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  • Kick-off: 19:45
  • Venue: Layer Road Ground
  • Attendance: 5122
  • Referee: Taylor, P

Live Commentary

90 mins

The ref has blown his whistle for full time.

88 mins

Goal!! Colchester have scored with Johnnie Jackson putting it in the back of the net.

84 mins

Colchester are replacing Kevin McLeod with Luke Guttridge.

81 mins

Goal!! Neil Mellor scores for Preston.

78 mins

Simon Whaley is replaced by Richard Chaplow.

77 mins

Preston are replacing Karl Hawley with Neil Mellor.

76 mins

Darren Carter is booked for unsporting behaviour.

71 mins

Chris Sedgwick is being taken off, Youl Mawene has come on in his place.

70 mins

The referee has booked Chris Sedgwick.

68 mins

It's red. He's off. Sean St. Ledger has been sent off.

68 mins

Scott Vernon takes a penalty for Colchester and scores!.

62 mins

Teddy Sheringham is being taken off, Scott Vernon has come on in his place.

46 mins

The second half is under way with the score currently at 0 v 0.

45 mins

Half time whistle is blown by P Taylor

0 mins

The ref has blown his whistle and the match has started.

Match Report

Colchester United dragged themselves off the bottom of the Championship table thanks to a dramatic late winner from Johnnie Jackson.

Ten-man Preston looked to be heading for a precious point until Jackson cracked home a stunning shot from the edge of the box to notch an 88th minute winner.

It was only Colchester's sixth victory of the season - and their third at Layer Road.

It was also their first win in their last ten home starts.

This relegation battle was dreadful for the first 65 minutes, but the final quarter was thrilling.

It all started when Preston defender Sean St. Ledger hauled down home skipper Karl Duguid inside the box.

Referee Paul Taylor ordered a penalty and then sent off St. Ledger for a professional foul because the Preston centre-half was the last man.

Substitute Scott Vernon had only been on the pitch for seven minutes as a replacement for veteran striker Teddy Sheringham, but he took on the responsibility of converting the spot-kick to fire the U's into a 68th minute lead.

The U's had only kept one clean sheet all season - ironically in a 3-0 win at Preston way back in August - and any hopes of a second shutout were dashed when the visitors equalised in the 81st minute.

It was another goal from a substitute with ex-Liverpool striker Neil Mellor seeing his shot balloon off keeper Dean Gerken and loop into the net.

It looked as though Colchester had blown it like so many other times before this season, but on this occasion Jackson saved them with a quality late winner to give Geraint Williams' men hope of beating the drop.

Colchester United Team

Preston North End Team

Colchester United

Preston North End

Corners

2 6

Fouls

10 13

Goal attempts

7 6

Shots off target

1 2

Offsides

5 7

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