Enoch Showunmi handed Tranmere their first win in eight games at the expense of Colchester.
The visitors started well as home keeper Tony Warner was forced into a sharp save by Anthony Wordsworth.
Andy Robinson shot just over the bar as Rovers pushed after the break but he soon turned provider when he set Showunmi free to fire in the winner.
The U's saw Steven Gillespie waste a great headed chance and Andrew Bond's effort cleared off the line.
Colchester United manager John Ward told BBC Essex: "I thought the effort and performance warranted more than that something from the game.
"In terms of what the boys are trained to do, we saw the boys tried to turn the game round after we went a goal down.
"The supporters I feel for because they have been around and they deserved to see more from the game."
Tranmere manager Les Parry told BBC Radio Merseyside: "I thought the quality going into the box, especially from Aaron Cresswell, was just magnificent and strikers have got to get on the end of those balls.
"But in the second-half we stuck to our task and we had a few tremendous performances out there.
"It's no secret Enoch Showunmi's strength is running at centre-halves towards goal and that's about the fifth or sixth goal he's scored like that this season."
Live text and stats
Saturday, 19 March 2011
Npower League One
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Tranmere
1-0
Colchester
FT
(HT 0-0)
Showunmi 53
Tranmere
01 Warner
03 Cresswell
05 Goodison
06 McChrystal
17 Kay yellow card
08 Welsh yellow card
09 Robinson (Taylor 86)
10 Weir
07 Showunmi
21 Jennings (Bakayogo 63)
27 Akins (Labadie 73)
Substitutes
13 Collister,
12 Taylor,
18 Blanchard,
24 Bakayogo,
11 Mahon,
25 Labadie,
26 McGurk
Colchester
01 Williams
06 N Clarke
20 Wilson
31 Smith
17 Perkins
22 Wordsworth yellow card (Bond 69)
24 Coker
26 James (O'Toole 84)
07 Vincent (Henderson 83)
15 Odejayi
18 Gillespie
Substitutes
12 Cousins,
25 White,
28 Heath,
08 O'Toole,
10 Izzet,
14 Bond,
16 Henderson
Ref: WoolmerAtt: 4,292
TRANMERE
COLCHESTER
Possession
Tranmere59%
Colchester41%
Attempts on target
Tranmere7
Colchester3
Attempts off target
Tranmere5
Colchester4
Corners
Tranmere6
Colchester5
Fouls
Tranmere12
Colchester10
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+4:43 The referee ends the match.
90:00+3:53 Joss Labadie produces a right-footed shot from just outside the box that misses to the right of the net.
90:00+2:24 Enoch Showunmi is caught offside. Ben Williams restarts play with the free kick.
90:00+0:54 John-Joe O'Toole fouled by Zoumana Bakayogo, the ref awards a free kick. Ben Williams takes the direct free kick.
90:00+0:16 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Ash Taylor by John-Joe O'Toole. Tony Warner takes the free kick.
90:00+0:07 The referee blows for offside. Ben Williams restarts play with the free kick.
87:29 Brian Wilson challenges Zoumana Bakayogo unfairly and gives away a free kick. Zoumana Bakayogo takes the direct free kick.
86:38 John Welsh challenges Kayode Odejayi unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Ben Coker.
85:29 Substitution Ash Taylor on for Andy Robinson.
85:18 The ball is crossed by Andy Robinson.
84:53 Zoumana Bakayogo crosses the ball, save made by Ben Williams.
83:09 Substitution (Colchester) makes a substitution, with John-Joe O'Toole coming on for Lloyd James.
Correction - 82:41 Unfair challenge on John Welsh by Ashley Vincent results in a free kick. Tony Warner restarts play with the free kick.
Correction - 82:41 Substitution Ian Henderson is brought on as a substitute for Ashley Vincent.
82:41 Ashley Vincent gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on John Welsh.
82:41 Substitution Ian Henderson joins the action as a substitute, replacing Ashley Vincent.
80:59 Steven Gillespie is penalised for handball and concedes a free kick. Tony Warner takes the direct free kick.
79:34 Unfair challenge on Andy Bond by Joss Labadie results in a free kick. Ben Williams takes the free kick.
79:26 The ball is swung over by Andy Robinson, clearance made by Brian Wilson.
78:02 Handball by Nathan Clarke. Andy Robinson takes the direct free kick.
77:40 A cross is delivered by John Welsh, clearance made by Tommy Smith.
75:27 Robbie Weir crosses the ball, clearance by Brian Wilson.
72:20 Substitution Lucas Akins goes off and Joss Labadie comes on.
71:40 The assistant referee signals for offside against Andy Robinson. Ben Williams takes the free kick.
70:02 Centre by Brian Wilson, clearance made by Ian Goodison. Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Lloyd James, Andy Bond takes a shot. Aaron Cresswell manages to make a clearance. Corner from the right by-line taken by Lloyd James, Mark McChrystal makes a clearance. A cross is delivered by Brian Wilson.
68:01 Substitution (Colchester) makes a substitution, with Andy Bond coming on for Anthony Wordsworth.
66:49 The ball is delivered by David Perkins.
66:36 Ben Coker crosses the ball, Michael Kay manages to make a clearance.
66:23 Robbie Weir takes a shot. Save made by Ben Williams.
66:10 A cross is delivered by Michael Kay, Nathan Clarke makes a clearance.
Correction - 62:35 Substitution Zoumana Bakayogo joins the action as a substitute, replacing Dale Jennings.
62:35 Substitution Joss Labadie joins the action as a substitute, replacing Dale Jennings.
61:38 Lloyd James delivers the ball, clearance by Dale Jennings.
61:11 Enoch Showunmi is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Indirect free kick taken by Lloyd James.
59:52 The ball is delivered by Ben Coker, Header by Steven Gillespie from deep inside the penalty area misses to the left of the goal.
59:24 Outswinging corner taken by Lloyd James from the right by-line played to the near post, clearance by Lucas Akins.
58:42 Foul by Anthony Wordsworth on Robbie Weir, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by Michael Kay.
58:42 Booking Anthony Wordsworth goes into the referee's book.
55:45 The ball is crossed by Ben Coker, Michael Kay makes a clearance.
55:12 The ball is crossed by Steven Gillespie, Kayode Odejayi takes a shot. Clearance made by Ian Goodison.
54:26 Aaron Cresswell crosses the ball, Headed effort from inside the area by John Welsh misses to the left of the target.
52:13 Assist on the goal came from Andy Robinson.
52:13 GOAL - Enoch Showunmi:Tranmere 1 - 0 Colchester Enoch Showunmi fires in a goal from the edge of the penalty box to the bottom left corner of the goal. Tranmere 1-0 Colchester.
51:26 Mark McChrystal gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Steven Gillespie. Direct free kick taken by Lloyd James.
50:50 John Welsh sends in a cross, Brian Wilson manages to make a clearance.
50:12 Lucas Akins is ruled offside. Ben Coker takes the indirect free kick.
49:22 Lloyd James produces a right-footed shot from outside the penalty box and misses right.
49:17 The ball is swung over by Steven Gillespie.
47:44 Aaron Cresswell delivers the ball, save by Ben Williams.
46:56 Corner taken left-footed by Aaron Cresswell from the left by-line, Brian Wilson manages to make a clearance.
45:37 Effort on goal by Andy Robinson from inside the penalty area goes harmlessly over the bar.
45:01 The referee starts the second half.
Half Time
45:00+1:44 The half-time whistle blows.
45:00+1:13 Kayode Odejayi has an effort at goal from outside the area which goes wide right of the goal.
45:00+0:29 Shot from outside the box by Robbie Weir misses to the left of the goal.
43:30 Anthony Wordsworth challenges Lucas Akins unfairly and gives away a free kick. Aaron Cresswell crosses the ball in from the free kick.
42:18 Enoch Showunmi concedes a free kick for a foul on Ben Williams. Ben Williams takes the free kick.
42:07 The ball is crossed by Lucas Akins, save by Ben Williams.
41:53 The ball is crossed by Michael Kay.
41:06 Brian Wilson challenges Dale Jennings unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Aaron Cresswell.
38:52 Free kick awarded for a foul by Robbie Weir on Lloyd James. Brian Wilson restarts play with the free kick.
37:10 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Steven Gillespie by Mark McChrystal. Free kick taken by Ben Coker.
37:10 Booking Mark McChrystal booked.
34:53 David Perkins gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on John Welsh. Shot on goal comes in from Dale Jennings from the free kick. Short corner taken by Aaron Cresswell from the right by-line, clearance made by Tommy Smith.
33:47 The ball is sent over by Ashley Vincent.
31:02 Ashley Vincent fouled by John Welsh, the ref awards a free kick. Lloyd James crosses the ball in from the free kick.
31:02 Booking John Welsh goes into the book.
30:07 Unfair challenge on John Welsh by Lloyd James results in a free kick. Tony Warner takes the free kick.
29:14 Corner taken by Aaron Cresswell, David Perkins manages to make a clearance.
26:58 The ball is crossed by Enoch Showunmi, Brian Wilson makes a clearance.
26:24 Foul by Anthony Wordsworth on Andy Robinson, free kick awarded. Andy Robinson takes the direct free kick.
25:11 Lucas Akins takes a shot from 12 yards. Blocked by Tommy Smith. Aaron Cresswell takes a short corner, Centre by Andy Robinson, clearance made by Ashley Vincent.
Correction - 24:14 Steven Gillespie has an effort at goal from outside the area missing to the wide left of the goal.
24:14 Shot from outside the box by Steven Gillespie misses to the left of the target.
22:36 The ball is sent over by Aaron Cresswell. Andy Robinson has an effort at goal from 18 yards. Save by Ben Williams.
19:33 Enoch Showunmi produces a left-footed shot from the edge of the area and misses to the left of the goal.
18:34 Corner taken by Lloyd James played to the near post, Robbie Weir manages to make a clearance.
16:28 John Welsh concedes a free kick for a foul on Lloyd James. Lloyd James delivers the ball from the free kick right-footed from right channel, save made by Tony Warner.
16:07 Aaron Cresswell delivers the ball, Enoch Showunmi takes a shot. Save by Ben Williams.
12:40 Foul by Ian Goodison on Steven Gillespie, free kick awarded. The free kick is swung in right-footed by Lloyd James, clearance by Enoch Showunmi.
11:52 The ball is swung over by Andy Robinson. Enoch Showunmi is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Indirect free kick taken by Ben Williams.
10:32 Tommy Smith fouled by Enoch Showunmi, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Ben Williams.
8:38 The ball is swung over by Andy Robinson, save by Ben Williams.
7:38 Andy Robinson produces a cross, Brian Wilson manages to make a clearance.
5:41 Inswinging corner taken left-footed by Aaron Cresswell played to the near post, clearance by Anthony Wordsworth. Corner taken short by Aaron Cresswell. Ian Goodison takes a shot. Ben Williams makes a save.
5:19 Dale Jennings fouled by David Perkins, the ref awards a free kick. Aaron Cresswell takes the direct free kick.
2:52 Handball decision goes against Anthony Wordsworth. Tony Warner takes the direct free kick.
1:56 Effort from 18 yards by Anthony Wordsworth. Save by Tony Warner. Corner taken by Lloyd James from the right by-line, Aaron Cresswell makes a clearance.
1:12 Mark McChrystal concedes a free kick for a foul on Steven Gillespie. Lloyd James delivers the ball from the free kick right-footed from right channel, clearance made by Aaron Cresswell.
0:00 The game gets underway.
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