Colchester 2, City 0

WHAM, Tom Jones, Robbie Williams – the Colchester Community Stadium loves a tribute act this month.

And let's face it, they've got to be a lot more convincing than the pale imitation of Bradford City who turned up in north Essex last night.

The present Bantams look nothing like their billing; low on confidence and conviction.

It was hard watching for Phil Parkinson and the 800 or so City fans – 298 at the ground and more than double that in front of the beam-back at Valley Parade – because they had seen a pretty similar show before on Saturday.

Those who had shelled out a tenner for the chance of watching from the comfort of their home ground must have wondered why they had bothered. The club's laudable experiment to show the game had been let down by another flat performance.

Admittedly it was a bad time to play Colchester, whose run of four straight wins is now their best for three years.

Such was their growing confidence that goal-scoring midfielder George Moncur had boasted at the weekend: "We're going up, that's all I can say."

But the Bantams are looking the other way right now; that five-match unbeaten run seems like a figment of the imagination after listless losses back-to-back leave them lingering only four points off the foot of the table.

City's recent away record in night games had been impressive – just one defeat in their previous 11 evening trips in the league, a run started with a 2-0 win at Colchester 18 months ago.

But their makeshift side, showing four changes from the weekend, never looked like extending that streak once the U's had their noses in front.

With the current injury problems, the last thing Parkinson wanted was to lose Rory McArdle beforehand with an illness.

The absence of the last ever-present had meant a surprise recall at centre half for Chris Routis – one of the changes from Saturday. The Frenchman got the nod over Nathan Clarke, presumably for having more pace to his game.

As expected, given the lack of wingers, there was a shift in formation to 4-3-3, with Tony McMahon and Billy Knott accompanying Lee Evans in midfield.

Steve Davies lined up on the right of James Hanson up front, with Devante Cole on the left – a position he had played regularly for Patrick Vieira's Manchester City development team.

The selection may have raised eyebrows – but not as many as the pivotal mistakes at both ends which saw Colchester strike early.

City should have made the breakthrough themselves when Evans' low cross was pushed out to Hanson but the striker knocked it wide of the far post. It looked a great chance gone begging.

Within a minute it was the home side on the attack – and profiting from a blunder by Brad Jones as he allowed Callum Harriott's cross-shot through him and into the bottom corner.

Following on from Peterborough's soft second on Saturday, it was another black mark against the Australian in only his third appearance.

Colchester v City match pictures

Jones was quickly back in action and did a lot better, plunging at Marvin Sordell's feet to whip the ball away after a loose pass from Knott.

But a bright start for the Bantams had been spoiled by a self-inflicted wound against a side clearly flying from their recent streak.

Lifted by the goal, it was no surprise to see Colchester double their advantage just after the half-hour mark. Owen Garvan picked up the ball and drove forward from midfield before feeding Sordell, whose precise finish from just inside the penalty area gave Jones no chance.

"Parky, what's the score," taunted the fans who used to idolise him during the time he took Colchester up to the Championship. His present team looked a million miles off that.

Jones made comfortable saves from Harriott and Matt Briggs but there was little evidence of a fightback at the other end.

As half-time beckoned, Sordell even had a cheeky go from the halfway line with a lob that had the City keeper anxiously back-pedalling. It sailed off course but not by much.

Parkinson had a face like thunder as the players disappeared down the tunnel for another rollicking at half-time.

He had kept them behind for half an hour at the weekend after questioning the lack of response to going two down. Unfortunately he had witnessed a carbon copy for 45 minutes.

Davies and Briggs both went in the book to start the second half, although there was a case for the Colchester defender to see red after appearing to kick out after the challenge.

Routis found Evans with an angled ball through a crowd of bodies but the midfielder's well-struck cross-cum-shot just gave Jamie Jones some catching practice.

Evans was flattened 30 yards out to give City a sight of goal and McMahon ripped a free-kick past the post. Jones looked to have it covered but at least it was a hint of intent from the visitors.

At the other end, Brad Jones partially atoned for his costly mistake with a good stop to keep out a dangerous effort from Sordell. But Colchester should have put the contest beyond any doubt from the resulting corner, Tom Eastman glancing wide with a free header in front of goal.

Mark Marshall was introduced 20 minutes from the end for Davies and Luke James got a run-out for the final knockings.

McMahon offered some late defiance with a 25-yarder that struck the underside of the bar and bounced back out off the line. He claimed in vain that it had crossed but nothing was going to repair City's night.