Colchester United have won at Cheltenham Town, thanks to a brace from Luke Norris and a late Harry Pell penalty.
Norris scored from the spot after ten minutes, then drilled in a free kick to make it two before half time.
The U's weathered a second half storm, defending very well in front of Dillon Barnes, but conceded to a Kevin Dawson strike.
Harry Pell made the game safe on eighty seven minutes though, hitting his penalty into the top corner after Szmodics was fouled.
John McGreal made three changes to his starting eleven, with Tom Eastman, Brandon Comley and Luke Norris coming into the team.
Tom Lapslie, Courtney Senior and Brennan Dickenson were the trio missing out, with only Senior on the bench for the U’s in Gloucestershire.
The U’s had conceded in the very first minute against Cheltenham in the Carabao Cup clash less than three weeks previously, but started on the front foot in this League Two fixture.
They had the better of the early possession, and made the most of it when they went ahead on ten minutes.
Harry Pell, an ex-Robins player, burst into the box and went to ground under challenge from Nigel Atangana.
It looked like there was a bit of contact with the ball, but the referee pointed to the spot.
Luke Norris stepped up, and struck his penalty hard and firm into the corner to give the U’s the lead.
Kane Vincent-Young then got forward from his left wingback position, but his shot was blocked before Sammie Szmodics’ cross was taken low at the near post by Flinders.
Halfway through the first period, Pell crossed to the far post but Norris couldn’t guide his header on target.
He wasn’t to be denied on twenty five minutes though, when he had the chance from a thirty yard free-kick after Szmodics was unnecessarily fouled by Boyle.
Norris once again got a perfect contact on a shot, and Flinders couldn’t prevent it arrowing into the corner to double the lead.
The U’s hadn’t conceded a chance to the hosts, but they were pleased to see Dawson’s stretching volley go well over as the half drew to a close.
And in the two minutes of added time, Dillon Barnes made his first meaningful intervention, tipping over a long range effort from Ryan Broom.
Overall, the U’s were good value for their half time lead, and went in for a deserved break 2-0 to the good.
They would have expected the hosts to come back at them after the break, but it was the U’s with the first chance.
Norris combined well with Nouble, and the former had a shot deflected for a corner with less than a minute on the clock at the start of the half.
The hosts then took the game to the U’s, but Luke Prosser and his fellow defenders protected Barnes well, and restricted Cheltenham to possession without real chances at goal during the early stages of the half.
But they did get back in the game on fifty five minutes, when Dawson scored from the edge of the box to make it 2-1.
Just after he had a near post effort deflected, Norris was replaced by Mikael Mandron as the U’s looked to get back to winning ways after last weekend’s defeat to Northampton.
They did have a scare when Barnett’s shot whistled narrowly wide, but made the game safe with three minutes of the ninety remaining.
Szmodics was tackled on the edge of the box, got to his feet instantly and was fouled when a second challenge came just inside the box.
Pell, who clearly wanted to take the first penalty, took it in Norris’ absence and whipped his spot kick into the top corner against his old club.
That goal took the wind completely out of the hosts’ sails, and it was the U’s that came closest to another goal in injury time.
Good work from Mandron set up Szmodics, but the youngster’s shot went narrowly wide.
The U’s easily saw out the four minutes of added time, and the 3-1 win took them two places up the table to fourth place.