Colchester United suffered a second successive defeat in League Two after promotion-chasing Notts County recovered to claim a 3-1 victory at the Weston Homes Community Stadium this afternoon.

The U's had led at half-time thanks to Drey Wright's early strike.

But second-half goals from Jonathan Forte, Shola Ameobi and Richard Duffy saw the Magpies roar back in the second half, to claim the points.

Colchester head coach John McGreal made one change to his side for their game against Notts County.

Olamide Shodipo, on loan from Championship side QPR, was handed his first-ever U’s start at the expense of Courtney Senior, who dropped to the bench.

Brennan Dickenson (thigh) and Tom Lapslie (hamstring) both missed out through injury again.

Jorge Grant hooked a shot over the bar early on for Notts County after Matt Tootle had done well to get down the line and pick him out on the edge of the area.

But Colchester took a tenth-minute lead when Wright exchanged passes with Ben Stevenson before advancing to slot low past keeper Adam Collin from close range for his third goal of the season.

Colchester’s attackers playing some attractive stuff in the last third in the first half and almost went 2-0 up, after 17 minutes.

Mikael Mandron picked up Ben Stevenson’s smart pass and ran at the visitors’ defence before drilling a low shot straight at keeper Collin.

And soon after, Kane Vincent-Young’s 25-yard low shot was spilled by Collin but there was no Colchester player was there to follow up, much to McGreal’s disdain.

Wright then ran at the Notts County defence before drilling a low shot straight at Collin and Colchester’s players not afraid to shoot on goal, perhaps under McGreal’s instructions after drawing a blank against Accrington Stanley last weekend.

Notts County thought they had equalised after 25 minutes when Forte has the ball in the net but his effort was ruled out for a push by Shaun Brisley on Luke Prosser following a corner.

Colchester allowed Notts County no time on the ball and looked sharp throughout the first half, with Mandron's stabbed effort from close range well saved by Collin after Stevenson had prodded the ball towards goal.

And some U’s fans thought the visitors were fortunate not to go down to ten men when Prosser was left in a heap following an off the ball incident in the area, with referee Brendan Malone electing to take no action.

Colchester thoroughly deserved their lead at the break and they almost doubled it just after half-time when Tom Eastman divered Mandron's header onto the foot of the post, following Shodipo's cross.

And little more than two minutes later, the Magpies were level.

Forte turned neatly and squeezed a low shot past Sam Walker and inside the near post, after Shaun Brisley had done well to keep the move alive from Tootle’s cross.

Ameobi followed up to score to give Notts County the lead with 21 minutes remaining, after Walker had denied Forte and Matty Virtue had also gone close.

And when Richard Duffy rose to head home Dan Jones' free-kick into the area with 14 minutes remaining, it was pretty much game over for the U's who could find no way back after that.