Ten-man Colchester United were beaten 3-1 at Cheltenham Town this afternoon as their miserable away form continued.

The U's crashed to a fourth straight away loss on the road in League Two, with Sammie Szmodics' first-half penalty proving only a consolation for the visitors at Whaddon Road.

Colchester were forced to play more than half an hour with only ten men, after Mikael Mandron was sent off for deliberate handball.

Colchester head coach John McGreal named an unchanged side for their trip to play Cheltenham.

That meant first away starts for new loan signings Nicke Kabamba, Ryan Inniss and Brandon Comley, while Cameron James continued in defence in the absence of the injured Frankie Kent.

Colchester had a golden opportunity inside the opening minute to make a crucial breakthrough.

After Cheltenham defender Jordan Cranston had inexplicably conceded possession deep inside his own half it left Kabamba through on goal but with Szmodics free, he elected to shoot and his low shot sailed wastefully wide of the target.

And Colchester were made to pay for their profligacy in the tenth minute.

After Cranston had delivered a cross from the Cheltenham left, Kevin Dawson was allowed the freedom of the U’s area to head firmly past Sam Walker.

It was almost 2-0, two minutes later.

Joe Morrell’s far-post header from Mohamed Eisa’s deep cross flew into the side netting for Cheltenham, after Colchester were guilty of more sloppy defending.

Sure enough, the U’s found themselves further behind in the 15th minute.

Dawson picked up possession 25 yards from goal and let fly with a shot that appeared to clip Eisa and sail past U's keeper Sam Walker.

Colchester’s goal came under threat again five minutes later when Eisa’s shot deflected over the bar after Brian Graham’s pass had opened up the visitors’ defence.

But McGreal’s were given a route back into the match just past the midway point in the first half.

Cheltenham defender Taylor Moore was penalised for a handball in the area and Szmodics slotted home from the spot for 2-1.

Colchester switched to a 4-4-2 system, with Kane Vincent-Young moving to right-back and Ryan Jackson playing just in front of him, with Szmodics and James occupying left-midfield and left-back roles as a result.

But Cheltenham continued to carve out chances.

The lively Eisa’s deflected low effort flashed inches past the far post after his run had been picked out by Graham while six minutes before the break, Eisa fired straight at Walker after Dawson’s pass had found him out in the area.

Szmodics’ warmed Cheltenham keeper Scott Flinders’ gloves with a well-hit volley from the edge of the area in first-half stoppage-time but the U’s went in at the break trailing.

Colchester made a change at the back, bringing Drey Wright on for Cameron James and switching to a 4-3-1-2 formation.

But Pell dragged a low shot wide in the opening minutes of the second half for Cheltenham, after danger man Eisa had escaped down the left and picked out his run.

And Colchester’s chances of getting back into the game were dealt a blow just before the hour when Mandron was dismissed for deliberate handball after handling in the box.

U’s keeper Walker kept the U’s in the contest when he saved Graham’s penalty, his second spot-kick save in three matches.

But was only a brief reprieve as barely a minute later, Cheltenham restored their two-goal lead through Jamie Grimes, who slotted past Walker from close range after Eisa’s pass had picked him out.

It left Colchester with a mountain to climb, with only ten men on the field.

The U’s had a penalty appeal turned down soon after when Wright tumbled under Cranston’s challenge in the area and Szmodics and Vincent-Young both had shots off target, as they attempted to find a route back into the contest.

Walker had to palm away substitute Jaanai Gordon's fierce effort with 15 minutes remaining while at the other end, Vincent-Young blasted over from six yards after Szmodics had done well to pick him out.

Substitute Brandon Hanlan's fierce effort flew straight at Flinders late on but the U's were beaten.

Colchester United: Walker, Eastman, Inniss, James (sub Wright, 46), Jackson, Lapslie, Comley (sub Murray, 63), Szmodics, Jackson, Kabamba (sub Hanlan, 60), Mandron.

Substitutes (not used): Kinsella, Kpekawa, Odelusi, Gilmartin.

Attendance: 2,718 (200 U's fans).

Referee: Tom Nield.