Colchester United's game at Leyton Orient was abandoned in the 84th minute with them leading 3-1 following a pitch protest at Brisbane Road.

The U's led 3-1 in the 84th minute when hundreds of Orient fans spilled onto the pitch protesting against the ownership of Italian Francesco Becchetti, following their relegation out of the Football League.

O's manager Omer Riza appealed to the fans to make their way off the pitch but after more than an hour of fans protesting and refusing to leave the field, the match was abandoned at 5.48pm.

A victory for Colchester would leave them one point off the League Two play-off places, heading into the final weekend of the season when they host Yeovil Town at the Weston Homes Community Stadium.

Colchester head coach John McGreal was forced to make two changes to his starting line-up for their penultimate game of the League Two campaign.

Brennan Dickenson suffered a cruciate ligament injury in training and Cameron James was ruled out with a hamstring problem, so both missed out.

Alex Wynter and Matt Briggs were drafted into the starting line-up in their place, with Kane Vincent-Young added to the substitutes list.

Colchester were looking for a vital win in the final Football League game at Brisbane Road, after more than a century of football at the venue.

The U’s almost went ahead in the fifth minute when space opened up for the unmarked Tom Eastman on the edge of the area following George Elokobi’s cross-field pass but the defender’s shot was deflected away for a corner.

But Leyton Orient’s youngsters grew in confidence and midway through the first half, their lively forward Tristan Abrahams turned neatly on the edge of the area before drilling a weak low shot wide of the target.

Colchester looked the more likely to break the deadlock though and soon after Richard Brindley had curled a precise free-kick just over the bar, the visitors took a 26th-minute lead.

After Eastman had curled a dangerous cross into the box, Tarique Fosu met it with a diving header at the far post to score his first goal since New Year’s Eve.

Colchester almost went 2-0 ahead minutes later when Sean Murray collected possession midway inside the Orient half before drilling a long-range effort just wide of the far post.

But Orient had chances before half-time, with Abrahams curling a 25-yard effort over the bar and U’s keeper Sam Walker making his first meaningful save of the first half just prior to the break when he saved well from Paul McCallum’s well-executed header.

But seven minutes after the interval, Colchester were pegged back.

There appeared to be little danger when Orient midfielder Sandro Semedo picked up possession midway inside the U’s half but he unleashed a spectacular 30-yard strike that flew past Walker and into the top corner to equalise for the hosts.

Colchester responded well to the setback; captain Chris Porter headed a decent chance wide from Briggs’ cross into the area while Briggs’ deflected effort looped inches past the far upright, with keeper Sam Sargeant back-tracking.

Fosu’s skilful run in the area resulted in a tame shot that trickled straight at Sargeant, before boss McGreal sent on Macauley Bonne for Briggs in an attacking move with 20 minutes remaining, in a bid to force a winner.

It did the trick as two goals in the space of three minutes turned the game around.

Colchester restored their lead with 13 minutes remaining when Fosu pounced after Jens Janse had cheaply lost possession in the area and picked out Porter, who tapped home from three yards.

And Colchester's away following had only just stopped celebrating that goal when substitute Bonne turned well in the area before calmly drilling low into the far corner of the net for 3-1.

It looked like the U's were cruising to victory until the pitch invasion intervened, forcing both sets of players and the officials to scurry off the field and the match was cancelled at 5.48pm.