A brilliant first-half free kick from Arthur Read was enough for the U's to pick up their first win under the stewardship of Danny & Nicky Cowley at Morecambe.
The U’s held on for a valuable three points at Morecambe’s Mazuma Stadium courtesy of Arthur Read’s first half strike.
The midfielder scored a trademark free kick from twenty-five yards to ensure the three points would be heading back to North Essex.
It was a nervy second half for the U’s, with Owen Goodman saving a penalty, and seeing their goal under siege for large periods, but held on to keep out the Shrimps.
Danny Cowley made three changes from the U’s last action and included two debutants in the starting eleven. Riley Harbottle and Alistair Smith were handed their first Colchester United appearances after joining on loan earlier in the week, with Ellis Iandolo also returning to the line-up.
They took the places of Tom Dallison, Matt Jay and Zach Mitchell – the former pair were named on the bench with Mitchell missing from the matchday eighteen. Also included in the eighteen was Harry Anderson after penning a loan deal with Colchester United on Thursday afternoon.
The U’s lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation; the back four contained Ellis Iandolo, Connor Hall, Riley Harbottle and Jayden Richardson, with Arthur Read and Alistair Smith sitting just in front. There was an attacking quartet led by Tom Hopper, and supported by Cam McGeehan, Noah Chilvers and Jayden Fevrier.
The opening ten minutes were dominated by the hosts, with the Shrimps’ central defender Farrend Rawson having two goal-bound headers from set pieces.
But the U’s soon found their footing and looked dangerous on the attack. Rawson, who had the chances at the other end, was alert to block Tom Hopper and then Noah Chilvers as Danny Cowley’s side started to control the ball at the top end of the field.
Colchester were denied a penalty kick after fifteen minutes when Ali Smith was brought down from behind after arriving late into the penalty area. The officials waved to play on with Cam McGeehan putting the follow up effort narrowly over the crossbar.
The first yellow card of the afternoon was soon issues, with Kayden Harrack into the book for a foul on Jayden Fevrier. And it was this attacking phase that brought the first goal of the afternoon. The U’s soon won another free kick on the edge of the penalty area, with Arthur Read stepping up to curl the ball into the top corner from all of twenty-five yards to make it 1-0 to the visitors.
Danny Cowley’s side kept on attacking the Morecambe goal, but couldn’t find another before the break. The hosts had a couple of half chances, but nothing that worried Goodman with the U’s remaining a goal to the good at half time.
Morecambe made a change at the break with Brandon Barker on for Jordan Slew, and had a guilt-edged chance to level the scores almost immediately.
Riley Harbottle was penalised for a foul on Jake Taylor in the penalty area. However, Owen Goodman was the man on of the moment, guessing correctly to get across and save Garner’s spot kick.
Morecambe soon had the ball in the back of the net, but the U’s would keep their lead with the linesman flagging for offside as Bedeau knocked it in from inside the eighteen-yard area.
And changes soon followed for the hosts with Songo’o and Harrack withdrawn for Melbourne and Tutonda. The U’s then made a change of their own with Noah Chilvers coming off for Conor Wilkinson in the final thirty minutes.
Two further changes followed for Colchester, with Harbottle looking as if he had picked up an injury. He was replaced along with Jayden Fevrier with Tom Dallison and Harry Anderson coming on for the closing stages.
A couple of yellow cards were quickly issued, with Brown and Wilkinson into the book for an altercation after a decision. Cam McGeehan picked up a nasty looking head injury in the process, and played the last ten minutes of the game without a number on his shirt.
Tom Dallison was then carded for a foul on Garner on the edge of the penalty area with the game reaching boiling point in the final ten minutes.
Two more changes came for the U’s with Akinde and Jay brought on for eight minutes of stoppage time, but Danny Cowley’s side would hold out for a valuable win.
The win sees Colchester United move up to twenty-first in the standings, above Doncaster Rovers on goal difference and hosting an out-of-form Forest Green Rovers at the JobServe Community Stadium next weekend.
Morecambe starting XI: Mair, Bedeau, Rawson, Songo’o (Melbourne 60’), Adams (C. Smith 83’), Garner (Fox-Akande 83’), Slew (Barker 46’), Stokes, Taylor, Brown, Harrack (Tutonda 60’).
Subs: Ad. Smith, Tutonda, Barker, C. Smith, Melbourne, Threlkeld, Fox-Akande.
Colchester United starting XI: Goodman, Iandolo, Hall, Chilvers (Wilkinson 62’), McGeehan (Jay 90’), Hopper (Akinde 90’), Read, Harbottle (Dallison 72’), Richardson, Al. Smith, Fevrier (Anderson 72’).
Subs: Hornby, Dallison, Jay, Wilkinson, Edwards, Anderson, Akinde.
Attendance: 3,383 (180)