17 April 2021

Ryan Clampin hits winner as Colchester secure key victory in battle to beat drop

17 April 2021

Colchester boosted their hopes of securing Sky Bet League Two survival with a vital 2-1 win over visitors Walsall.

Colchester winger Callum Harriott hit a post with a curled effort early on but Walsall took a 20th-minute lead when defender James Clarke turned home at the far post, after Caolan Lavery had helped on Tyreik Wright’s corner.

But the U’s equalised in the 37th minute through Michael Folivi, who stabbed in from near the goal line for his first goal since December after Frank Nouble’s effort had bounced back off a post, following good play by Tom Eastman.

And Colchester went ahead in the fourth minute of first-half stoppage time when Ryan Clampin’s left-footed volley flew past keeper Jack Rose after a clearance had fallen to him on the edge of the area.

Colchester thought they had made it 3-1 through Folivi’s far-post effort just before the hour which they felt had gone over the line before keeper Rose had collected, but they held on to move six points clear of the drop zone.

The best videos delivered daily

Watch the stories that matter, right from your inbox