A quick fire double halfway through the first period, through Jimmy Ryan and David Bell, gave the hosts a 2-0 half time lead. The U's have lost 4-0 against Fleetwood in their latest away game, as their hunt for a win continues.
ble afternoon in the North West for the U's and their travelling support.
The U’s started the game on the front foot and Gavin Massey was central to the early pressure being exerted.
Only two minutes in, he cut inside from the left and drilled in a long range effort that Chris Maxwell tipped over the crossbar.
Massey then got on the end of a through ball from Alex Gilbey before whipping a ball towards the edge of the six yard area.
Macauley Bonne decided that George Moncur might be in a better position behind him but Maxwell was quick to get to the ball first.
Both sides were guilty of misplacing passes and neither keeper was unduly tested in the remainder of the first quarter of the game.
That changed on twenty three minutes though, as the hosts scored two quick fire goals in the space of two minutes.
First Jimmy Ryan got onto a cleared corner, went past Bonne far too easily and struck a fantastic shot into the top corner, giving Elliott Parish no chance in the U’s goal.
Moncur had a volley deflected over a minute later but a deflection was kinder to Fleetwood at the other end seconds later, as a David Ball shot hit Alex Wynter and looped over Parish to double the home side’s lead.
The two goals, however fortunately they came, settled down Fleetwood and they finished the half the better but didn’t test Parish any further.
Joran headed over from a corner and Bell had a shot blocked by Wynter after the U’s were opened up fairly comfortably.
Gilbey had the final effort of the half, but his shot from distance was comfortably saved by Maxwell.
The U’s had a let off early in the second half, as Proctor’s header hit Ball when it looked like it was making its way into the bottom corner of the net.
That warning wasn’t heeded by the U’s, with Proctor making it three on fifty eight minutes.
He was given the freedom of the six yard box to let a cross drop to his right foot from a left wing cross and calmly sidefoot it home.
Dion Sembie-Ferris was already warming up at this stage and he entered the fray before the U’s restarted after the goal.
Darren Ambrose had picked up a knock in the first half but felt it still at the start of the second, so was replaced by the pacy youngster.
A Kane Vincent-Young slip allowed the hosts in but Forbes miskicked when well placed in the U’s penalty area.
George Elokobi made his first appearance since his return to north Essex, coming on as a sub for Richard Brindley in the fifty fifth minute.
The U’s were struggling to get in behind the three man defence of Fleetwood and were restricted to long range efforts.
Another came in the sixty fourth minute, with Massey shooting side from distance.
The two sides then swapped headed chances from corners, with Andrews putting his effort over and Elokobi’s downward header being cleared by the home defence.
Humes made his third and final change in the seventieth minute, bringing on Sammie Szmodics for Joe Edwards.
The substitution didn’t alter the flow of the game too much though, and it was Fleetwood that had the final word.
Bell was given the freedom of the left hand side and had time to look up and slide the ball across the six yard area for sub Jamille Matt to sidefoot home at the near post.
The final whistle went on a disappointing afternoon in the North West for the U’s and their travelling support, with the U’s now having a week to regroup for the game against Scunthorpe next weekend.