Woeful Colchester United are thrashed at Wigan

Colchester United were swamped by four first-half goals at Wigan Athletic this afternoon, to crash to another heavy away defeat.

The U’s had leaked four second-half goals at Shrewsbury Town last weekend, and they conceded four more inside 33 minutes at the DW Stadium, making it eight goals conceded in a total of just 77 minutes!

The floodgates opened as early as the fifth minute, when right wing-back Donervon Daniels swatted home the first of his two goals.

Jamie Jones managed to keep out a dangerous cross by Yanic Wildschut, from the right flank, but was powerless to prevent the awaiting Daniels from converting the rebound from point blank range.

Wigan were 2-0 up in the 11th minute. There was a slice of good fortune about this one, as midfielder Max Power’s opportunist long-range shot took a big deflection on its way over keeper Jones.

But there was nothing lucky about the Latics’ third goal, just four minutes later. An unmarked Daniels had the time and the space to tuck home his low shot, under the body of Jones, after the visitors had failed to fully clear a corner.

Wigan added their fourth in the 33rd minute, to kill off the game as a contest, although in truth that had already happened inside the first quarter-of-an-hour!

Will Grigg, back from international duty with Northern Ireland, fired home from 12 yards out, again taking full advantage of a complete lack of marking.

David Perkins did the damage with a darting run into the box and precise pass, and Grigg did the rest.

The U’s had been all at sea in the first half, and although they improved after the break, this was still another dismal performance from Tony Humes’ men, capped by Grigg netting his second and the hosts’ fifth in the 87th minute with a quality strike.

The U’s made four changes to the side that slumped to a 4-2 defeat at Shrewsbury Town last weekend, when conceding four unanswered second-half goals.

Matt Briggs was back after his one-match suspension, to replace George Elokobi at left-back, but injuries ruled out Owen Garvan and Gavin Massey, which meant recalls for Alex Gilbey and Dion Sembie-Ferris.

The other change saw Chris Porter given his first start, since the opening day draw against Blackpool, to lead the U’s front-line. George Moncur was the man to miss out.

The new-look U’s were soon under the cosh, and Daniels swept the Latics into the lead from close-in after just five minutes.

United were at full stretch to try and prevent further quickfire goals, with ex-U’s midfielder Perkins cracking in an angled drive which Jones smothered low down at his near post on eight minutes.

Wigan were attacking at will, so it was no real surprise when they doubled their lead in the 11th minute, although there was more than a touch of good fortune about the way Power’s deflected 25-yarder looped over Jones and into the roof top of the net.

There was very little respite for the U’s, who leaked a third goal on the quarter-hour mark.

The visitors failed to defend a corner routine, and when the ball was recycled back to Daniels, the wing-back had time and space to slot his shot under Jones and into the bottom of the net. It was second goal of the afternoon.

So the U’s effectively looked a beaten side, inside 15 minutes!

At the other end, Frankie Kent sent a tame header drifting wide of the far post, from an 18th minute corner, but otherwise Wigan were in complete control.

The U’s were struggling to even retain possession, and their frustration was summed up by Callum Harriott crashing a long-range shot well wide on the half-hour mark.

Wigan were celebrating a fourth goal on 33 minutes, Grigg tucking home a shot from 12 yards out following good work by Perkins.

There were cheers of derision when the U’s finally managed a shot on target, in the 37th minute, although Harriott’s long-range shot hardly troubled Jussi Jaaskelainen.

Wigan could have added to their lead, before the break, and Jones had to be alert to dive on Michael Jacobs’ acrobatic shot, in front of his near post, to prevent a fifth goal.

Into the second half and Jones flung himself to his left to cling onto Wildschut’s low drive, from Jacobs’ delivery, in the 50th minute.

Otherwise, and perhaps not surprisingly, the second period rather drifted with Wigan sitting comfortably on their four-goal lead.

Sordell rifled in an angled drive that was blocked by keeper Jaaskelainen in the 72nd minute, while at the other end substitute Grant Holt should have added a fifth when drilling wide with just Jones to beat on 81 minutes.

But Wigan did manage a fifth goal, late on, thanks to Griggs’ precise finish past Jones, following substitute Donald Love’s pass.

Squads

WIGAN: Jaaskelainen, Daniels (sub Love, 77), Morgan, Barnett, McCann, James, Power, Jacobs (sub Junior, 61), Perkins, Grigg, Wildschut (sub Holt, 67). Unused subs: O’Donnell, Davies, Chow, Hiwula.

COLCHESTER: Jones, Olufemi, Kent, Eastman, Briggs, Edwards (sub Lapslie, 76), Gilbey, Sembie-Ferris (sub Ambrose, 65), Sordell, Harriott, Porter (sub Moncur, 65). Unused subs: Parish, Elokobi, Szmodics, Bonne,

Referee: Stephen Martin (Staffs)

Attendance: 8,048 (292 away fans)