CITY were beaten by a stoppage-time goal for the second away game running.

T&A chief sports writer SIMON PARKER was at the JobServe Community Stadium last night and provides the match stats and his player ratings.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Scott Banks was a livewire presence for most of the game and created some good openings – although the biggest impact was when Andy Cook and Kian Harratt came on.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Was it a penalty or not? Lee Angol certainly thought so – and Mark Hughes argued that the City striker would not have gone down otherwise when in on goal.

MOAN OF THE MATCH

Once again, City are floored by a sucker punch in stoppage time. It was a soft free-kick to give away, inviting the pressure, and they paid a heavy penalty.

TACTICS

Mark Hughes made two changes from the Newport victory – both in attack. Vadaine Oliver and Jake Young started ahead of Andy Cook and Lee Angol, while Kian Harratt was back on the bench after serving his three-game suspension.

REFEREE: Carl Brook (Sussex)

BOOKINGS: Platt, Angol, Halliday, Cook, Hodges (City)

ATTENDANCE: 3,011

SHOTS ON TARGET: Colchester 4 City 3

SHOTS OFF TARGET: Colchester 12 City 12

CORNERS: Colchester 5 City 8

FOULS: Colchester 12 City 11

PLAYER RATINGS

COLCHESTER: Hornby 6, Coxe 6, Eastman 7, Chambers 6, Kazeem 7, Marshall-Miranda 7, Hannant 6 (Akinde 88min), Chilvers 6, Newby 6, Nouble 6 (Clampin 72min), Sears 6. Subs (not used): Dallison, Ashley, Tchamadeu, Tovide, Collins.

CITY: Lewis 7, Halliday 6, Platt 6, Crichlow 6, Ridehalgh 6, Smallwood 6, Gilliead 6, Banks 7, Chapman 6 (Harratt 78min), Young 5 (Angol 46min, 6), Oliver 5 (Cook 78min). Subs (not used): East, Songo’o, Foulds, Doyle.