Colchester 0-1 Tranmere

Ryan Shotton scored a second-half header to earn Tranmere a crucial win at fellow play-off hopefuls Colchester.

Shotton headed in Charlie Barnett's 49th-minute free-kick to secure Rovers their first away win since October and end the U's nine-match unbeaten run.

Shotton saw an early header cannon off the crossbar, before Mark Yeates' deflected low effort grazed the post as Colchester went close.

But Shotton's header won it for Rovers and the U's could not find a leveller.

Colchester: Walker, Maybury, Baldwin, Reid (Wordsworth 82), Tierney, Gobern (Hackney 57), Perkins, Hammond, Yeates, Platt (Guy 65), Vernon.
Subs Not Used: Cousins, White.

Booked: Gobern, Reid.

Tranmere: Coyne, Shotton, Kay, Chorley, Taylor, Shuker, Jennings, Edds, Barnett, Savage, Moore.
Subs Not Used: Achterberg, Holmes, Waterfall, Cresswell, Henry.

Booked: Taylor, Barnett.

Goals: Shotton 50.

Att: 3,588.

Ref: Gavin Ward (Surrey).