Five talking points from Colchester United's defeat at Forest Green Rovers

Drawing a blank

COLCHESTER United offered plenty of promise in front of goal at Forest Green Rovers – but ultimately came away empty-handed.

The potential is there for them to score goals and they are getting into some good attacking positions.

But at the moment, it is not being reflected in the form of goals and the stats show they recorded just one shot on target, at the New Lawn.

The 1-0 loss was their second successive game without really putting the opposition goalkeeper under too much pressure.

Indeed, the U's have managed just four goals from open play, in their first eight games in League Two.

Goal shortage

OF the 65 league goals Colchester scored last season, more than half of them were scored by players who were not involved at Forest Green.

Sammie Szmodics, their top scorer in the 2018-19 campaign, hit 14 of them.

Frankie Kent (four), Brennan Dickenson (three), Kane Vincent-Young (three), Mikael Mandron (two) and Abo Eisa (two) -0 who have also moved onto pastures new - also chipped in.

Harry Pell, currently sidelined due to an Achilles injury, hit six goals last season, so it is perhaps easy to see why the U’s might be struggling in front of goal.

Nevertheless, they still have the likes of Luke Norris, Frank Nouble and Courtney Senior from last season and should be making more of their attacking opportunities.

A painful experience

FOR defenders, own goals are unfortunately part and parcel of the game.

They are painful enough at the best of times but when they end up being the winning goal, they are even harder to take.

Colchester defender Luke Prosser was caught in the proverbial corridor of uncertainty when he prodded James Morton’s cross into his own net, with Kyle Taylor lurking behind him.

With Dean Gerken coming out for the same ball communication between Prosser and the U’s goalkeeper could perhaps have been better.

But the Colchester skipper naturally felt he had to defend his goal and was unfortunate to see his interception sail into the net.

Making a change

COLCHESTER were pretty much camped in Forest Green territory for the final quarter of their match at the New Lawn.

Along with a change of shape, one of the main reasons for that was the positive impact their three substitutes made, in the latter stages of the contest.

Kwame Poku, Theo Robinson and particularly Brendan Wiredu all impressed after coming on and can count themselves unlucky not to have forced an equaliser.

Wiredu’s effort was disallowed for a foul, Poku had a legitimate penalty appeal rejected and Robinson saw his deflected effort fly just over.

Heading West

IT is probably a good thing that Colchester have another game so soon after their defeat at Forest Green.

They go West again on Tuesday night to face Swindon Town – and their task does not get any easier.

The Robins currently lie second in the League Two table and will be looking for revenge, following their Carabao Cup defeat at the hands of the U’s last month.

While Colchester are struggling somewhat in front of goal, Swindon have no such worries.

They have already hit 17 goals in their opening eight league games; only Peterborough United have found the net with more regularity in the top four divisions.