FA Cup second round Colchester Utd 1 Swindon Supermarine 0 COLCHESTER narrowly saw off Swindon Supermarine after the plucky non-leaguers missed several excellent chances.

The Wiltshire side, who are exactly 100 places behind the U’s in the football pyramid, should have taken the lead in the 20th minute when Chris Allen dragged his shot wide from a glorious position.

The U’s then broke straight up the other end and scored what proved to be the winner when David Mooney slammed home at the far post.

Colchester enjoyed the greater possession after the break, but it was the Zamaretto League visitors who had the far better chances.

Jamie Gosling whacked the post with a fierce effort, Ben Wells shot straight at the keeper Ben Williams from a good position, Williams also produced a fine reactionary save to prevent a Paul Reid own-goal.

There were significant boos from the home crowd at the final whistle, while the non-leaguers were appluaded for their efforts.

U’s boss John Ward made two enforced changes to his side following their 2-0 home defeat to Brentford on Tuesday night. Marc Tierney and Andy Bond both dropped out after picking up injuries in training and they were replaced by Tom Williams and captain Kemi Izzet respectively – the latter available again following a one-match suspension.

The League One hosts started in the ascendancy as Ashley Vincent stung the palms of the keeper and Paul Reid saw a downward header deflected over the bar.

The non-league visitors soon settled though and more than matched their hosts in the opening 20 minutes, with the U’s looking particularly jittery at the back.

Home defenders Reid and Brian Wilson were both guilty of some terrible decision making when in possession in their own box and were fortunate that their mistakes were not punished.

The errors bred confidence in the Wiltshire underdogs and they missed a golden chance to take a shock lead in the 20th minute as midfielder Chris Allen dragged a shot across the face of goal from a glorious position. The U’s had made it all too easy for their opponents from a right-wing throw-in, Ben Wells receiving the ball and slipping his team mate in with an incisive pass.

However, just it looked like it could be a very tricky afternoon for the U’s, they burst immedietely up the other end to break the deadlock.

Vincent used his pace to get to the line and pull back a low cross, Ian Henderson helped the ball on at the near post with a superb heeled flick behind his back to allow David Mooney to slam home his ninth goal of the season at the far post.

Colchester were far better after the goal and went close again as Tom Williams had a free-kick defelected over and Henderson saw a long-range volley fly just over the bar.

The U’s looked comfortable at the start of the second half but as long as there was just a goal in it the visitors would always stand a chance – as they proved in the 58th minute.

Having barely threatened in the opening 15 minutes of the second period, Holgate whacked a ball hopefully over his own head in midfield to set the on-rushing Jamie Gosling clear. The striker then proceeded to twist and turn past Pat Baldwin on the edge of the box before smashing the near post with a vicious strike.

Colchester continued to enjoy the better chances after that as Mooney saw a shot defelected wide and another well-saved, but still only a goal remained in it.

And the plucky non-leaguers once again reminded the U’s of their danger in the 81st minute when Wells skipped past Baldwin in the box before firing a golden chnace straight at the keeper.

Colchester could and should have wrapped the game up four minutes from time when Liam Henderson blazed after being set clear by fellow substitute Anthony Wordsworth.

Supermarine then had their fourth big chnace of the game moments later when Reid could only back-header a long throw-in low towards his own net at the near post, keeper Ben Williams saving the day with a fine reaction stop.

– Reaction to follow

COLCHESTER UTD (4-4-1-1): B Williams; Wilson, T Williams, Reid, Baldwin; Vincent, Mooney, Izzet (cpt), Perkins; I Henderson (Wordsworth 84); Odejayi (L Henderson 67).

Unused Subs: Cousins, Heath, Beevers, James, Gillespie.

Booked: B Williams (90+).

SWINDON SUPERMARINE: (4-4-1-1): Puddy; Lapham, Robinson, Henry, Bampton; Wells (Morris 82), Stanley, Allen, Taylor (cpt); Gosling (Cook 68); Holgate.

Unused Subs: Allen, McKay, Horgan, Hopper.

Booked: Bampton (71), Holgate (90+).

U’s Man-of-the-Match: Ian Henderson

Attendance: 3,047

Referee: Mr David Phillips (West Sussex)