Match Report

Hartlepool won more easily than the scoreline suggested as two late Colchester goals made it look as if they had put more into the game than they actually did.

In fact, they were second best for much of the time after James Brown marked his switch from midfield to attack with a super first-half show.

He struck twice in as many minutes to give Hartlepool an early reward for some classy and enterprising attacking football.

He had almost created an opening goal in the first two minutes as his neat short pass sent Gary Liddle into the area unmarked, but Dean Gerken came off his line sharply to save well with his feet.

But the Colchester keeper could do nothing as Brown blasted Colchester with his two-goal strike.

First on 13 minutes, he lashed a rising shot into the roof of the net after Andy Monkhouse and Joel Porter had helped Sam Collins' free-kick into the middle.

Then a minute later, he ran well off the ball as Willie Boland took a quick free-kick before scoring with a low shot from wide on the right.

Colchester's best effort was a Mark Yeates 25-yard free-kick that was a foot over and Steve Gillespie was foiled by a great Michael Nelson tackle as he looked set to narrow the gap from a good position.

After the break, Hartlepool survived early Colchester pressure and increased their lead with a curling Boland shot on 66 minutes.

Then on 76 minutes it was four when Ritchie Jones marked his Hartlepool debut with a great rising shot after cutting inside from the right.

But Colchester came back a minute later when Gillespie scored from the spot after Boland was judged to have handled, and in added time Gillespie scored with a close-range header after a free-kick wide on the right.

Corners

Fouls

Goal attempts

Shots off target

Offsides