Fleetwood Town 2 Colchester United 3

Colchester United snatched a dramatic victory at Fleetwood Town this afternoon, to keep their hopes alive of beating the drop.

The U’s were 2-1 down, with just five minutes to go, when goals from Gavin Massey and Chris Porter (penalty) turned the tide in their favour.

The visitors had been trailing until the closing minutes, despite George Moncur putting them in front in the 47th minute.

Goals from Jamie Proctor and substitute David Ball had turned this game on its head, in the 66th and 74th minutes, but the U’s came storming back in a breathless finale.

Earlier, Jacob Murphy did the damage with a superb run down the left flank, which left two defenders trailing in his wake for the U’s opener.

Having skipped past these two challenges, the Norwich City loanee crossed into the danger zone, where Moncur pounced with a clinical finish, his low shot sneaking beneath keeper Chris Maxwell and into the net.

It was Moncur’s eighth goal of the season, and the fourth in his last seven appearances.

But the U’s could not hold on, with Proctor sweeping home Fleetwood’s equaliser in the 66th minute.

Richard Brindley lost his footing, inside the U’s box, allowing substitute Ball a sight of goal. Ball’s angled drive was blocked by Walker, down at his near post, but the ball was still loose and Proctor was able to tuck home from close-in.

And Ball then slammed Fleetwood ahead in the 74th minute, racing onto Proctor’s lofted through ball and beating Walker with a deadly finish.

But a mistake by keeper Maxwell, who allowed Massey’s cross-cum-shot to slip through his fingertips and into the net, was the turning point.

Having grabbed the equaliser in the 85th minute, they then netted the winner just tow minutes later.

Substitute Dion Sembie-Ferris wass chopped down in the box, by defender Nathan Pond, and up stepped Porter to ram home the spot kick.

The U’s must now win again, against Swindon with their game in hand on Tuesday night, to stay in with a chance of cheating relegation.

Squads

FLEETWOOD TOWN: Maxwell, Forbes (sub Morris, 64), Pond, Jordan, Chicksen, McLaughlin, Sarcevic, Haughton (sub Evans, 74), Hughes, Proctor, Hunter (sub Ball, 64). Unused subs: Moore, Roberts, Schumacher, Hogan.

COLCHESTER UNITED: Walker, Brindley, Khumalo, Eastman, Briggs, Fox, Gilbey (sub Sembie-Ferris, 73), Moncur, Massey, Porter, Murphy (sub Bonne, 81). Unused subs: Lewington, Wynter, Healey, Bonne, Szmodics, Lapslie.

Referee: Darren Bond (Lancs)

Attendance: 3,129 (313 away fans)

remaining in League One for next season.