Colchester United 1 Lincoln City 0
Colchester United toppled league leaders Lincoln City, thanks to Frankie Kent’s first-half goal at the Jobserve Community Stadium this afternoon.
Kent obliged with his third goal of the season, and his second in the league, in the 27th minute.
Courtney Senior delivered a corner to the near post, where Kent’s initial header was blocked on the goal-line by keeper Josh Vickers. However, Kent was quick to react to the rebound, poking the ball over the line from point-blank range.
Lincoln piled on the pressure, but were mostly kept out of harm’s way, thanks to another strong defensive display from John McGreal’s men.
This was the U’s sixth win from eight home starts, a very impressive record, cementing their position in the top five.
The U’s made one change to the side that slipped to a 1-0 defeat at Grimsby in midweek.
Sammie Szmodics returned to the starting line-up after a two-match absence with a leg injury, with Tom Eastman returning to the bench as McGreal reverted to a four-man defence.
It was a very cagey first quarter of the game, with neither side really threatening an early goal.
Rene Gilmartin easily gathered a speculative long-range shot from winger Bruno Andrade in the fifth minute, while the U’s best early moment saw Kane Vincent-Young deceive a couple of defenders on a mazy run inside the box on 12 minutes.
But the U’s did take the lead, in the 27th minute, via defender Kent.
A high challenge by Michael O’Connor, on Kane Vincent-Young, led to the Lincoln midfielder being booked. Luke Norris’ fierce shot from the ensuing free-kick cannoned off the defensive wall and drifted out of play for a corner, and it was from this that the U’s took the lead.
Kent stabbed home at the near post, from Courtney Senior’s delivery.
The Imps rarely looked like equalising before the break, during what had been an absorbing first half, despite the lack of clear-cut chances.
Gilmartin raced to the edge of his penalty area to snuff out a couple of attacks, but otherwise the U’s stood firm, encouraged by some fine blocks and tackles from the centre-half pairing of Kent and the excellent Luke Prosser.
The U’s were on the attack, seven minutes into the second half. Pell delivered a cross into the box, from where both Szmodics and Nouble had shots charged down.
Gilmartin remained a big presence from City corners, punching to safety with strong hands, as the Imps struggled to get a clear sight of goal.
The visitors were certainly bossing possession, but the U’s occasionally threatened on the counter-attack. Szmodics had a shot blocked and Nouble almost found a way through, on a strong run, both around the 70-minute mark.
Gilmartin dropped to his knees to smother a shot by City centre-half Jason Shackell, following a 77th minute free-kick, while at the other end Norris hammered a free-kick into the wall, and Ryan Jackson’s 20-yarder from the follow-up stung the hands of keeper Vickers.
Squads
COLCHESTER: Gilmartin, Jackson, Prosser, Kent, Vincent-Young, Lapslie, Pell, Senior (sub Mandron, 88), Szmodics (sub Eastman, 84), Nouble, Norris. Unused subs: Barnes, Dickenson, Comley, Wright, Collins.
LINCOLN: Vickers, Wilson, Bostwick, Shackell, Toffolo, Anderson, O’Connor, Pett, Andrade (sub Rhead, 75), McCartan (sub Green, 75), Akinde. Unused subs: Slocombe Gordon, Wharton, Frecklington, Mensah.
Referee: David Coote (Notts)
Attendance: 4,962 (1,111 away fans)
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