Colchester United lose to ten-man Morecambe in League Two

The U's fell to a second successive defeat in League Two, with JJ McKiernan's hat-trick giving the visitors a deserved win at the JobServe Community Stadium despite Cameron McGeehan's consolation.

It was a disappointing all-round display by Colchester, particularly as they played for more than an hour against ten men.

The U's did push for a route back into the game after pulling a goal back but it was on the whole a bad day at the office for the hosts.

Colchester boss Ben Garner made two changes to his starting line-up, with McGeehan and Mandela Egbo both returning from suspension.

Arthur Read missed out as he started a three-match ban while Will Greenidge dropped to the bench.

The game kicked off at 3.02pm due to the Morecambe team coach being delay on their way to the ground but it was Colchester who were slow to start.

The Shrimps went close in the fourth minute when Jordan Slew's effort comes back off the inside of a post, Adam Mayor had picked him out in the area.

And Morecambe came close to scoring again minutes later through Michael Mellon, whose low strike sailed just wide of the far post after he had been found by Tom Bloxham in the area.

It was a frustrating opening for Colchester who were almost trying too hard, with some mis-placed passes regularly going astray.

Colchester fell behind in the 21st minute when JJ McKiernan firmly headed home from Mayor's corner to give the visitors the lead.

It was Morecambe who looked like scoring the game’s second goal in the minutes that immediately followed; Mayor got in behind the Colchester defence but directed a shot just wide of the far post while U’s goalkeeper Owen Goodman was forced to parry away Slew's fierce long-range strike.

Colchester best chance of the first half came on the half hour when Joe Taylor's low shot was saved by goalkeeper Stuart Moore, who stretched out a leg to stop the effort, after Chilvers had released the U's striker.

But Morecambe were reduced to ten men in the 36th minute when James Connolly appeared to leave a boot in on a prostrate Samson Tovide, while the pair were on the ground.

It was referee Sam Purkiss’s six red card in the ten games he has presided over so far, this season.

Colchester improved after that but went in trailing at the break but they started the second half brightly and Taylor's strike was saved at his near post by Moore five minutes after the break, following Jayden Fevrier's fine approach play.

But Morecambe remained a threat and they doubled their lead in the 53rd minute when McKiernan stabbed home from close range for his second of the game, after the U's had failed to clear Mayor's corner.

And things got even worse for Colchester just after the hour mark when McKiernan ran almost the length of the Colchester half before firing a low shot past Goodman from the edge of the area, to complete his hat-trick.

Colchester reduced the deficit in the 73rd minute through McGeehan, who netted from close range from substitute Brad Ihionvien's assist.

And it was almost 3-2 minutes later when substitute Chay Cooper's fine low strike came back off a post for the hosts.

Colchester had a chance to further reduce the deficit in stoppage-time from the spot, after Ihionvien's fierce effort struck Yann Songo'o on the hand in the area.

But Chilvers blasted the spot-kick over the bar, as the U's were well beaten.

MATCH FACTS: COLCHESTER UNITED: Goodman, Egbo, Hall, Mitchell (sub Cooper, 65), Kazeem (sub Bandeira, 82), McGeehan, Mingi (sub Ihionvien, 57), Chilvers, Fevrier, Tovide (sub Hopper, 65), Taylor.

Substitutes (not used): Greenidge, Kennedy, Smith.

U's man of the match: Mandela Egbo.

Morecambe: Moore, Love, Tutonda, Bedeau, Bloxham (sub Songo’o, 45), Mayor (sub Walker, 87), McKiernan (sub Davenport, 87), Senior, Connolly, Slew (sub Rawson, 45), Mellon.

Substitutes (not used): Smith, Walker, Brown.

Goals: Colchester: McGeehan (73). Morecambe: McKiernan (21, 53, 61).

Bookings: Colchester: Mitchell (foul, 24), Ihionvien (unsporting behaviour, 90). Morecambe: Mayor (foul, 2), Tutonda (unsporting behaviour, 8), Love (foul, 16), Senior (unsporting behaviour, 90).

Red card: Morecambe: Connolly (violent conduct, 36).

Referee: Sam Purkiss.

Attendance: 3,350 (116 Morecambe fans).