At the end of a miserable week for Steven Pressley with a defeat at home to Notts County, the loss against England for his national team and being beaten in the Coventry Sports Awards, the Sky Blues travelled to Essex to face Colchester United.
On a wet, miserable afternoon at the Weston Homes Stadium, Pressley made two changes bring in Aaron Phillips and Reda Johnson, who did not take up the captain's armband. That again went to Jim O'Brien, now without his beard.
City playing in yellow shirts and navy shorts due to Colchester playing in blue and white stripes, attacked the far end for the first half, not the end where the five hundred and three City fans, who were bantering the City boss with "3-1 to the England" chants.
There was some good noise from the City support as Gary Madine headed at Sam Walker in City's first attack of the game.
Allsop dealt with a shot from the left before Nouble got through but bottled it when Walker came out of his goal.
Against a side two places above them, City had a great chance with a free kick in the 12th minute. However, Madine could not keep it down and the yellow ball flew high and wide.
Reda Johnson playing at left back so Haynes could go into midfield, won most of his headers including one which gave the U's a 22nd minute corner which he then headed away.
Moncour fired wide before Nouble put in a dangerous cross which was cleared for a throw and then Madine did the same.
Former City loanee Freddie Sears fired tamely at Allsop as the U's won a corner and another through Sanchez Watt in the 35th minute.
Webster cleared initially to Nouble but the loanee lost possession and this lead to the U's winning a free kick. Allsop flapped that over for another corner which Ohonghue headed wide.
In the 41st minute, City won their first corner of the game but a poor kick came to nothing.
Fleck passed the ball round well including one pass which set Nouble up for a shot and Madine fired just over.
Cole Kpekawa, who joined Colchester United on a two more loan from QPR had the the first shot of the second half which saw Tony Humes side having the better of the play.
In the 58th minute, Nouble crossed from the right, Madine rose to get in a great header which Clohessey cleared a yard off the line for the first of two corners. When the second came in, Reda Johnson met it but the Benin international could only put in a poor touch and the ball went wide.
The U's broke and won a corner as both sides started to show a bit more urgency.
Madine fluffed a Nouble cross just after Humes had made a change and O'Brien wasted a corner.
That was the last of O'Brien as he was replaced by Danny Swanson for the last 21 minutes just after Humes had made a double change.
In the 73rd minute, the away end went mental as the ball came over following Walker saving a Swanson shot and there was Gary Madine to bundle the ball into the net from a yard or so out.
The City players stood and looked at each other but there was no flag and City had scored.
Three minutes later and a Haynes cross was met by Madine whose shot was blocked. City attacked again through Nouble who won a corner.
Allsop came out to head away leading to Danny Swanson, who had changed the game. winning a corner with just under twelve minutes left.
With six minutes left, Adam Barton came on for Nouble to add a bit of strength to City's midfield.
Pressley applauded the City fans who were wanting Madine the goal machine to stay and cheering when Haynes won an 89th minute corner.
Colchester had a late chance but the Sky Blues defended well and deserved their first away win of the season.
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