U's slide to defeat at Huish Park (From Gazette)

U's slide to defeat at Huish Park

4:50pm Saturday 18th February 2012 in Colchester Utd By Jonathan Waldron

Colchester United's winning run was halted at Huish Park this afternoon after Yeovil Town came from behind to win 3-2.

The U's were ahead at half-time thanks to Steven Gillespie's strike but second-half goals from Dean Parrett, Lawson D'Ath and Andy Williams put Yeovil in charge.

And although Martin Rowlands gave them hope with a superb 25-yard free-kick in stoppage-time, it was not enough to rescue Colchester a point.

Colchester, who gave a debut to new loanee Freddie Sears and also handed starts to Rowlands and Gillespie, looked an effective attacking force in the first half.

Former Ipswich Town midfielder Gavin Williams sent a shot just wide for Yeovil early on while at the other end, Gillespie fired just past the spot.

Jon Obika went close for the Glovers after that but the U’s looked bright in the first half and took the lead after 18 minutes.

Yeovil's defenders appealed for offside after Rowlands' threaded a pass through to Gillespie, who coolly slotted home past keeper Sam Walker from 15 yards to score his fifth goal in his last four matches.

Gillespie almost scored for a second time soon after when he fired wide from Sears’ pass soon after and Anthony Wordsworth went close with a first-time shot before the break, as Colchester went in ahead at the interval.

But the second half was a different affair and the U's hardly got going.

Yeovil levelled things up ten minutes after the break through their Spurs loanee Parrett, who latched onto D'Ath's precise pass to slot calmly past Ben Williams.

Obika had an effort chalked off for offside for the home side soon after, before two goals in barely two minutes left the U's with a mountain to climb.

D'Ath was on hand to slot home after Obika's shot had been parried into his path by Ben Williams.

And three minutes later, Andy Williams fired in after a free-kick had been headed back across the area and into his path.

Ben Williams denied Andy Williams but after substitute Kieran Agard was sent off for a foul on Karl Duguid, Rowlands scored from the resultant free-kick.

Colchester piled on the pressure after that and only a last-gasp challenge from Nathan Jones on the line prevented Kayode Odejayi from scoring a dramatic equaliser.

But Yeovil held out to inflict defeat on the U's.

See Monday's Gazette for a full match report, pictures and reaction to Colchester United's game at Yeovil Town.