counter but were often frustrating their manager, particularly when Williams got away on 36 minutes but, from a wide position, curled one well past the far upright.

Porter got to use his undoubted pace six minutes before half time, isolating Thompson and cutting inside before firing in a low shot that was blocked.

From a U’s free kick that was cleared to the edge of the box, Wright was the first to get to it, but his stabbed effort was always going wide.

Thompson then glanced a header wide as the U’s finished the half well, but it was goalless at the break.

At the start of the second half, De Vita was replaced by Collins, but it was midfielder Miller who  volleyed one into the ground and wide after the restart.

Where Wilson had defended manfully in the first half, McEveley was the man in the right place for Swindon at the start of the second.

Ibehre twisted and turned and stood up a cross that looked destined for Massey’s head, before the visiting defender’s fine intervention.

That defending proved all the more crucial when the Robins took the lead shortly afterwards. Roberts slid in substitute Collins and he rifled home a low finish into the near post past Walker.

Miller was next to go close for the visitors, but Walker was on hand this time to pull off a great, sharp stop low to his left hand side.

And the keeper did well again to stand up strong and turn away a Williams one on one high to his left hand side with twenty minutes left.

The U’s made their second change with fifteen left on the clock. Morrison was introduced in place of Porter, who had put in a shift on the wings.

A couple of Swindon corners saw them head one effort onto the top of the net, before Ibehre stung the hands of Foderingham with a shot from just inside the box.

Walker then made a very good stop from Roberts’ close range far post header to give the U’s hope going into the final four minutes of added time.

It kept the home side in the game until the last but, in truth, they couldn't quite find a higher gear after the only goal of the match.

The U’s keeper pulled off another good stop from the resultant corner, blocking low with his knees to turn it away from danger.