Wrexham co-owner Ryan Reynolds watched win over Colchester

Here are six things we noticed from the U's defeat, at the Racecourse Ground.

Opportunity missed

COLCHESTER United are licking their wounds after another defeat.

And arguably the worst thing about this latest loss was that they spurned a golden opportunity to beat one of the league’s leading teams.

When George Evans was shown a straight red card for a really poor challenge on U’s midfielder Cameron McGeehan with little more than half an hour on the clock, it opened a door for the visitors to capitalise on their hosts’ numerical disadvantage, albeit already being 1-0 down at the time.

READ MORE: Colchester United player ratings after defeat at ten-man Wrexham

But despite enjoying good spells of possession, Colchester did not really lay a glove on Wrexham until it was too late; they lacked the urgency and tempo to get the ball into key areas to hurt their stretched opponents and failed to provide any meaningful service for top goalscorer, Joe Taylor.

Needlessly conceding a second goal with 20 minutes to go did not help matters and by the time Jayden Fevrier pulled a goal back in the 89th minute, the damage had been done.

Colchester will probably not have had a better chance to beat high-flying Wrexham and they did not take it.

Defeats are mounting up

MATTY Etherington has been in football a long time; he knows he must start getting results for Colchester United.

Five league defeats on the spin – the first time that has happened to a U’s side since the 2015-16 season which ended in League One relegation - is never a good look for any head coach.

Colchester chairman Robbie Cowling, along with sporting director Dmitri Halajko, were watching on from the stands at the Racecourse Ground, as Colchester fell to a 2-1 defeat in North Wales.

With the U’s languishing a place above the drop zone a few days ahead of the January transfer window opening, it perhaps makes for an even more precarious situation.

Etherington is confident he can still turn things around and believes given the time, he will do so.

It was an improved performance at Wrexham and the return of the likes of Ellis Iandolo and John Akinde will help his cause but a win is seemingly essential at home to Salford City on Friday night, if the pressure is not to increase further.

U's own goal

IT’S pretty clear that Colchester United are not helping themselves, at the moment.

Zach Mitchell’s own goal at Wrexham was their sixth of the season, which is yet to reach its midway point.

The high number of times they have put through their own net already in this campaign is a reflection of their general defensive woes.

Colchester have now conceded 44 goals this season, the joint second worst defensive record in English football’s top four divisions.

Only bottom club Sutton United, who themselves shipped eight yesterday at league leaders Stockport County, have let in more goals in the current campaign, so far.

Colchester have not been helped by injuries to key defenders this season and the likely return of skipper Connor Hall for the Salford City will be a welcome boost.

Ellis uplift

IT was another disappointing defeat for Colchester United, on Saturday.

But the return of Ellis Iandolo to first-team action was at least one positive, on an otherwise bleak day for the U’s in North Wales.

READ MORE: Matty Etherington's verdict after Colchester defeat at Wrexham

Iandolo’s presence has been badly missed this season; he provides plenty of experience and also some much-needed balance on the left-hand side of the pitch.

It was no accident that he was the first player signed under former boss Ben Garner in the summer and his absence, along with Al-Amin Kazeem’s injury, has left the U’s depleted in a key area of the pitch.

Iandolo wasted no time in influencing the team on his return at Wrexham, providing the cross which ultimately led to Jayden Fevrier scoring what proved to be Colchester’s consolation goal late on, at the Racecourse Ground.

Thanks for the memories, Parky

IT’S been a long time since Phil Parkinson was manager of Colchester United.

A lot has happened at both the U’s and in Parkinson’s career since he led the U’s to a historic promotion to the Championship, back in 2006.

Nevertheless, it was still a little strange to see Parkinson in the opposition dugout alongside former Colchester goalkeeper Aidan Davison, who is his keeper coach at Wrexham.

Parkinson has enjoyed a fruitful managerial career since his first-ever job at the U’s and it is at times like these, with Colchester battling to preserve their Football League status once again, that serve as a stark reminder if one were needed of just how good a job he did at Layer Road.

Hollywood pass

THERE were pre-match rumours flying around before Colchester United’s game at Wrexham that American superstar singer Taylor Swift might be in attendance, at the Racecourse Ground.

In the end, the only Taylor on show was Colchester’s striker Joe but there was nevertheless still a big Hollywood influence, with Wrexham co-owner Ryan Reynolds cheering on the hosts.

The Deadpool actor will have been pleased with the hosts’ win, although he might have been slightly concerned for his team's chances when George Evans was shown a red card, in the first half.

In the end, it proved to be a happy ending for the Canadian and American actor and a bit of a tearjerker for the U's.