Colchester United 2-0 Port Vale
- Published
Two first-half goals helped hosts Colchester hand Port Vale their first defeat of the League Two season.
Colchester went ahead in the eighth minute through Courtney Senior, who collected possession midway inside the Vale half and exchanged passes with Brennan Dickenson before slotting low past Scott Brown.
U's goalkeeper Dillon Barnes saved Tom Pope's header at his near post before Ryan Jackson doubled Colchester's lead midway through the first half when he fired past Brown from 12 yards, following Sammie Szmodics' superb back-heel.
Barnes saved Ricky Miller's free-kick and Nathan Smith hooked a close-range shot wide for Vale before half-time and Luke Hannant curled a shot just wide of the far post in the opening seconds of the second half.
But Frank Nouble fired three good opportunities over in the space of five minutes as Colchester pressed.
Barnes denied Leon Legge with 15 minutes remaining and Brown saved from Colchester's Aaron Collins late on as the home side claimed a first win of the season.
Report supplied by Press Association