Match Report

Lowly Hereford United shocked hosts Colchester by recording their first away league win of the season, thanks to two first-half goals.

Hereford had only mustered two goals on the road from their first nine away fixtures and managed just one point, but they doubled their goal tally inside an 11-minute period of the first half to set them on their way.

The visitors took the lead in the 28th minute when the U's failed to clear a corner delivered by Lionel Ainsworth.

The ball dropped kindly for Steve Guinan and he rifled home from eight yards out to claim his fourth goal of the season.

And it got even better for the Bulls when they increased their lead on 39 minutes. This time Ainsworth was the scorer to cap an excellent performance from the Watford loanee.

Ainsworth had time and space to prod home at the far post after Guinan had made a nuisance of himself inside the penalty area.

Again Colchester will be disappointed to concede such a sloppy goal.

Not surprisingly, the home side became encamped in Hereford's half of the pitch during the second period but they could only pull one goal back.

That arrived in the 71st minute when Jermaine Easter crashed home a shot from the edge of the box, after Johnnie Jackson's initial long-range shot had been blocked by a defender.

It was Easter's second goal since his loan move from Plymouth.

Try as they might, Colchester could not fashion an equaliser during the last quarter of the game, although they did come close.

Substitute Anthony Wordsworth had a header turned away by keeper Chris Weale late on and skipper Dean Hammond saw his header from a corner cleared off the goal-line.

But third from bottom Hereford deservedly held on to break their away duck for the campaign.

Graham Turner's men were on the defensive for most of the second half, but they nearly scored a third when star man Ainsworth was put in the clear, only for his shot to be brilliantly turned away by home keeper Jimmy Walker.

Colchester's rotten home record therefore continues. Since their move to the new Community Stadium over the summer, they have managed just two wins from 11 league and cup games.

Corners

Fouls

Goal attempts

Shots off target

Offsides