Soccer
Bristol Rovers go top of League Two table after beating Colchester
Goals from Tom James and substitute Ellis Harrison sent Bristol Rovers to the top of the League Two table thanks to a hard-fought 2-0 win over Colchester at the Memorial Stadium.
Welsh right-back James, who opened the scoring in last weekend’s 2-0 win at Crawley, put Steve Evans’ side on course for a third league win on the bounce after 27 minutes.
He volleyed in from just outside the penalty area with a shot that left unsighted goalkeeper Thimothee Lo-Tutala standing after his defence failed to clear its lines.
Colchester manager Danny Cowley was left complaining to the fourth official when his celebrations were cut short as Ellis Iandolo’s header flew past Brad Young following Jack Payne’s corner but referee Alex Chilowicz awarded a free-kick for holding.
After the break, the Essex side went close through half-time substitute Moses Sesay who saw a shot from distance veer just wide before goalkeeper Young blocked a goal-bound piledriver from the Southampton loanee.
Colchester kept pushing for an equaliser but were caught on the break as Rovers sub Harrison sealed victory in the third minute of stoppage time when he slotted in Tommy Leigh’s low cross to send Gasheads wild.
