Colchester United 2 Yeovil Town 0 Jacob Murphy inspired Colchester United to victory in the clash of the bottom two, at the Weston Homes Community Stadium tonight.

Two goals in a four-minute spell, early in the second half, sunk basement dwellers Yeovil, and at the same time kept alive the U’s slender hopes of avoiding the drop.

The U’s had actually played second fiddle to the Glovers, for much of the first half, but they took this game by the scruff of the neck, soon after the interval.

Murphy’s turn of speed won the hosts a 54th minute penalty, as the Norwich City loanee was dragged down in the box by defender Nathan Smith.

And skipper Fox made no mistake from the spot, crashing home the penalty to notch his second goal inside four days – the only two goals he has scored this season.

Yeovil’s challenge was then killed off by a classic breakaway goal from Murphy, on 58 minutes.

Livewire winger Murphy raced onto George Moncur’s delightful through ball and kept his composure to slide his shot beyond ex-Ipswich Town keeper Scott Loach.

It was Murphy’s first goal for the U’s, in only his second appearance since his move from Carrow Road over the weekend.

There was no way back for Yeovil, as the U’s ended a run of four straight defeats.

Squads

COLCHESTER: Walker, Hewitt, Khumalo, Eastman, Briggs, Fox, Gilbey, Sembie-Ferris (sub Massey, 71), Moncur, Murphy, Healey (sub Porter, 75). Unused subs: Lewington, Wynter, Lawrence, Vincent-Young, Bonne.

YEOVIL: Loach, Shephard, Webster, Arthurworrey, Smith, Grant (sub Morgan, 71), Foley, Edwards (sub Eastmond, 83), Kingsley (sub Leitch-Smith, 52), Hayter, Ugwu. Unused subs: Krysiac, Moore, Hoskins, Twumasi.

Referee: Iain Williamson (Berkshire)

Attendance: 2,336 (113 away fans)