Colchester United were 1-0 winners over Swindon Town, at the JobServe Community Stadium - here are five talking points from the game.

1-0 to the Colchester

IT seems 1-0 is becoming a rather familiar outcome for Colchester United.

The U’s won by the scoreline for the third time in their last four matches, after beating Swindon Town.

As John McGreal pointed out afterwards, George Graham’s Arsenal side made a habit of carving out 1-0 wins in the 1990s, to great success.

And while he might have preferred another goal to make the game safe against Swindon, the U’s head coach was naturally happy with the final outcome.

He would happily take 1-0 wins in each of his side’s remaining 29 games.

Making a defence

MUCH of the talk among Colchester United supporters earlier this season focused on their potency in front of goal.

But now it is their excellent defensive record that is a hot topic of conversation.

The U’s have conceded just one goal from open play in their last six matches, in all competitions.

They have claimed four clean sheets in that time and their shut-out against Swindon Town was their seventh in their opening 17 games, in League Two.

Dillon Barnes is a promising young goalkeeper but the fact that Colchester’s superb defensive form has come at the same time as the experienced Rene Gilmartin’s introduction to the team is no coincidence.

Luke’s pain

IT was a terrible sight to see Colchester United’s leading scorer Luke Norris stretchered off in the closing stages of the first half against Swindon Town.

The striker had spoken to the media 48 hours earlier, talking about how much he was looking forward to facing his former club.

How cruel that his game was cut short in such a way and everyone at Colchester and beyond is naturally hoping that his injury is not as bad as it looked.

Ironically, the U’s coped better with Norris’s departure than the visitors and ended up scoring their winner very soon after his departure.

McGreal could have introduced Mikael Mandron for Norris as a like for like swap.

However, he deserves credit for instead bringing on winger Brennan Dickenson and switching Frank Nouble to a central role, as it ultimately paved the way for Colchester’s victory.

Island dreaming

THE JobServe Community Stadium in November is a far cry from Majorca.

But two stars from reality TV show Love Island managed to keep Colchester United’s fans entertained after taking part in a penalty shoot-out at half-time against Swindon Town.

Chris Hughes and Kem Cetinay seemed to enjoy themselves after going up against U’s under-23 duo Eoin McKeown and Chris Forino in the spot-kick contest, filmed as part of an episode of their You Vs Chris and Kem ITV2 show.

The location may not matched the tropical temperatures of Love Island.

But with their high-flying team currently sitting in the League Two automatic promotion places, U’s supporters will be hoping they are in paradise come the end of the season.

A fitting tribute

THE presence of current and former troops at Colchester United’s game with Swindon Town served as a reminder that there are far more significant things than football.

They were invited onto the pitch before the game and a minute’s silence was impeccably observed prior to kick-off, to mark Remembrance weekend and Armistice Centenary.

As a Garrison town, the huge efforts of servicemen and women past and present are particularly poignant in Colchester.

The U’s acknowledgement of the sacrifices made by our military was well measured and fitting, particularly with next week marking a century since the end of World War One.