COLCHESTER United returned to winning ways in style after stunning high-flying Swindon Town, at the County Ground.

The U’s rocked the Robins on their own patch, as a fine brace from Theo Robinson and Tom Eastman’s opener gave the visitors an emphatic away victory.

It was just what Colchester needed after their defeat at Forest Green Rovers last weekend and vindicated head coach John McGreal’s decision to ring the changes.

McGreal made five alterations to his starting line-up for the League Two clash, handing first-ever league starts to teenage attacker Kwame Poku and also to loanee Brendan Wiredu.

And the U’s boss also recalled left-back Cohen Bramall for his first start since he was sent off against Swindon in the Carabao Cup, on August 13.

There were also starting spots for Robinson, who returned to his former club to make his first U’s league start since joining on loan from Southend United and Brandon Comley returned in midfield in place of Tom Lapslie.

Luke Norris, Tom Lapslie and Luke Gambin all dropped to the bench, while Ryan Clampin and Ben Stevenson were not among the substitutes.

Swindon started the night in second spot and in the opening minutes, looked everything like a side riding high on confidence and scoring goals for fun.

They took the game to the U’s from the very start, with the majority of the opening stages being played out in the visitors’ half.

Swindon’s early play was crisp and incisive and they almost took a ninth-minute lead when Eoin Doyle's superb 25-yard strike flashed inches past the post.

The Robins went close again three minutes later through Ellis Iandolo, who skipped past two challenges before seeing a deflected effort bounce past the post for a corner.

However, Colchester slowly began to warm to the task and had a 15th-minute penalty shout rejected when Poku went down under Anthony Grant’s challenge in the area.

The U’s were unlucky not to go ahead just before the half hour when skipper Luke Prosser’s downward header was saved on his goal-line by keeper Luke McCormick after Bramall’s corner had been flicked on by Frank Nouble.

And a few minutes later, Poku delivered a wicked ball into the Swindon six-yard box that just eluded the lurking Robinson.

With five minutes to go until half-time, Wiredu blasted over from a good position when a pass to the waiting Robinson might have been a better option.

But in the first of four added minutes at the end of the first half, Colchester went ahead.

Tom Eastman looped a fine header past McCormick and into the net from Bramall’s corner, for his second goal of the season.

Colchester almost grabbed a second on the stroke of half-time when Robinson looped a good chance over the bar from inside the area, after Courtney Senior had laid the ball off to him as the visitors went in at the break ahead.

Just as they had the first half, Swindon began the second period strongly and Doyle wasted a gilt-edged chance just after the interval when he fired over from close range.

But Colchester doubled their lead ten minutes after half-time through Robinson, who side-footed home Colchester’s second goal against his former club following Wiredu’s short pass in the area.

Swindon tried hard to get back into the contest and U’s keeper Dean Gerken was forced to parry away Rob Hunt's fierce long-range drive, just before the hour mark.

But Colchester all but sealed their win with 15 minutes remaining through Robinson, who emphatically swept a first-time shot past McCormick and into the roof of the net from the edge of the area after Frank Nouble had run at the home defence and picked out his team-mate.

Swindon threatened sporadically after that but Colchester were able to keep a third clean sheet in their last four league games, to seal a hugely impressive win.

COLCHESTER UNITED: Gerken, Jackson, Eastman, Prosser, Bramall, Comley, Wiredu (sub Lapslie, 63), Senior, Nouble, Poku (sub Gambin, 88), Robinson (sub Brown, 76).

Substitutes (not used): Sowunmi, Chilvers, Norris, Ross.

Swindon Town: McCormick, Hunt, Baudry (sub Broadbent, 35), Conroy, Iandolo, Isgrove, Grant, Rose (sub Doughty, 60), Anderson (sub Woolery, 71), Yates, Doyle.

Substitutes (not used): Fryers, May, Curran, Benda.

Goals: Colchester United: Eastman (45), Robinson (55, 75).

Referee: Andy Woolmer (Northamptonshire).

U’s bookings: Wiredu (foul, 18).

Swindon Town bookings: Baudry (foul, 24), Iandolo (foul, 70).

U’s sending-off: None.

Swindon Town sending-off: None.

Attendance: 6,634 (134 U’s fans).

U’s man of the match: Theo Robinson.