Defensive errors cost U’s at Yeovil

npower League One

Yeovil Town 4 Colchester Utd 2

COLCHESTER United crashed to yet another away defeat following some shambolic first half defending at Yeovil Town.

On loan Ipswich Town centre-back Tommy Smith was the most guilty party as the Glovers – who only confirmed their League One status last weekend – were gifted three goals.

Craig Alcock and Andrew Tutte had given the Somerset hosts a two-goal lead and, although Ashley Vincent briefly brought the U’s back into it after 40 minutes, former Ipswich striker Dean Bowditch restored the two-goal cushion just over a minute later.

The U’s dominated the start of the second half and silenced the partying home crowd when David Mooney finally netted his first away league goal of the season in the 63rd minute.

However, any hopes of a comeback were quickly extinguished when the Glovers – for the second time in the game – went straight up the other end and added a fourth through Andrew Welsh.

It means Colchester have lost 12 of their last 16 away league games of the season. This is also their first ever Football League defeat to Yeovil.

The Somerset side took the lead in the 15th minute when a deep free-kick from the left bounced off of Smith’s body into the path of advanced right-back Alcock who drilled home the loose ball.

The lead was doubled in the 22nd minute when Smith completely misjudged a long punt forward, Jonathan Obika laying the ball off for Tutte to curl the ball – with the aid of a deflection – beyond keeper Ben Williams from the edge of the box with the outside of his boot.

Glovers fans couldn’t believe their luck and began to enjoy themselves, cheering every completed pass as the U’s spent a long spell chasing shadows.

Yeovil almost added a third in the 36th minute when Smith headed a long ball straight to Bowditch, keeper Williams just getting a touch on his shot to send it bobbling agonisingly onto the post.

From nowhere Colchester found a way back into the game in the 40th minute when David Mooney’s through-ball allowed Ashley Vincent to slide the ball home one-on-one.

Barely a minute later though they once again imploded at the back as another deep free-kick, this time from the right, was allowed to bounce right by the six-yard box with former Ipswich Town striker Dean Bowditch almost apologetically tapping in from close range.

Colchester were sent out early for the second half having no doubt been on the end of some stern words by manager John Ward.

And they responded by dominating the opening quarter of an hour of the second period as Kemi Izzet, Ian Henderson and the excellent John-Joe O’Toole were all denied by the keeper.

The Essex side eventually got their breakthrough when Mooney’s shot from the edge of the box crept inside the near post after 63 minutes.

The home crowd were momentarily silenced as they feared a comeback, but – for the second time in the game – Yeovil went straight up the other end to restore their two-goal advantage within seconds.

This time Welsh was left unmarked at the far post to lash home a low cross from the right.

To their credit, Colchester fought all the way to the end and Mooney was unfortunate when a delicate chip from a seemingly impossible angle bounced off the top of the bar before being hacked clear.

Left-back Ben Coker was fortunate not to see red in stoppage-time though when he hauled down Obika 40 yards from goal. Despite him being the last man, referee Oliver Langford took pity and showed just a yellow.

– Reaction to follow. Full match report in Monday’s EADT.

COLCHESTER UTD (4-4-1-1): Williams; Wilson, Clarke, Smith (Beevers 75), Coker; Henderson (Odejayi 80), Izzet (cpt), James, Vincent; O’Toole; Mooney.

Unused Subs: Cousins; White; Perkins, Wordsworth, Bond.

Booked: Smith (17), Clarke (40), Coker (90).

YEOVIL TOWN (4-4-2): Henderson; Alcock, Smith, Ehmer, Ayling; Welsh, Wotton (cpt), MacDonald, Tutte; Bowditch, Obika.

Unused Subs: Stewart, Jones, Russell, Upson, Virgo, Gritton, Gibson.

Referee: Mr Oliver Langford.