Colchester United 0 Sheffield United 1

Colchester United suffered a second home defeat inside four days, beaten by Chris Porter’s 87th minute penalty at the Community Stadium tonight.

For so long it had looked as though the U’s would hold on for an unlikely point against dominant Sheffield United, who must have been beginning to wonder how they had failed to score.

But Freddie Sears tripped Ben Davies just inside the box, with three minutes of normal time remaining, and substitute Porter, who had only been on the pitch for four minutes, beat Sam Walker from the ensuing penalty.

It was the Blades’ sixth victory on the trot, in all competitions, and this result saw them leapfrog the U’s in the League One table.

For much of the evening, Nigel Clough’s men were let down by a combination of powder-puff finishing, and also stubborn U’s defending.

The U’s never mustered an effort on target, throughout the evening, while by contrast the Blades peppered the target, without finding the killer touch until Porter’s late penalty.

The closest they came to a goal in open player was just after the hour mark, when Jose Baxter rattled the post with a curling shot which had left Sam Walker clutching at thin air.

It was Walker rather than the woodwork who denied the Yorkshire visitors again, a few minutes later – the U’s keeper pulled off a magnificent save to prevent Ben Davies’ close-range shot from flying into the net.

But Walker had no chance with Porter’s late spot kick.

The U’s have now taken just one point from a possible 12 in their last four games.

Squads

COLCHESTER: Walker, Wilson (sub Sesay, 46), Okuonghae, Eastman, Dickson, Wright, Bean, Vose, Morrison (sub Eastmond, 46), Sears, Ibehre. Unused subs: Cousins, Massey, Sanderson, Olufemi, Bonne.

SHEFFIELD UNTED: Howard, Brayford, Maguire, Collins, Harris, Davies (sub Hill, 88), Doyle, Coady, Scougall, Baxter (sub Porter, 83), Murphy (sub Flynn, 81). Unused subs: Long, Miller, Paynter, Kennedy.

Referee: G Scott (Oxfordshire)

Attendance: 3,088