Premier BColchester 2 Bury St Edmunds 3Colchester are precariously near the foot of the table after they once again threw away a two goal lead.The Essex side started the game at a great pace and were two goals up within the first ten minutes.

Premier B

Colchester 2 Bury St Edmunds 3

Colchester are precariously near the foot of the table after they once again threw away a two goal lead.

The Essex side started the game at a great pace and were two goals up within the first ten minutes.

First, Rob Mann reacted quickly to put the ball in the net after everyone else had stopped following Brian Barker's touch hitting a Bury foot.

Minutes later, an unmarked Mann slapped home a second after Craig Warriner neatly dummied a deep ball by Ed Long-Price.

Colchester then dominated the first half but, despite numerous chances, could not extend their advantage.

Andrew Walker fired straight at the keeper after a good run by Warriner and Rohan Khaira saw a shot saved following a fine individual run.

Bury's best chance of the half came from a penalty corner, but Grant Hibbert got down well to save with his stick as the ball was heading for the bottom corner.

The second half continued in the same vein, with Colchester pushing hard to get a third goal.

A nicely worked penalty corner saw Brian Barker's deflection trickle along the goal line before going just wide, while minutes later Mann spurned a chance to seal his hat-trick.

A yellow card to Long-Price, received for a poor tackle, was the catalyst for Bury to get back into the match. The resultant free-hit was deflected by Wayne Masters only as far as a Bury forward who somehow managed to scramble the ball into the back of the net.

Bury pushed hard and, after Hibbert had rushed out to quickly block a shot and prevent an equaliser, the visitors finally levelled the scores.

Despite Long-Price's return, Colchester went behind for the first time through a penalty corner conversion.

Colchester did have the ball in the back of the net again, however the umpire had already blown for an offence by the defence.