Colchester United have been beaten 5-3 by AFC Wimbledon at Plough Lane.
An entertaining first half saw four goals evenly shared after McGeehan and Taylor turned the game in favour of Colchester after Josh Davison's early opener. Joe Lewis ensured the teams were level at the break with an equaliser just before forty-five.
But the second half belonged to the hosts, with Davison getting his second and Wimbledon's third before Al Hamadi tied things up with a fourth just after the hour mark. The hosts added a fifth with Lewis in stopppage time, with Tom Dallison getting a consolation for the U's too.
The defeat sees the U's remain in twenty-second place going into Monday's New Year game against Gillingham at the JobServe Community Stadium.
Colchester United boss made two changes to his starting eleven to face AFC Wimbledon at Plough Lane, one of which was enforced with Mandela Egbo missing through the injury he picked up at MK Dons.
He was replaced by Will Greenidge, with Matt Jay also back in the line in place of Chay Cooper; the U’s picked up their positions in a 4-5-1 formation. Owen Goodman in goal, with a back four of Iandolo, Hall, Mitchell and Greenidge in front. Jayden Fevrier and Matt Jay flanked the three in the middle of McGeehan, Read and Chilvers with Joe Taylor in a solo attacking role.
The hosts made a fast start in the game, with Josh Davison putting Wimbledon ahead in under four minutes. Ali Al Hamadi capitalised on a blocked Noah Chilvers pass to square for Davison, who applied the simple finish from the centre of the penalty area.
Matt Jay almost hit back with an instant response, getting himself into a good position, but couldn’t keep his effort down with Bass given no work in goal. However, the ‘U’s didn’t have to wait long to be back level with Cameron McGeehan getting the equaliser.
The U’s didn’t give up on what looked like a lost cause of a cross – Matt Jay scooped it back across goal from a tight angle, with an unmarked McGeehan able to slide home from six yards.
And Colchester only pressed on more, taking the lead ten minutes later with Joe Taylor on target for his twelfth of the season. Owen Goodman provided a big save at the other end to deny Al Hamadi, with the U’s taking the ball up the other end quickly. Iandolo played the accurate ball through to the Luton loanee, who applied the sweet finish under Bass.
Owen Goodman was called upon again soon after, making another important save to deny Omar Bugiel’s header. He was in the right place at the right time to push away the Wimbledon striker’s goal-bound effort, ensuring his side maintained the lead.
The only card of the first half was issued to Noah Chilvers for a tactical foul towards the end of the forty-five. He saw the danger and prevented a quick retaliation from the hosts as the U’s looked to keep the lead.
However, the U’s couldn’t keep the advantage until the break, with Joe Lewis getting the home side back on level terms. A simple move off the training ground saw the defender flick the ball into the far corner from a set piece, seeing the teams head to the changing rooms at 2-2.
There were no changes for either side at the break, with the hosts creating three good chances after the restart.
Johnson went close from a corner, seeing his effort blocked at the near post, with Bugiel and Al Hamadi both missing the target from good areas within the opening five minutes of the second half.
But a fourth chance wasn’t going to be passed up by Wimbledon. Josh Davison got his second of the game, controlling a looping ball well before finding an angle to beat Owen Goodman with just over six minutes played.
Matty Etherington responded with three changes with Will Greenidge, Ellis Iandolo and Matt Jay all replaced, as Tom Dallison, Al-Amin Kazeem and John Akinde entered the fray.
But it wasn’t long before the hosts added a fourth. Ali Al Hamadi raced away from a neat through ball to beat Owen Goodman as the hosts pulled their advantage to two.
Cam McGeehan picked up a booking with twenty to play after a scuffle with Davison, with the Wimbledon man also cautioned.
There were further changes in the game with former U's man Harry Pell introduced for the final few minutes of action along with Josh Neufville, on for Josh Davison and Omar Bugiel.
The U's were reduced to ten men in the last minute of the action with Cam McGeehan shown a second yellow card, meaning he will miss New Year's Day match against Gillingham.
Wimbledon added a fifth through Joe Lewis, with the U's also getting another courtesy of Tom Dallison, but it proved too little, too late.
Next up for the U's is a home match against Gillingham on New Year's Day.
AFC Wimbledon starting XI: Bass, Biler, Reeves, Johnson, Davison (Neufville 84'), Al Hamadi, Little, Bugiel (Pell 84'), Lemonheigh-Evns, Currie, Lewis.
Subs: Tzanev, Brown, Tilley, Pell, Neufville, Pearce, Ball.
Colchester United starting XI: Goodman, Greenidge (Dallison 59’), Iandolo (Kazeem 59’), Hall, Jay (Akinde 59’), Chilvers, McGeehan, Mitchell, Read, Taylor, Fevrier.
Subs: Hornby, Dallison, Hopper, Akinde, Kazeem, Cooper, Ihionvien.
Attendance: 8,062 (490)