Colchester United's League One status is hanging by a thread after they were beaten 4-1 at home by Peterborough United this afternoon.

The U's four-match unbeaten run came to an end at the Weston Homes Community Stadium, following an entertaining contest.

Colchester knew that a win was essential this afternoon but they made the worst possible start when they fell behind in only the second minute.

Jon Taylor clinically fired past U’s keeper Elliott Parish, after Aaron Williams had flicked the ball into his path.

It was the first goal Colchester had conceded in more than five and a half hours of football.

Colchester responded well to the setback in what was a very open first half of football and George Moncur carved out some space on the edge of the Posh area before firing a low shot just wide of the far post.

But the U’s might easily have found themselves 2-0 down in the tenth minute when goalscorer Taylor slid a shot wide of the post when he should have scored.

Colchester’s defence, so watertight in recent matches, looked alarmingly open in the initial stages but they looked dangerous at the other end.

Moncur came so close to an equaliser when his deflected shot sailed just wide for a corner from Owen Garvan’s lay-off.

And Colchester were presented with a golden opportunity to equalise in the 21st minute when Elliot Lee was fouled by Ricardo Santos in the area, only for Posh keeper Ben Alnwick to push away Moncur’s spot-kick.

At the other end, Parish made a good diving save to deny Chris Forrester while Colchester had the ball in the net, only for Chris Porter’s effort to be disallowed for offside.

Only a good save from Parish prevented Erhun Oztumer from extending Peterborough’s lead just before half-time, as the U’s went in at the break trailing.

Colchester started the second half brightly and came agonisingly close to equalising five minutes after the break when Lee’s fine curled effort came back off the far post with Alnwick beaten.

Parish denied Marcus Maddison with his legs and as the second half wore on, the U's became more vulnerable to the counter-attack, as the home side searched for a way back into the game.

And Peterborough doubled their lead in the 67th minute through substitute Andrew Fox, who scored with his first touch after coming on from Shaquile Coulthirst's assist.

The U's fell further behind less than two minutes later when Coulthirst converted from Taylor's run and cross, despite Nicky Shorey's best efforts to keep it out.

Substitute Macauley Bonne was twice denied by Alnwick before Moncur pulled a goal back for Colchester with 13 minutes remaining, clinically firing home from 14 yards after a corner had not been properly cleared by the visitors.

But with the U's leaving gaps as they pushed for a goal, Marcus Maddison raced through to add a fourth for Posh in the fourth minute of stoppage-time, to condemn Colchester to a heavy defeat.

For five pages of coverage of the U’s game with Peterborough, see Monday’s Daily Gazette.