Colchester United move up to fourth in League Two

The U's were worthy winners over the Robins at the JobServe Community Stadium, to register back-to-back wins for the first time since December.

Goals from Kane Vincent-Young and Frank Nouble put Colchester in charge, before half-time.

And Abo Eisa added to the U's advantage after the break, to wrap up a comprehensive win for the home side.

Colchester head coach John McGreal made one change to his line-up for their game against Cheltenham.

Eisa was handed his first U’s start, after impressing as a half-time substitute and scoring in the 4-0 win at Northampton Town, last weekend.

Mikael Mandron dropped to the bench, where he was joined by Luke Norris who returned from an ankle injury.

Colchester suffered an early blow when midfielder Harry Pell was forced off with what appeared to be a hamstring injury after just 12 minutes against his former club.

Tom Lapslie replaced Pell in midfield and midway through the first half, Luke Varney’s attempted effort was blocked in the six-yard box by U’s skipper Luke Prosser, after Chris Hussey had done well to pick him out.

But after that it was pretty much all Colchester from then until half-time.

Courtney Senior's close-range effort from Ryan Jackson's cross into the box was saved by Cheltenham keeper, Scott Flinders.

However, the U’s made the breakthrough on the half hour – and in some style.

Left-back Vincent-Young ran at the Cheltenham defence from just inside the visitors’ half and let fly with a superb long-range low shot that flew past Flinders and in from more than 25 yards.

Colchester immediately pressed for a second, with Eisa plays a good one-two with Nouble before letting fly with an effort that Flinders just about scrambled away for a corner.

Flinders pushed away another Eisa attempt after the Shrewsbury loanee had tried his luck from a difficult angle from long range and Frankie Kent glanced a header wide from Jackson’s throw into the box, before the U’s doubled their lead two minutes before half-time.

Nouble picked up Sammie Szmodics' pass in the area and beat a defender before smashing a superb left-foot shot high into the far corner of the net.

Colchester went in at the break ahead and almost added to their lead in the opening minutes of the second half when Szmodics’ low effort was saved down at his near post by the busy Flinders.

They went 3-0 ahead ten minutes after half-time after Courtney Senior's breathtaking run into the area saw him unselfishly square the ball to Eisa who swept the ball in from close range.

Chances were more at a premium for the U's after that, as they comfortably saw out victory.

The only downside of the second half was the foot injury picked up by Lapslie which eventually forced his substitution with a few minutes remaining.

But it was a positive day for Colchester, who have now scored seven goals in their last two games and kept successive clean sheets following two wins in a row.