CITY 1 COLCHESTER 2

WHAT is it with City and teams at the bottom of the table?

Last season, Yeovil went down with only one league double to their name – no prizes for guessing who that was.

The year before, Stevenage took four points off the Bantams on the way to the division’s wooden spoon.

And last night, Colchester appeared to keep up the trend after beating City for the second time – ending an unwanted club record of 20 games, nearly half a season, since their last three points.

The Essex side, who are still in last spot despite the victory, even came from behind to achieve their milestone at a shell-shocked Valley Parade.

For City, it was a foot-shooting evening that blew their chance of gate-crashing the play-off places for the first time since November. And ultimately they could have no complaints, losing their way as the game wore on.

To rub salt into Phil Parkinson’s wounds, both Colchester goals came from Darren Ambrose – a winger who had played under him at Charlton.

A team who had forgotten how to win rediscovered their touch, typically, in West Yorkshire.

The club that Parkinson took into the Championship against the odds ten years ago are still hovering over the drop to League Two.

But they had that winning feeling for the first time since October 20 – and maintained a remarkable record on Tuesday nights.

They have now collected more points in midweek than on a Saturday with only one loss in eight floodlit games. But just one team have lost to them both home and away.

Parkinson had preached caution pre-match against what appeared a definite home banker. And yet it seemed that everything would go to plan.

City were boosted by the presence of Wes Thomas up front after the striker passed a tea-time fitness check on his calf.

He got an immediate chance to test his legs with a sprint to force a corner before James Hanson should have done better in space in the box but lofted his cross over the far post.

Parkinson wanted his team to play on Colchester’s vulnerability and they applied plenty of early pressure.

Only a fine double save from Elliot Parish kept the scoreline blank as the keeper stuck out a leg to prevent a Thomas shot finding the bottom corner and then clutched the follow-up header from Hanson.

Then Kyel Reid seized on a loose pass to tear forward from halfway and his low cross was turned past the near post by Hanson.

But the inevitable breakthrough came on 17 minutes. Josh Cullen robbed Kane Vincent-Young and angled in a low cross which Thomas touched beyond Parish.

Finally, the on-loan Birmingham man had his first City goal and he celebrated with an enthusiastic salute towards the fans.

It looked at first glance that Cullen’s pass might have gone straight in but it was going to take a brave man to deny Thomas the contact he was obviously claiming.

Yet if the Valley Parade audience thought that was the opening of the floodgates, they were in for a rude awakening.

Ambrose gave warning of his intentions with a cross-shot that had Ben Williams scrambling anxiously as it beat the far post.

That was the sighter for the equaliser that soon followed. Chris Porter flicked into the box and Ambrose was there 12 yards out to volley past the diving keeper.

That wasn’t in the script, especially given City’s control of the game up to that point. The place was slightly non-plussed that Colchester were somehow level.

Reid was running Vincent-Young ragged – to the extent that U’s boss Kevin Keen put the right back out of his misery with a 34th-minute change.

City threatened at corners and Parish was lucky to escape with one hashed punch that just eluded the scrum in his six-yard box.

But for all their defensive frailty, Colchester had a fair amount of joy going forward and Gavin Massey shredded a few more home nerves with a 25-yarder that went close.

There was an edgy air developing around the place but Thomas attempted to lift spirits as he collected Reid’s pass and held off Leo Chambers for an angled run and fierce shot straight at Parish.

But the “half of two halves” seemed to have come as a shock to the City players as much as the supporters.

It appeared everyone had anticipated Colchester would roll over after conceding – and that hadn’t happened as they went in level at the break.

The visitors had steadied the ship since the reshuffle at right back and began the second half with renewed belief.

And they were unlucky not to have a second goal seven minutes in when George Moncur’s bending shot beat Williams and cannoned away off his left post.

As the Kop tried to rally their team, Massey skipped past Nathan Clarke but his cross had too much on it for intended target Moncur.

But Colchester had the bit between their teeth – especially Moncur who broke away from a City corner to have the hosts panicking again.

The midfielder eluded last man Stephen Darby but Williams managed to tip his effort against the bar.

The danger signs continued to flash brightly but City were not paying attention – and fell behind from the resulting corner.

They failed to clear and Owen Garvan worked the ball to Ambrose to drive home his second of the night.

The goal was greeted with boos as a night that had begun so promisingly threatened to fall apart.

And there were more moans when Parkinson’s immediate double sub included Thomas – the manager later revealing that he had been suffering from a tight groin and could have been subbed at half-time. But City’s cutting edge went with him as replacement Billy Clarke continues to struggle to find his best form.

Williams had to be alert to prevent Alex Gilbey firing in a third as the Bantams grew increasingly frantic in their bid to salvage something.

Set-pieces looked the most likely route and Lee Evans and Rory McArdle were both left scratching their heads after being frustrated by point-blank blocks in a scramble from Tony McMahon’s free-kick.

The closing stages became frenzied but there was never a sense that the equaliser would come. More derision at the final whistle put the lid on a forgettable performance.

CITY: Williams 5, Darby 5, McArdle 5, N Clarke 5 (Proctor 80min), Meredith 5, McMahon 5, Evans 6, Cullen 7 (B Clarke 60min, 5), Reid 6, Thomas 7 (Marshall 60min, 6), Hanson 5. Subs not used: Knott, Leigh, Routis, Cracknell.

COLCHESTER: Parish 6, Vincent-Young 4 (Gilbey 34min, 7), Chambers 5, Eastman 6, Shorey 6, Edwards 6, Garvan 6, Massey 6, Moncur 8 (Harney 89min), Ambrose 7 (Bonne 80min), Porter 6. Subs not used: Lee, Akinwande, Oduwa, Barnes.

REFEREE: Graham Salisbury (Lancashire)

BOOKINGS: Thomas (City)

ATTENDANCE: 16,786

Shots on target: City 7, Colchester 4

Shots off target: City 5, Colchester 6

Corners: City 7, Colchester 6

Fouls committed: City 12, Colchester 13