Noah Chilvers lead a stunning second-half comeback for the Colchester, as Wayne Brown’s side claimed a 3-1 victory against Scunthorpe United.
Colchester United found themselves a goal down but a man up at the break after Joe Nuttall had put the hosts ahead after eleven minutes.
But a second booking for Luke Matheson in seven minutes saw him dismissed with half an hour on the clock.
And with the additional man, the U’s stormed back into the game with three goals in fifteen second-half minutes. Noah Chilvers bagged the first with an unstoppable run from his own half, applying the calm finish under pressure.
Owura Edwards gave his side the lead seven minutes later with a low finish before Chilvers’ diving header fifteen minutes from time confirmed the win for the travelling U’s.
The U’s made three changes to the starting line up, with Wayne Brown selecting Tommy Smith, Cole Skuse and Owura Edwards in place of Tom Dallison, Emyr Huws and Tyreik Wright.
Both Dallison and Huws were missing from the matchday eighteen through injury along with Alan Judge, with Wright sitting on the substitutes bench for Colchester United. Miles Welch-Hayes was also named among the subs, his first appearance in the matchday squad since the U’s home game against Carlisle United four weeks ago.
The game had a couple of good chances in the opening exchanges, and Wayne Brown’s side were made to pay for their misses with the hosts opening the scoring after eleven minutes of play.
Both Brendan Wiredu and Luke Hannant had close-range chances that were lifted over Rory Watson’s crossbar, although Wiredu was offside so his strike wouldn’t have counted. The U’s also had a penalty appeal waved away before Joe Nuttall’s opener for the hosts, with Cameron Coxe’s marauding run brought to an abrupt halt in the area by George Taft, with the officials waving play on.
But Keith Hill’s side took advantage of the U’s misses, with Liam Feeney getting the better of Myles Kenlock on the right flank, before delivering a low cross to Joe Nuttall to convert from the middle of the penalty area.
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The hosts were fairly comfortable in the lead of the game, but two yellow cards in seven minutes for Scunthorpe United’s young right back, Luke Matheson, meant that Keith Hill’s side were forced to play with ten men from the thirty-fifth minute onwards.
Scunthorpe United would maintain their advantage until half time, with the U’s yet to really test the depleted home side.
The U’s made their man advantage count in the second half though, with Noah Chilvers getting the fightback underway fifteen minutes in.
The central midfielder took the ball from inside his own half, driving at the Scunthorpe United defence, and riding a couple of challenges before calmly picking his spot in the bottom corner to make it 1-1.
And the turnaround was complete within seven minutes when Owura Edwards kept his cool to slot the ball beyond Rory Watson to make it 2-1. Freddie Sears picked the perfect ball for the on-loan winger, with Edwards able to beat his man to the ball and stroke the ball into the opposite corner to give his side the lead.
Just eight minutes after that, Wayne Brown’s side had a comfortable two-goal cushion, with Noah Chilvers getting his second of the game. Sears was again the provider, after seeing his initial effort saved by the ‘keeper, the U’s top scorer chipped the ball to Chilvers, who guided his diving header into the corner.
The U’s would hold out for their first back-to-back wins in the league this season, despite the hosts twice striking the woodwork in the remaining fifteen minutes, as Wayne Brown’s side added another three points to their tally.
Colchester United remain in nineteenth position, but now have a total of thirty-nine points from thirty-six games, eight clear of the bottom two with ten games to go.
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