Colchester United 2 Bury 0

ANTHONY Wordsworth and Freddie Sears struck early in the second half to end a run of three straight defeats for dominant Colchester United, against Bury this afternoon.

Skipper Wordsworth and winger Sears netted within a four-minute spell to seal a fourth home win in five for new boss Joe Dunne.

Classy midfielder Wordsworth, the U’s best player in the first half, obliged with the opening goal in the 57th minute.

Ian Henderson sent Jabo Ibehre clear down the right flank, and his pinpoint cross seemed to hang in the air for Wordsworth to direct a towering header into the roof of the net.

Henderson was again heavily involved as the U’s doubled their lead on 61 minutes, thanks to another terrific move.

Livewire Henderson skipped past left-back Joe Skarz and squared into the danger zone. Ibehre stepped over the ball, enabling Sears to control and advance a couple of yards before finding the net with a deadly finish.

U’s boss Dunne stuck with the same starting line-up, despite last weekend’s disappointing 3-2 defeat at Crewe, where the Essex side surrendered a 2-0 half-time lead.

And his side created the better chances of a low-key first period, without being able to beat keeper Trevor Carson.

Wordsworth warmed Carson’s hands with a goal-bound drive after five minutes, and just before the half-hour mark the Shakers keeper did well to beat away Ian Henderson’s crisp volley, following a cross by Brian Wilson.

Carson also saved well from Craig Eastmond and Sears as the first-half wore on.

At the other end, Bury had their best moment on 38 minutes, with John Sullivan beating away winger Dominic Poleon’s fierce shot with strong hands.

The visitors had one other chance before the break, but lone striker Tom Hopper was unable to bundle home David Worrall’s cross from point blank range.

That miss was to prove costly, because the U’s scored twice inside the first 16 minutes of the second period, through Wordsworth and Sears.

Bury came close to halving the deficit in the 70th minute. Defender Ethan Ebanks-Landell’s scuffed effort, from a corner, loops over keeper Sullivan, only to thud back off the top of the bar and roll to safety.

Squads

COLCHESTER: Sullivan, Wilson, Okuonghae, Eastman, Rose, Bean, Eastmond (sub J Thompson, 90+2), Wordsworth, Henderson (sub Massey, 86), Ibehre (sub Morrison, 76), Sears. Unused subs: Duguid, Bond, White, Cousins.

BURY: Carson, Doherty, Hughes (sub C Jones, 75), Ebanks-Landell, Skarz, Worrall, Schumacher (sub Carrington, 89), Z Thompson, Soares (sub Sweeney, 75), Hopper, Poleon. Unused subs: Elford-Alliyu, Sodje, A Jones, Belford.

Referee: S Martin (Staffordshire)

Attendance: 3,214