BORO SUFFER DEFEAT AT COLCHESTER
It was another bad day at the Weston Homes Community Stadium as Boro went down 4-0 to Colchester, just like on the clubs last visit to the ground three and a half years ago.
Four goals conceded including two own goals during a calamitous first half did the damage and condemned Stevenage to only a second defeat in fourteen games.
Darren Sarll made two changes from the win at Barnet, bringing the fit again Jobi McAnuff in for the injured Ben Kennedy whilst Josh McQuoid replaced Kaylen Hinds.
The home side started quickly, Porter glancing a header wide after only a minute before Brindley lashed Porters knock down onto the bar and then the post after Wright’s long throw.
It didn’t take too long before Colchester took the lead. Dickenson lashing the ball into the roof of the net after Fosu’s cross fell kindly to him in the box.
Despite the start, Boro began to grow back into the game and had two good chances to equalise. Luke Wilkinson headed over from Schumacher’s free-kick before Matt Godden was twice denied after being slipped in by McQuoid.
Just as Stevenage were beginning to see more of the ball, started dictating play and began to create chances, Colchester hit back with three goals in nine minutes.
First up Porter converted from close range, capitalising on a loose ball inside the box before two catastrophic own goals from McQuoid and Lee.
Soft defending and a failure to clear the ball proving costly during a sloppy first half.
Boro started the second half better, McAnuff with a curling shot palmed away before Jack King stabbed wide of goal from just a few yards out. Any chance of a comeback effectively over after those early missed chances.
With the game out of reach, the second half failed to ignite. Despite working hard for a route back into the game, neither team created much in front of goal.
McQuoid saw an effort go over the bar whilst Day made a good save to deny Dickenson from a narrow angle. Wright wasn’t far away on the half volley from 20 yards and with just over ten minutes to go, Pett tried to make things happen with a burst up the pitch before getting away a shot on target.
There was one positive for Boro on the day, 18 year old Mark McKee making his debut for the club during the second half. The young pro showed some clever touches and settled in nicely during his first twenty minutes for the first team.
Attention after the game quickly turned to Friday, a chance to respond, just as the manager says the team has done all season.
Colchester:
Walker, James, Eastman, Elokobi, Brindley, Lapslie, Wright (O'Sullivan 78'), Murray, Dickenson (Kinsella 88'), Porter (Pyke 84'), Fosu-Henry.
Unused subs: Briggs, Wynter, Bonne, Brill.
Stevenage:
Day, Franks, King, Wilkinson, Ogilvie, Schumacher (Gorman 80'), Lee, Pett, McAnuff (McKee 71'), Godden, McQuoid (Hinds 63')
Unused subs: Preston, Tonge, Wells, Ntlhe