Thomas Pinault fired a 30-yard winner eight minutes from time to give struggling Colchester a deserved win at Bristol City.

The visitors were quicker to the ball than promotion-chasing City and took a 12th-minute lead when Scott McGleish headed home a Joe Keith free-kick.

City equalised after 51 minutes when on-loan Craig Fagan fired the ball home off the post, but they could not exert any authority on the game.

It was no surprise when Pinault took aim from distance and deceived Steve Phillips with a low drive which bounced awkwardly in front of the diving goalkeeper.

City have not won a league game since the turn of the year and were booed off by their supporters.

Manager Danny Wilson sent on strikers Lee Peacock and Christian Roberts to boost his shot-shy attack in the second half but it made little difference.

Colchester had grazed the crossbar through Micky Stockwell's 10th-minute header and were good value for three points.

Bristol City: Phillips, Carey, Hill, Fortune, Murray, Burnell, Doherty, Tinnion, Bell, Fagan, Beadle. Subs: Peacock, Brown, Stowell, Roberts, Rosenior.

Colchester: Brown, Stockley, White, Fitzgerald, Chilvers, Keith, Izzet, Pinault, Stockwell, McGleish, Morgan. Subs: Coote, Bowry, Williams, Baldwin, McKinney.

Referee: A Hall (West Midlands).