Colchester United were booed off by their own fans after suffering a fifth successive home league defeat this afternoon.

The U's lost 2-0 at home to Walsall, after goals from Anthony Forde and Michael Cain scored in either half condemned them to another defeat at the Weston Homes Community Stadium.

Colchester were left to rue several missed chances, as they were punished for their inadequacies in both boxes.

Colchester almost took a first-minute lead when Sanchez Watt hooked the ball into the area and then fired in a shot which Walsall keeper Richard O’Donnell saved and Rhys Healey fired the rebound across the face of the six-yard box Colchester had an even better chance after five minutes when Sammie Szmodics raced through on goal but was thwarted by O’Donnell.

Healey almost broke the deadlock after 20 minutes when he intercepted Andy Taylor’s back-pass only to direct a weak shot at goal which was easily cleared by the Walsall defence.

Walsall almost took the lead when Jordan Cook found space on the left before firing in a shot from a tight angle which clattered the woodwork.

And the Saddlers went ahead just after the half hour when Cook crossed for the unmarked Anthony Forde to head home from six yards.

Colchester were the better side after half-time, with Elliott Hewitt being denied by O’Donnell and Szmodics hooking over the bar from 12 yards.

Colchester came even closer to scoring just after the hour when Alex Wynter’s header from Kaspars Gorkss’ cross came back off the underside of the bar.

Szmodics fired straight at O’Donnell for Colchester from the edge of the area soon after but Cook went close for the Saddlers with a shot that whistled just past the post.

And Walsall effectively wrapped up victory with 15 minutes to go through Michael Cain, who tapped in Bradshaw's low cross from close range as the U's were beaten, For five pages of coverage on the U's game with Walsall, see Monday's Daily Gazette.