COLCHESTER United marksman Chris Iwelumo is up to joint third in the League One goalscorers' charts.Iwelumo managed what leading League One striker Lee Trundle failed to achieve at the Liberty Stadium last Saturday - namely, a goal.

By Carl Marston

COLCHESTER United marksman Chris Iwelumo is up to joint third in the League One goalscorers' charts.

Iwelumo managed what leading League One striker Lee Trundle failed to achieve at the Liberty Stadium last Saturday - namely, a goal.

While Swansea hit-man Trundle drew a blank in the 1-1 draw against visiting Colchester, so failing to add to his impressive tally of 17 goals, Iwelumo duly notched his 10th league goal, and 12th in all competitions, with a slick 13th-minute opener.

And the former Stoke and Brighton centre-forward again paid tribute to his new strike-force partner Jamie Cureton, who set up Saturday's goal with an intelligent pass into the penalty area.

“Jamie's arrival at the club has given me a new lease of life,” admitted Iwelumo.

“He put me through again, and I just hit my shot first time. It would have been easier for the keeper if I had placed the shot across him, but I aimed for inside his near post.

“Swansea are a good team, so I suppose you could see it as a good point,” added Iwelumo.

Keeper Aidan Davison thwarted Trundle with a number of fine saves, although the former Wrexham man can still boast an excellent goal ratio of 17 from just 19 league appearances.

Scunthorpe's Billy Sharp, in second spot, failed to add to his total of 15 goals in Iron's 5-2 defeat at Barnsley, as did Huddersfield's Pawel Abbott and Bournemouth's James Hayter, who both had 10 goals before their respective kick-offs on Saturday.

U's summer signing Iwelumo has therefore joined Hayter and Abbott in joint third position on 10 league goals, together with Walsall's Matt Fryatt, who hit the target in the 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest, and Rotherham's Deon Burton, who scored in the Millers home defeat by Yeovil.

However, big Scotsman Iwelumo believed that the U's should have extended their winning run to nine games at Swansea - especially as Neil Danns missed an 85th-minute penalty.

“We could have got maximum points out of the game. In fact, we were all gutted in the dressing room after the final whistle,” confirmed Iwelumo.

“It's a pity that we missed out on setting a new club record of nine straight wins, but the important thing is that we have kept our winning run going.

“Neil Danns let me take the penalty against Blackpool, so that I could get my 10th goal (in all competitions), but he was always going to take this one. I took a back seat role,” concluded Iwelumo.

Phil Parkinson's men have a chance to cement their position in the play-off zone when MK Dons visit Layer Road this Saturday.

n Swansea defender Ijah Anderson has tested positive for cocaine. The 29-year-old has been suspended by the League One leaders pending a hearing at the Football Association of Wales.

If Anderson is found guilty, Swans chairman Huw Jenkins confirmed that the player would be sacked unless he subsequently cleared his name.

“As with most clubs, there's no tolerance of that sort of thing at Swansea football club,” said Jenkins.

The sample in question was taken on November 1 following a training session, and the test was confirmed positive three weeks later.

Anderson, whose previous clubs include Tottenham, Southend, Brentford and Bristol Rovers, has not started a game for Kenny Jackett's side this season and his last substitute appearance came at Yeovil on October 8.

Swansea were held to a 1-1 draw by Colchester on Saturday.

n Colchester United Youths warmed up for this Thursday's big FA Youth Cup tie at Crystal Palace by recording a 3-0 victory over Brentford Under-18s on Saturday.

David Wareham netted a first-half opener against the Bees, with Tom Webb adding the second. The third was an own goal.

Joe Dunne's side travel to Selhurst Park for an FA Youth Cup third round tie this Thursday (kick-off 7pm).