Swindon Town 3 Colchester United 0

Colchester United slumped to a disappointing away defeat at the hands of Swindon Town this afternoon, their first loss in five matches.

The under-performing U’s were hit twice before half-time, with two goals in a three-minute spell leaving them with a mountain to climb.

The U’s made two changes to the side that started last weekend’s 1-1 home draw against Carlisle United.

In came centre forward Mikael Mandron and left-sided specialist Brennan Dickenson, while Sammie Szmodics was absent due to illness and Abo Eisa was relegated to the substitutes’ bench.

The two incoming players both had early chances. Dickenson pulled a shot narrowly wide in the sixth minute, and Mandron had a shot well saved by Lawrence Vigouroux.

However, two goals in a three-minute spell before half-time put Swindon firmly in the driving seat.

A mistake by keeper Rene Gilmartin, whose kick went straight to Theo Robinson, saw James Dunne and Kaiyne Woolery combine for Canice Carroll to fire home a left-footed shot to break the deadlock in the 39th minute.

And Luke Woolfenden doubled the lead on 41 minutes, heading home Dunne’s cross.

Dickenson went close to halving the deficit with a shot that flew wide in the 49th minute, but another mistake allowed the Robins to add a killer third in the 66th minute.

Mandron lost possession in his own half and Kyle Bennett made him pay, his long-range shot managing to sneak past Rene Gilmartin.

SWINDON: Vigouroux, Broadbent, Woolfenden, Conroy, Knoyle, McCourt (sub Diagouraga, 88), Carroll, Dunne, Bennett, Robinson (sub Bancroft, 90+1), Woolery (sub Anderson, 82). Unused subs: Richards, McCormick, Koiki, Taylor.

COLCHESTER: Gilmartin, Jackson, Kent, Prosser, Vincent-Young, Senior, Stevenson, Wright (sub Eastman, 55), Dickenson (sub Norris, 55), Nouble (sub Roberts, 74), Mandron, Unused subs: Barnes, Chilvers, Dunne, Eisa.

Referee: Ollie Yates (Staffs)

Attendance: 6,082