IT has been more than a decade since Colchester United last took on Bristol Rovers, at the Memorial Stadium.

And how the U's would love a repeat of the scoreline the last time they made the trip West to take on the Gas when they return there again tonight.

Colchester's last game at Rovers was back on March 1, 2011 and a 1-0 win helped them move to within four points of a League One play-off place.

Kayode Odejayi's 22nd-minute winner secured the U's a narrow win, on the night.

The striker ran through and fired the visitors ahead, after goalkeeper Conrad Logan's clearance had hit his own defender Jerel Ifil.

Logan went on to deny Odejayi twice, whilst Jean-Paul Kalala twice cleared off the line for Rovers.

The closest Bristol Rovers came to scoring was when Jo Kuffour fired narrowly over in a rare attack from the hosts.

Gazette:

Colchester boss John Ward (pictured above) enjoyed a winning feeling, on his return to one of his former clubs.

He said: "We've done another strong job tonight, we've been very powerful as a side.

"We opted to make one or two changes to make us more powerful and strong in the game.

"Sometimes we didn't play the prettiest of stuff but we got forward enough times."

The result left Bristol Rovers deep in relegation trouble and their manager Dave Penney said: "We didn't start the game well, they were better than us and we got exactly what we deserved.

"The performance between the Oldham game (where Bristol Rovers won 1-0) is marked and we can't continue to have that.

"The games are running down and there are only 13 left so the sooner we can get on some kind of run and get back-to-back wins the better."

Gazette:

The game saw Colchester midfielder John-Joe O’Toole make a welcome appearance as a second-half substitute, following a ten-month injury lay-off.

It was the midfielder's first appearance after rupturing a cruciate ligament at Charlton Athletic.

O'Toole went on to join Bristol Rovers from Colchester in January, 2013, initially on loan before the move was made permanent that summer.

Colchester went on to finish tenth in League One, nine points off the play-off places, while Bristol Rovers were relegated to League Two in 22nd spot.

Colchester United: B Williams, L Beevers, M Heath, N Clarke, A Bond, A Wordsworth, L James, B Coker, K Izzet (J O'Toole, 78), I Henderson (A Vincent, 89), K Odejayi (S Gillespie, 73). Subs not used: P Baldwin, M Cousins, D Mooney, D Perkins.

Bristol Rovers: C Logan, D Coles, J Ifil, D Senda, G Williams, C Lines, J Kalala, J Hughes, J Kuffour, W Hoskins (E Richard, 86), R Howe (S Davies, 67). Subs (not used): C Reece, C Bolger, D Blizzard, M Green, M Cooper.