United lost at home again as Bristol Rovers' Rickie Lambert scored the only goal of the game to take home all the points from the WCHS.

Colchester United slumped to their third consecutive home defeat this afternoon as Rickie Lambert's 52nd minute goal gave Bristol Rovers all three points. In truth the visitors should have been adding to their lead - only a point blank save denying Chris Lines from a first half goal. It was a far too easy afternoon once again for the visitor’s goalkeeper and if any prospective U's managers where in the ground, they saw the size of the job in front of them.

After defeat against Leicester City, caretaker U's boss Kit Symons knew that his chances of getting the job on a full time basis rested not only on today's result, but also on the performance. Second best against The Foxes, Symons left the side as it was despite the availability of Stephen Gillespie from suspension.

That meant the U's remained with the 4-5-1 formation that had served them so well at Tranmere but hadn't threatened against City. Clive Platt was the fulcrum up front with Jackson, Perkins, Izzet and Yeates urged to support him while Hammond played just in front of the back four. John White and Gary Borrowdale where the fullbacks with Heath and Reid alongside attempting to protect Dean Gerken's goal.

That team choice meant that over £800,000 worth of talent sitting on the bench in Chris Coyne (£300k), Stephen Gillespie (£400,000) and Scott Vernon (£100,000) as well as youth talent in Anthony Wordsworth and Mark Cousins.

Rovers, managed by Symon's former Fulham team-mate Paul Trollope, hadn't won a game since hammering Hereford 6-1 in the middle of August.

The game took a while to get in to any real flow as United's problems again became clear to all. At home, the 4-5-1 formation doesn't take the game to the visitors who quite prepared to sit back and absorb the pressure - and with just one upfront there isn't a lot of it to worry about.

Chris Lines had the first shot in anger after quarter of an hour of the game but Gerken was equal to the task as each side tested each other out.

United almost broke through next down the right hand side and only a desperate goal line clearance prevented the U's from scoring their first goal at WCHS since the beginning of September. For once, the U's got the by-line thanks to John White's run and when the fullback crossed to the far post, Platt directed his header over Steve Phillips and back towards the empty net where a Rovers defender thumped it off the line. Little did we know that this was the closest we would come all afternoon?

The industrious Perkins tried his luck with a shot that Phillips had to be careful with, but should always have dealt with comfortably enough. United were patient with the ball in their possession - though some in the crowd believe that it should always go forward no matter what options or whether the player has his back to goal or not. Sadly, despite the patient approach United seemed unable to supply the final when required.

Not that Rovers had that problem and only a superb save from Dean Gerken kept the scores level. In fact, Gerken shouldn't have had a ghost in hell's chance of making the save as Lambert met Lines' cross with a thumping header. The striker was probably already thinking goal - and certainly, a yard either side and it would have been - but his header was just too close to the U's keeper who brilliantly palmed the ball on to the crossbar with Reid hammering the ball to safety. It was certainly the closest either side had come so far.

However at halftime and I personally believed that though the U's hadn't hit their straps yet, they were still in a game which, on paper, they should have had no doubts about picking up the three points.

That all went terribly wrong though as the visitors controlled the opening to the second period. From a corner over on the far side Gerken had to dive forward to punch Lambert's header away before the ball could be turned home.

And it was that man Lambert who scored his 9th goal of the season in the 52nd minute. The U's failed to learn their lesson from the previous corner and when the out swinger arrived, Lambert's bullet header from ten yards gave Gerken no chance. It was the striker's 9th of the season whilst the U's leading goal scorer, Mark Yeates, has just three.

Symons wasted no time in his attempts to get back in to this do-or-die match for him as he introduced Stephen Gillespie in place of Kem Izzet. It looked as though the move had been pre-planned so maybe the U's midfielder had picked up a knock in the first period.

Platt headed straight at Phillips before Lambert had a third header over the top as the U's struggled to mark the Division's leading goals corer.

A long throw from John White caused problems in the Rovers penalty area before eventually falling to Jackson. The ex-Spurs man saw his shot deflected goalwards but Phillips was able to recover in order to save on his goal line.

Twenty minutes in to the half, Symons made his final (perhaps literally) changes with Wordsworth and Vernon coming on for Platt and Perkin - a decision which resulted in murmurings of disquiet among the U's faithful who felt that the two withdrawn players had perhaps been the pick of the bunch.

With twenty minutes to go, the U's won their first corner of the game - it managed to cause problems for Rovers as Vernon's overhead kick saw the ball go over the bar.

Gerken was down safely to gather another Lambert header before John White ventured forward to angle a drive over Phillip's bar and in to the visiting supporters who were thoroughly enjoying their day out in North Essex. They were, though, thankful to a defender's interception from a Yeates shot which was careering towards the far corner until its path was diverted.

United had a late chance thanks to a soft free-kick awarded to them by referee Singh. Justice was done as Yeates lifted his curling shot from 30 yards well over the bar.

And so another home defeat for the U's which sees them drop in to 20th place in the table and agonisingly close to the relegation places. Unless the new man can fire some life and belief in to his charges, it looks set to be a season of struggle for United.

Shot of the Match: Yeates' had a second half attempt which was low, powerful and heading towards the corner of the net - a corner which I believe Phillips would not have got to. Sadly, a Rovers defender got in the way.

Save of the Match: Gerken's first half save from Lambert's header was breathtaking - but the Rovers man should never have given the U's keeper the opportunity.

Moan of the Match: 'Forward, Forward, Forward' was the continual cry from some in the West Stand, however, you sometimes have to go backwards to go forwards.

Man of the Match: For seventy minutes of the game I would have given it to Dean Hammond who I thought protected his back four very well and started off many a U's move. However, I thought he failed to get in to the game in the last twenty minutes or so and therefore, has lost my vote. Therefore, I think it'll have go to JOHN WHITE who defended stoutly and tried to give the U's options going forward.

Colchester: Gerken, White, Heath, Reid, Borrowdale, Yeates, Izzet (Gillespie 54), Hammond, Perkins (Perkins 66), Jackson, Platt (Vernon 66).

Subs not used: Cousins andCoyne

Bristol Rovers: Phillips, Pipe, Coles, Hinton, Lescott, Lines, Campbell, Disley, Hughes, Duffy (Hunt 81), Lambert.

Subs not used: Mike Green, Jacobson, Anthony, Kuffour.

Photo: Action Images

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