It was the U's tremendous second half character, not to mention their undoubted skill, that turned this game on its head after an indifferent first 45 minutes that left them a goal down and with goalkeeper Richard McKinney and wing-back Karl Duguid stretchered off.

The transformation was incredible.

Colchester went from a stuttering, stumbling outfit of little belief in themselves to a super slick passing machine that was unlucky in the end not to turn their interval deficit into a victory.

Joe Keith, one of the smallest players on the pitch, sparked off the U's scintillating second half performance with a 54th minute equaliser.

Kevin Rapley swung over a great cross from the right and Keith stole in at the far post to squeeze a header past the fingertips of keeper Ian Feuer and the post.

Rovers' midfielder Jason Koumas had already cashed in on some sloppy U's defending to shoot the home side ahead on 16 minutes.

It all left U's boss Steve Whitton nonplussed as he watched his team turn from first half no-hopers into second-half world beaters.

Whitton said: "We played like a team with no belief in the first half.

"We changed things around after the break and looked a completely different team.

"The lads were up for it and put Tranmere under a lot of pressure.

"It was important that we bounced back from a terrible first half and in the end we could have won it."

The U's boss also singled out midfielder Bobby Bowry for special praise after he completely snuffed out dangerman Koumas in the second half after he had run the show in the opening 45 minutes.

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Published Wednesday August 14, 2002

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