Salford City 0-1 Colchester United

Colchester boosted their League Two survival hopes with victory at promotion-chasing Salford, thanks to Noah Chilvers' first-half goal.

Home goalkeeper Alex Cairns denied John Akinde early on and Colchester went close again in the sixth minute when Chilvers' low effort from the edge of the area rattled a post.

Salford registered their first effort on goal through Luke Bolton, whose first-time effort at the far post sailed dangerously across goal.

But the U's took a 22nd-minute lead when Chilvers collected Samson Tovide's pass just outside the box and unleashed a deflected shot that rolled past Cairns and in.

Matty Lund's header from Ibou Touray's cross dropped just wide for Salford, while in first-half stoppage time, Colchester goalkeeper Tom Smith saved from Callum Hendry.

Salford pushed hard for an equaliser in the second half. Matt Smith's glancing near-post header from Touray's corner spun inches wide and Conor McAleny's first-time effort flew just over.

Smith then made a good save to deny Elliot Watt and Chilvers nodded Theo Vassell's header off the line but Colchester hung on for the victory.

Match report supplied by PA Media.