Colchester United suffered their first home defeat under John McGreal when they were beaten by Exeter City following a five-goal thriller at the Weston Homes Community Stadium.

The U's had led 2-1 at half-time but conceded twice in the second half to lose 3-2 to the Grecians, in an open League Two clash.

Colchester head coach John McGreal stuck with the same side that had won so impressively at Wycombe Wanderers, seven days earlier.

Tarique Fosu had to be content with a place on the bench after arriving on loan from Reading, while fellow loan signing Glen Kamara was unavailable as he was on international duty with Finland under-21s.

Craig Slater and James Bransgrove missed the game due to being on international duty with Scotland under-21s, while Owen Garvan, Doug Loft, Frankie Kent, Louis Dunne and Matt Briggs were all ruled out due to injury.

Colchester went into the game as favourites against Exeter, who had won once in the league all season. but fell behind after eight minutes when Robbie Simpson scored from close range, after Jordan Moore-Taylor’s header had come back off the post.

The U’s could easily have fallen further behind three minutes later when Simpson blasted over from ten yards with only Sam Walker to beat after Jack Stacey had unselfishly to him in the area.

And the miss proved pivotal as less than two minutes later, Colchester were level when Sammie Szmodics swept home low at the near post after skipper Luke Prosser had headed a free-kick back across goal and Exeter had failed to clear.

The frantic start continued when keeper Walker makes a fine save from point blank range to deny Jake Taylor after another Exeter break.

But Chris Porter nodded just wide at the near post from Drey Wright’s good cross, before Colchester went ahead seven minutes before half-time through Kurtis Guthrie, who beat his marker and brilliantly glanced home Brennan Dickenson’s corner, despite the best efforts of the man on the line.

Richard Brindley’s cross looked like it might be goalbound until it hit Szmodics and went harmlessly wide, just before half-time.

And shortly after the break, Szmodics’ low effort flashed inches wide of the far post after he had been fed by Dickenson in the area.

But Exeter were back on level terms five minutes after the break when Ollie Watkins picked up possession on the edge of the area and steered a low shot past Walker for 2-2.

Colchester sent on new signing Tarique Fosu for Drey Wright on the hour mark, in a bid to find a winner.

But the U's fell behind again midway through the second half when substitute Joel Grant slid into score at the far post after Jack Stacey had delivered a low cross.

Fosu forced Bobby Olejnik to tip over his fierce effort and the Exeter keeper was in action again soon after when he palmed over Prosser's far-post header from Dickenson's cross.

Colchester thought they had equalised with three minutes to go when substitute Denny Johnstone had the ball in the net, only for it to be ruled out for offside and Szmodics hit the outside of a post in stoppage-time, as the U's were beaten.

For five pages of coverage of the U’s game with Exeter, see Monday’s Daily Gazette.