COLCHESTER UNITED 2-1 COVENTRY CITY
City: Murphy, Willis, Clarke, Webster (Delfounseo 76), Seaborne, Thomas (McGeouch 85), Fleck, Petrasso, Adams (Moussa 55), Wilson, Akpom. Subs: Christie, Barton, Marshall, Burge.
Colchester: Walker, Wright, Dickson, Okouonghue, Watt, Morrison (Bonne 79), Sears (C.Eastmond 62), Bean, T.Eastman, Wilson, Massey (Vose 83). Subs: Cousins, Sanderson, Olufemi, Sesay.
HT CUFC 2-1 CCFC FT CUFC 2-1 CUFC
ATT 4,426
Goals Freddie Sears 4, Gavin Massey 25, Callum Wilson 45
Referee T.Kettle
Booked B.Wilson, Delfounseo
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Coventry City went down to a 2-1 defeat at Colchester United.
A year into the reign of Steven Pressley, the 23rd time that an individual manager has lasted a year, the Sky Blues set off down the A14 to Colchester United on the sunniest Saturday of 2014.
At a ground, where one could stand outside having a beer or for those much younger than the legal age to consume alcohol in this country, join in the activities on offer as part of a family day, City had one change from the team that had beaten Walsall on Wednesday with Blair Adams and were a goal down in less than four minutes when former City loanee Freddie Sears was allowed in after Webster missed a header and got space on the left to slip the ball past Joe Murphy at the end in front of the City fans.
On a pitch which had bald patches down the middle and in the goal mouths, Sears was allowed by Webster to fire at Murphy, before City had a 12th minute free kick which Fleck curled into the arms of Walker in the U's goal.
In the 20th minute and after some arm flapping from Clinton Morrison, Jordan Clarke had to hack away a corner. That dealt with, Jordan Willis played a great ball up for Akpom to win a corner two minutes later.
Colchester attacked again and Gavin Massey made the most of a through ball and stroked it into the net.
The 797 strong City support were livid with the City defence and Jordan Clarke was bearing the brunt after conceding a corner.
Another Colchester corner was cleared before an Akpom shot was beaten away by Walker for a 32nd minute corner.Another corner for City came in the 43rd minute but ended up with a free kick for City in their own half.
City in their yellow away kit, attacked just as the amount of stoppage time was being announced and Callum Wilson got down the left and drilled a low shot into the bottom corner of the net to reduce the arrears and give the Sky Blues some hope for the second half and make Wilson the club's leading scorer.
Ten minutes in to the second half and with Wilson having firing at Walker, Pressley sent on Franck Moussa for Blair Adams.
City were far more positive as the half progressed with Jordan Clarke, who was now exhibiting the form we expect of him, forcing Walker down to push away his shot on the hour mark.
City had a 67th minute corner and two free kicks on the edge of the area in a minute as well as Moussa getting in a shot under pressure.
With sixteen minutes to go, Wilson chested the ball down and bore down on goal but did not hit a powerful enough shot and Walker saved.
Steven Pressley, today back in his tracksuit, knowing that Colchester were there for the taking, dispensed with Andy Webster and sent on Nathan Delfounseo whilst Clinton Morrison went off to some applause and a few jeers from the City fans as he was replaced for the last twelve minutes.
City won an 81st minute corner but yet again, Walker found it too easy to catch Petrasso's flag kick.
Dylan McGeouch was Pressley's third substitution with five minutes left and he slotted into a central midfield role.
However. Colchester were having more of the ball and won an 88th minute corner which had its threat removed by a good block.
Five minutes were added on, which gave Colchester the excuse to waste some more time. It broke up City's play.
In the dying seconds, Callum Wilson broke through on the right. The City support got ready to rise and herald a goal which would have brought a deserved draw but Wilson put his effort wide and it was a defeat for Steven Pressley's side.