U's 0-1 Tranmere - Report

Colchester United saw their nine match unbeaten run ended as Tranmere Rovers ran out 1-0 winners at the Weston Homes Community Stadium last night.

A Ryan Shotton header was the difference between the two sides in a lacklustre match.

The U`s went close early on with Mark Yeates arrowing a shot just wide of the Rovers goal, inside the first minute.

Moments later the ball was up the other end and Shotton saw a clipped header come back off the bar, as both team pressed for an early goal.

A while later, Scott Vernon combing well with Clive Platt up front, but his deflected effort was comfortably saved by Danny Coyne in the visiting goal.

With the U`s on the attack Charlie Barnett ran on to a loose ball but saw his fierce drive go straight at Walker.

As half time drew closer, Yeates, on the left and, Lewis Gobern, on the right were stretching the Rovers` backline and Yeates cut in from the left only to see his low effort roll wide of Coyne`s upright.

Shortly after the interval Tranmere took the lead, with Shotton`s glancing header evading Walker in the home goal.

The U`s quickly responded and Yeates, who cut in from the left once again, saw a fabulous curling effort expertly tipped away by Coyne.

Minutes later it was Yeates again who came close, but his looped effort fell agonisingly wide of the upright.

Recent signing Simon Hackney came on for Gobern as U`s boss Paul Lambert made his first change of the night, which was shortly followed by a second, as Platt gave way to Jamie Guy.

The away side came close to doubling their advantage, as Bas Savage broke strongly down the wing and Chris Shuker saw his effort brilliantly saved by Walker at his near post.

Full-back Alan Maybury, still looking for his first U`s goal, saw his thunderous shot go narrowly wide, as the home side continued to look for an equaliser.

Referee Gavin Ward was in the thick of action moments later as Rovers` defender Ben Chorley appeared to handle Guy`s strike inside the area, however, Ward waved away shouts for a penalty.

With the game into extra time Yeates saw a trademark free-kick spilled by Coyne, but no U`s player was able to react quicker enough to the rebound.

The home side`s final chance fell to Guy, who did well to pounce on a poor back pass, but was unable to reach the ball with the goal gaping.

The U`s will have to kick start their charge up the League One table against Walsall on Saturday, as their long unbeaten run came to a frustrating end.

U's: Walker, Maybury, Baldwin, Reid (Wordsworth 82), Tierney, Gobern (Hackney 57), Perkins, Hammond, Yeates, Platt (Guy 65), Vernon.

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