Tom Dallison's header three minutes from full time ensured Wayne Brown's side take all three points from their home game against Port Vale.
The U's had to wait to get their opportunity agianst the Valiants, but Tom Dallison took full advantage of it when it came, powering home his header to give the U's the lead with just minutes to spare in the game.
Wayne Brown made three changes to his the starting eleven from Tuesday's draw, with Cole Skuse, Alan Judge and Owura Edwards all missing from the matchday eighteen.
Coming in to take their places were Brendan Wiredu, Emyr Huws and Tyreik Wright, with Corie Andrews, Tom Eastman and Marley Miranda making up the three changes on the substitutes bench.
The first half was a relatively uneventful affair, with just a couple of shots on target, with the two sets of players having to cope with the difficult surface and conditions at the JobServe Community Staduim.
Freddie Sears went closest for the U's test his former Ipswich Town teammate Tomas Holy with a close range effort from Tyreik Wright's cross, and shooting just wide of the upright on the half hour mark.
At the other end, the visitors had a couple of dangerous attacks, but struggled to test Shamal George in the home goal. Harry Charsley had the only effort on target for Port Vale after he had burst forward from midfield, but fired a tame effort at the U's 'keeper that was simple to save.
The referee drew first half proceedings to a close with no injury time, showing the limited talking points from the initial forty-five minutes.
The second half started in a similar pattern to how the first had ended, with little to separate the two teams. But fifteen minutes after the restart the visitors started to make some ground and create chances in front of Shamal George's goal.
David Worrall was a dangerous presence on the right wing for the Valiants, crossing balls in for substitute Jamie Proctor, but the visitors were unable to create any real pressure on the 'keeper.
And the U's defence held strong long enough to get a chance at the other end of the pitch. Noah Chilvers' corner was met by the head of Tom Dallison to power home for his first Colchester United goal with eighty-seven minutes on the clock.
His header proved to be enough for Wayne Brown's side to pick up their first home win since the end of November, but not before Shamal George had come up with an excellent save to deny Jamie Proctor less than a minute after Dallison's header.
But the U's would hold on to take a very valuable three points, moving themselves up to nineteenth in the table with thirty-six points from thirty-five games.
Next up for Brown's side is a trip to Scunthorpe United next weekend, as the U's take on the bottom side in League Two.
Colchester United starting XI: George, Chambers, Wiredu, Hannant, Sears (Smith 89'), Chilvers, Dallison, Kenlock, Coxe, Huws (Akinde 75'), Wright (Tchamadeu 73').
Unused subs: Hornby, Andrews, Eastman, Miranda.
Port Vale starting XI: Holy, Smith, Martin, Hall, Worrall, Garrity, Charsley, Hussey (Benning 72'), Cooper (Proctor 54'), Wilson (Harratt 63'), Edmondson.
Unused subs: Stone, Walker, Pett, Hurst.