Tranmere 3 - 4 Colchester

     Kay 12                                                   Perkins 4

     Taylor 76                                               Yeates 15

     Shotton 78                                            Platt 40

                                                                     Jackson 47

Despite not being outclassed by any means Rovers were defeated by Colchester at home, losing 4-3 in a thrilling encounter.  Three of Colchester's goals were screamers and Shotton scored a cracker for Rovers whilst Kay and Taylor were also on target for the home team.

Rovers were 4-1 down just after half time, but despite pulling two goals they couldn't do enough to force a draw.

The same starting eleven played for the third consecutive game, so the team looked like this.....

Coyne

Shotton Chorley Goodison Taylor

Moore  Kay Jennings  Sonko

Savage Greenacre

Colchester hadn't had the best of starts to their return season in League One, winning only one of the first seven games currently being managerless.

Rover's fans were optimistic before the game, and a good atmosphere was created early on.

The home fans were stunned though on four minutes when David Perkins curled a stunning effort into the top corner to make it 1-0 to Colchester .

The teams were soon level again though when Ryan Shotton sent Bas Savage down the right hand side his deep cross was headed in by Antony Kay at the back post.

The goals continued with Chris Greenacre being penalised for a perfectly good challenge just outside the area resulting in Mark Yeates curling in the resulting free kick into the top corner to regain the lead for Colchester on 15 minutes.

Eddy Sonko should have levelled scores when he headed Savage's cross wide but the flag was raised anyway.  Danny Coyne then kept out Yeates' curling effort.

Rovers then had a chance to level a short corner played to Sonko who curled in and Greenacre's overhead kick was blocked before Savage's follow up was deflected over.

With five minutes until half-time it became 3-1 with Yeates doing well and his cross being turned in by Clive Platt.

Sonko then met a Jennings flick and raced into the area only to blaze wide with his left foot. The teams went in and nobody knew how Rovers could be 3-1 down after playing reasonably well.

Half Time: Tranmere Rovers 1 - 3 Colchester United

Just after the break another unbelievable goal made it 4-1 to Colchester when Johnnie Jackson drilled home from the corner of the box, giving Coyne, like with the other goals, no chance.

Ronnie needed to act and he did on 53 minutes as Jennings and Sonko were replaced by O'Callaghan and Shuker meaning that Rovers now went into a 4-3-3 formation, but basically everyone piled forward at any opportunity.

O'Callaghan then curled a free kick over the bar and minutes later it was somehow 4-2 to the visitors when Andy Taylor looked to have hit his free kick too long and into the hand of goalkeeper Gerken, but he dropped the ball and it fell behind him and into the net.

That work was almost undone as Platt found himself clean through and tried to round Coyne, he was unsuccessful as Coyne flawed the ball away from the striker's feet.

It was well and truly game on with ten minutes left as Ryan Shotton cut inside and beat his man before firing an unstoppable drive from 30 yards into the top corner for arguably the goal of the game.

Craig Curran was then thrown into the action with three minutes left but he failed to find Shuker who was in space wide and apart from that didn't get much of the ball.

The game ended 4-3 to the visitors but it was a good effort from Rovers who were just up against some amazing goals.

Half Time: Tranmere Rovers 3 - 4 Colchester United

Ryan Shotton

Not just for his goal but his overall performance, he was solid at the back and pushed forward well, a threat down the right with obviously a great shot. The signs look good for him stayed after he told he was having talks after the game.

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