Colchester United turned the game around with three second half goals to make it a third consecutive win under Matty Etherington.
The U’s were behind in the first half, after Jake Young had blasted the visitors ahead from the edge of the penalty area.
But goals from Cameron McGeehan, Samson Tovide and Noah Chilvers ensured the U’s would collect maximum points with well-worked goals on a chilly evening at the JobServe Community Stadium.
The win sees the U’s move to nineteen points and eighteenth in the table
Matty Etherington made two changes to the eleven that started against Shrewsbury Town in Saturday’s FA Cup defeat, with Mitchell and Mingi returning to start. They came in for Dallison and Chilvers who were sat amongst the substitutes.
The U’s adopted a more attacking 3-5-2 formation than in previous weeks, with Egbo, Mitchell and Hall making up the defensive line, flanked by wing-backs of Will Greenidge and Jayden Fevrier. Read, McGeehan and Mingi held their position in the centre of midfield, with Taylor and Tovide leading the line.
The opening exchanges saw two tentative sides struggle to create any meaningful chance in front of goal – before the visitors went close to opening the scoring after twenty minutes.
Charlie Austin had a free header from a Hutton cross, but failed to convert. However, the visitors only had to wait another sixty seconds before getting their noses in front. Jake Young wiggled free of his marker on the edge of the area, before arrowing an effort into the bottom corner.
The U’s showed fight after going behind with Jay Mingi driving his side forward and getting the ball into dangerous areas, forcing Swindon into long clearances.
But Matty Etherington’s side were soon disrupted, with Connor Hall leaving the field with an injury, being replaced by Tom Dallison ten minutes before the break.
Yellow cards came for Kemp and Kinsella for the visitors, with Swindon maintaining their advantage until the break.
There were no changes at half time for either side, with Matty Etherington’s words doing the trick for his side. Colchester were back on level terms within four minutes of the restart with Cameron McGeehan bundling the ball into the back of the net from Jayden Fevrier’s cross.
Colchester were on top, and finding gaps to create chances within the Swindon defence as the visitors kept retreating. The U’s even had the ball in the net for a second time, with Joe Taylor blasting in from close range, but the referee pulled play back for a head injury to a visiting player.
But Etherington’s side didn’t have to wait long for their next opportunity – one they would take. Will Greenidge picked up the assist, spotting Samson Tovide in the area to stroke home from eight yards, giving Colchester a sixty-fourth minute lead.
Changes followed for the visitors with Austin and Kinsella replaced by Minturn and Hepburn-Murphy with twenty minutes to play. The U’s made a triple change a minute later, with Tovide, Mingi and Taylor all replaced by Noah Chilvers, Tom Hopper and Bradley Ihionvien.
A frantic minute ensued with ten to play with Zach Mitchell putting a crucial tackle in on Hepburn-Murphy to deny a certain goal. And the U’s took it straight up the other end, and should have scored themselves as Hopper had the ball stuck underneath his feet; the clearance was poor with Read shooting narrowly wide of the mark.
The U’s had a chance to add another with an indirect free kick, but McGeehan’s drive was closed down as the visitors pushed for the equaliser.
But it was Colchester who would add another goal, with Noah Chilvers converting after breaking through the defensive line, finishing coolly under Mahoney.
The win makes it three from three in the league under Matty Etherington, with the U’s moving up to eighteenth, facing bottom club Sutton United at home on Saturday afternoon.
Colchester United starting XI: Goodman, Greenidge, Hall (Dallison 35’), Tovide (Ihionvien 72’), McGeehan, Mitchell, Read, Egbo, Mingi (Chilvers 72’), Taylor (Hopper 72’), Fevrier.
Subs: Hornby, Dallison, Jay, Chilvers, Hopper, Cooper, Ihionvien.
Swindon Town starting XI: Mahoney, Hutton, Blake-Tracy, McEachran (Hubbard 88’), Young, Kemp, Brewitt, Godwin-Malife, Kinsella (Minturn 69’), Shade, Austin (Hepburn-Murphy 69’).
Subs: Hepburm-Murphy, Genesini, Minturn, Brown, Hart, Hubbard, Ward.
Attendance: TBC.