Colchester United lost 2-1 at Peterborough United this afternoon in a game that saw the visitors make three substitutions all due to injuries to defenders.

Colchester United dropped in to the bottom four this afternoon after a 2-1 defeat against Peterborough United. George Boyd found the winner just two minues after Clive Platt had headed the U's back level after Craig Mackail-Smith's opener in first half injury time. The U's had to cope with three ssubstitutions for injury - all relating to their back line - but can feel slightly unfortunate not to have gained something from a much-improved U's performance.
Lambert rang the changes from the side that had lost to Walsall last weekend in what would be one of their toughest away games of the season so far. New loan signing Jermaine Easter came in for Sam Williams who hadn't even travelled to London Road with the squad while Matt Heath returned to the starting line-up. Kem Izzet also returned to the side with Johnnie Jackson returning to left-back and Lee Hills making due with a place on the bench. It made a much more sensible back four of White, Baldwin, Heath and Jackson - but only two of those players would see out the full 90 minutes.
United had a early chance as Matt Heath's cross hit Easter and bounced just wide before a mistake from Zakuani gifted posession to Yeates who fired wide. Baldwin did well to put off Charlie Lee who headed over when well-placed before Yeates tested Joe Lewis out at his near post only to find the England U21 keeper up to the task.
Mackail-Smith curled wide from the edge of the box and, in defending the situation, Matt Heath looked to have twisted his ankle and had to go off. With Chris Coyne not included in the side afer his mid-week trip to Bahrain for the Australian national side, Phil Ifil came on. He slotted in alongside Baldwin and while the U's were still re-organising Torres almost got in to make fatal contact with Martin's cross.
Just before the half hour mark, United had a great chance to open the scoring. Jermaine Easter supplied a good ball across the six yard box, but Platt missed it and Perkins failed to find the target despite two attempts. United made their second change of the afternoon as Hills replaced White with Jackson switching to right back.
With time in the half running, Posh took the lead in injury time. Hills looked to have the situation under control follwoing Boyd's powerful run past two U's defenders but Mackail-Smith got to the ball first and under pressure, found the far corner of the net. United tried to respond with a Yeates' free-kick but the visitors would go in to the break a goal down.
United equalised on the hour mark through Clive Platt's bullet header thanks to David Perkins' cross from the left. Post had previously had a penalty appeal turned down and maybe that was on the mind as they conceded from Colchester's counter-attack in front of the travelling five hundred fans.
However, joy turned quickly to despair as the home side re-established their lead just two minutes later. From a corner, Gerken had done well to deny McLean but as the lose ball bounced on the edge of the box, George Boyd thumped the ball past the U's keeper. United made their final change of the afternoon with midfielder Anthony Wordsworth replacing another injury victim in Lee Hills.
Jackson saw a late free-kick hit the wall and come down on the roof of the net before a poor header from Ifil at the back saw Gerken have to save from Mackail-Smith and Batt fire over. The last chance of the match saw Izzet thump a volley over the bar from close-range with the U's longest serving player hitting the ball too well and failing to keep it down.

U's: Gerken, White (Hills (Wordsworth)), Heath (Ifil), Baldwin, Jackson, Yeates, Izzet, Hammond, Perkins, Platt, Easter
Subs: Cousins, Vernon,
Posh: Lewis, Martin, Morgan, Zakuani, Williams, Torres (Croft), Keates, Lee (Batt), Boyd, McLean, Mackail-Smith
Subs: McKeown, Westwood, Coutts,

Photo: Action Images

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