Colchester United fell to a narrow defeat to Northampton Town at the JobServe Community Stadium, with Appere's first half goal enough for the three points.
Ross Embleton was looking to continue Colchester’s impressive form in 2023 after the departure of Matt Bloomfield earlier in the week. Tommy Smith captained the side in his 100th appearance for the club as the U’s looked to return to winning ways in North Essex.
The opening half was an even affair, but the U’s had more of the ball and fashioned some good chances. But it was the visitors who took the lead late on in the opening forty five, Louis Appere poking home after the U’s failed to clear their lines from a corner.
The U’s stepped it up in the second half, with chances emerging across the remaining forty five, but it was a struggle to beat Tom King in goal for Northampton. In the end, Colchester were unable to breach a resilient defence and the visitors left with all three points.
The interim head coach made two changes to the side that lost to Carlisle last weekend, with Matt Jay and Tom Hopper coming in for Ossama Ashley and Samson Tovide at the Jobserve Community Stadium.
Northampton had been struggling to pick up points in their bid to gain promotion to League One, they came into the match winless in their last four.
The game started with intent from both sides. The U’s looked to work the ball through Jay and Noah Chilvers and Northampton opting to work the ball wide at every possible opportunity.
Kieran O’Hara and Tom King both had comfortable saves to make in the early stages as each side looked to feel their way into the game.
Some good link-up play between Will Greenidge, Kwesi Appiah and Noah Chilvers won the U’s their first corner. Chilvers took and Smith met the delivery, but it was deflected behind for another set-piece.
After working the ball well, Chilvers picked it up again on the edge of the box and tried to bend his effort into the top corner, but a last-minute header from a Northampton player saw it sail just past the post.
Kelleher was the first player to receive a booking after a late challenge on Louis Appere that saw the Cobblers win a free-kick in a dangerous area. His challenge a few minutes later gave the visitors another free-kick, meaning the U’s centre-half was treading a tight rope after just a quarter of the match.
Marc Leonard was in the book not long after. The U’s won a foul and the number twelve stopped Arthur Read from playing quickly and was cautioned as a result.
Hopper was on the other end of a late challenge in the middle of the pitch after Tyler Magloire wiped the forward out. The Northampton player stayed down but did not escape a yellow card when he got back to his feet. It was deemed that the defender could not continue after the tangle with Hopper and he was replaced by Aaron McGowan.
And the substitute was cautioned almost immediately after coming on, Kwesi Appiah got to the ball before him and he was cleared out in the process.
A few minutes later, Northampton had the lead. The U’s failed to clear a corner and Appere was on hand to poke it home. Embleton’s men looked for a way back in during the remainder of the first half, but after four additional minutes, the referee blew for the break.
No changes from Embleton at half time and the U’s emerged aiming to rescue something from the game. But it was Northampton who started better. The boys in pink were keeping the ball very well and any spell of possession for the hosts was ended quickly with a high press.
Having said that, Appiah had a huge opportunity to draw the U’s level after he was played through by Chilvers but his effort was stopped by the feet of King.
Hall was next to try his luck. His fizzing strike from distance forced another save from the keeper and won Colchester a corner.
The visitors responded with some good efforts at the U’s goal, a scramble in the box nearly resulted in their second but it was eventually cleared by Read. Embleton had seen enough at this point and opted for changes. John Akinde and Jayden Fevrier were introduced for Appiah and Kelleher.
Hall stopped Northampton from extending their lead just past the hour mark. His goaline block was perfectly timed to stop Sam Hoskins from scoring.
Akinde had a great effort saved at the other end. His strike in the box forced King down low to parry away.
Samson Tovide was then introduced in place of Jay, as the U’s searched for an equaliser.
Hoskins was booked for a trip on Chilvers after the midfielder looked to break through the lines in opposition territory. It was a good spell for the hosts, with Fevrier and Chilvers dominating the play in the final fifteen minutes.
Read picked up a yellow card after kicking the ball away in frustration when Hoskins went down easily under pressure. It was then Tovide’s turn to pick up a yellow after a late challenge on a defender which saw the referee show not hesitation once again to get his cards out.
Smith was brought off with five to go and Alex Newby was introduced in a final throw of the dice for the U’s. Hopper had a golden opportunity to grab a goal late on. Chilvers delivered a perfect ball but the striker could not direct his effort on target.
Six minutes was the number held up by the fourth official which saw the crowd louden.
King was shown a card for time wasting with a few minutes to play. O’Hara was forced into a save late on as Northampton saw out the game comfortably in the end.
The result means the U’s sit in nineteenth position with thirty-five points from thirty-four games. And it’s another tough test for Colchester next, with a trip to eighth placed Bradford to come next Saturday.
Colchester XI: O’Hara, Greenidge, Smith (Newby, 85), Appiah (Akinde, 59), Chilvers, Kelleher (Fevrier, 59), Read, Jay (Tovide, 68), Wood, Hopper, Hall
Subs: Smith, Ashley, Newby, Akinde, Tovide, Fevrier, Thorn
Northampton Town XI: King, Magloire (McGowan, 35), Sowerby, Guthrie, Sherring, Hoskins (Eppiah, 90), Appere (Pinnock, 90), Leonard, Koiki, McWilliams (Hondermarck, 46), Lintott
Subs: Burge, McGowan, Pinnock, Hondermarck, Wright-Phillips, Eppiah, Yengi