Colchester United have secured their first home win of the season, beating Tranmere Rovers 2-0 at the JobServe Community Stadium.
The U’s got off to a good start with Joe Taylor netting inside the opening ten minutes. The forward bagged his fifth of the campaign to get the U’s underway in a first half performance that should have seen them score more.
The hosts then left it late to put the game beyond doubt with Brad Ihionvien converting for his second of the season. He netted from close range after his fellow substitutes Bandeira and Akinde had combined to lay it on a plate for him in the eighty-sixth minute.
And Colchester would hold out for their second win of the season, and the first at home in the 2023/24 campaign.
Ben Garner named a starting eleven with three changes from last weekend’s line-up at Walsall – Fiacre Will Greenidge dropped to the bench with Fiacre Kelleher (injury) and Alex Newby both missing from the eighteen altogether.
Cameron McGeehan and Zach Mitchell came in for them to make their first outings for the club, with Al-Amin Kazeem slotting in on the left flank of a back five.
Goodman was guarded by Hall, Egbo and Mitchell with Fevrier and Kazeem operating on the wings, with Arthur Read, Cameron McGeehan and Noah Chilvers trying to pick the balls through for Samson Tovide and Joe Taylor up front.
Ben Garner’s side had an early shot on target, with Jayden Fevrier testing McGee inside the opening fifteen seconds, but the ‘keeper was quickly down to push the ball out for a corner.
However, it wasn’t long before the hosts got their noses in front, with Joe Taylor netting his fifth for the club. The Luton Town loanee latched onto a neat through-ball from Arthur Read, converting with a clever finish underneath McGee on seven minutes.
After the goal, bookings were seemingly harshly issued to Connor Hall and Regan Hendry with both seeing yellow for delaying the restart of play.
The next chance of the game fell to the U’s once again in similar fashion to the way Taylor had opened the scoring in the first half. Chilvers was clipped in from Read’s through ball, but the ‘keeper was able to get a hand to the effort this time palming away the shot.
Read was having a good game in the centre of midfield, and picked out another good chance with ten minutes of the half to go. His looping cross was perfect for Taylor to meet, but McGee was out quickly to stifle the effort, with Egbo’s rebound hooked away from danger.
Garner’s side were the ones on top, and looked to make their chances count with Tovide also proving a handful alongside the goalscorer, Taylor up front. The U’s number nine got the better of Davies with the Tranmere Skipper hauling him to the ground, and seeing yellow.
And two minutes later, Samson failed to capitalise on a difficult opportunity. He spotted the short backpass to McGee and intercepted, but the angle was quickly closed down as he shot into the side-netting.
It became a scrappy affair just before the break, with Jennings and Tovide both cautioned in eight minutes of stoppage time.
Nevertheless, the U’s maintained their advantage until the break, holding on to their one-goal lead heading into the dressing rooms.
Neither side made a change at the break, but the yellow cards kept being issued early in the second with Dan Pike quickly into the book for clipping Al-Amin Kazeem’s heels.
Pike was soon removed from the action with the visitors opting for two changes – the booked Pike and Dennis walked off with Jolley and McAlear coming on in their place ten minutes into the second half. Ben Garner also made his first change of the afternoon with debutant McGeehan making way for another first-timer in north Essex, Jay Mingi.
Jayden Fevrier looked to extend the advantage for his side when he stung the palms of McGee with an effort from close range, but the U’s single goal advantage was nearly taken away when Jennings raced through – luckily, he blazed over from ten yards.
But two further chances came Colchester’s way in a matter of minutes with Joe Taylor getting the better of Turnbull before being denied by the legs of McGee. And Jay Mingi should have opened his U’s account when he blasted over from Fevrier’s cut back in the penalty area.
Arthur Read’s afternoon came to a disappointing end when he had to be removed. He was replaced by Mauro Bandeira after a six-minute stoppage with the midfielder looking in a great deal of discomfort on seventy minutes.
Tranmere started to knock on the door with a couple of chances going begging in front of Goodman’s goal as Garner opted for a triple change ten minutes from time. On came John Akinde, Brad Ihoinvien and Will Greenidge in place of Samson Tovide, Joe Taylor and Al-Amin Kazeem.
And the changes made the difference with four minutes of normal time to play when Brad Ihionvien bagged his second of the season. Mauro Bandeira battled well to win the ball back in the corner, tossing in a cross for Akinde to head back into the danger area, with Ihionvien pouncing and converting from close range.
The U’s would hold out for their first home win of the season, and the second in the campaign. Ben Garner’s side have now amassed six points from six matches, with Mansfield Town up next for Colchester at the JobServe Community Stadium.
Colchester United starting XI: Goodman, Hall, Tovide (Ihionvien 83’), Chilvers, McGeehan (Mingi 56’), Mitchell, Read (Bandeira 71’), Egbo, Taylor (Akinde 83’), Kazeem (Greenidge 83’), Fevrier.
Subs: Smith, Greenidge, Bandeira, Mingi, Akinde, Thomas, Ihionvien.
Tranmere Rovers: McGee, Davies, Turnbull, Morris (Apter 90+2), Hendry (Hawkes 71’), Dennis (McAlear 55’), Merrie Jennings, Taylor (Wood 71’), Yarney, Pike (Jolley 55’).
Subs: Walker, Hawkes, Jolley, Murphy, McAlear, Apter, Wood.
Attendance: TBC