Colchester United record their first away win of the season following a hard-fought victory at Cheltenham Town.

A first-half brace from Luke Norris gave the U's a two-goal advantage at the break.

And although Kevin Dawson reduced the deficit just before the hour, Harry Pell's late penalty against his former club after Sammie Szmodics had been brought down in the area wrapped up an impressive away win for the U's. 

Colchester head coach John McGreal made three changes to his starting line-up for their game at Cheltenham.

Tom Lapslie (knee) and Brennan Dickenson (back) both missed their first league games of the season through injury, while Courtney Senior was dropped to the bench.

Norris was handed his first Colchester league start in Senior’s place, while Brandon Comley also made his first League Two start of the campaign.

Tom Eastman was also recalled to the U’s starting line-up, as McGreal switched to the 3-4-2-1 formation they finished with against Northampton Town.

Colchester had never failed to score against Cheltenham in their previous eight meetings.

And it took the U’s just 11 minutes to make the breakthrough in their latest contest.

After Pell, returning to his former club, was brought down by Cheltenham midfielder Nigel Atangana in the area, Norris stepped up and scored from the spot.

The U’s were in control and almost doubled their lead midway through the first half when Norris’s far-post header flew into the side netting following Pell's deep cross into the area.

But it was not long before Colchester doubled their lead, as they struck again in the 26th minute.

Norris' superb free-kick flew past keeper Scott Flinders after Sammie Szmodics had been fouled nearly 25 yards from goal.

It was Norris’s third goal at Whaddon Road in less than three weeks following his strike for Colchester in their Carabao Cup defeat at the venue, last month.

Cheltenham tried their hardest to get back into the game and had a penalty appeal turned down when Kevin Dawson’s attempted cross struck Kane Vincent-Young’s hand in the area but the referee waved away the hosts’ claims.

Sam Jones dragged a low shot wide of the far post for the hosts after picking up Manny Duku's pass on the edge of the area and Dawson volleyed over first time for the Robins, following a deep cross into the box.

And Cheltenham came even closer to scoring in first-half stoppage-time when keeper Dillon Barnes tipped over Ryan Broom's excellent strike for a corner.

Colchester went in at half-time with a two-goal advantage but the hosts got back into the game just before the hour mark through Kevin Dawson, who drilled home low from inside the area after Sam Jones had picked him out well.

Cheltenham felt they should have had a penalty a minute later when Dawson went down under Frankie Kent’s challenge in the area but referee Ollie Yates waved away their claims.

Jones' header flew just wide for the hosts soon after, as the Robins went on the hunt for an equaliser.

Colchester found themselves increasingly pressed back as the second half progressed and with five minutes remaining, substitute Tyrone Barnett sends a shot wide of the near post from close range after Maddox's ball into the area.

But after Szmodics had been fouled in the area with two minutes remaining, Pell emphatically scored the penalty to grab his first goal in U's colours.

Szmodics hit a low shot just wide before the end, as Colchester claimed a pleasing win.