Farid El Alagui's late winner handed Brentford victory over Colchester in a game of squandered chances.

The hosts dominated for long periods but El Alagui, Clayton Donaldson and Tom Adeyemi were all guilty of missing clear-cut chances.

For the U's, Ian Henderson's powerful drive was blocked at point-blank range by goalkeeper Simon Moore, while Tom Eastman nodded wide when well placed.

But El Alagui won it at the death when he headed in Harry Forrester's cross.

VIEW FROM THE DRESSING ROOM

Brentford manager Uwe Rosler told BBC London 94.9:

"We started the game well and we dominated the first half. We gave them two chances but we had a number of chances.

"I think today we had more chances created here than against Crewe.

"I am delighted, we did miss too many chances, but the positive is that we never gave up.

"It was a collectively good team performance."

Colchester United manager John Ward told BBC Essex:

"We've created four or five very good one-on-one's and not scored one. So that's a problem for us at the moment, but the creation was decent.

"At the other end, Mark Cousins has pulled off a couple of good saves when they've had similar opportunities.

"It's a real kick in the teeth in the end to lose it like that because the minimum we're looking at is we'll take a good point away from here but we've taken nothing.

"Everyone's worked really hard to try and get this result and we've not been able to do it."

Lineup, Bookings (1) & Substitutions (4)

Brentford

  • 21 Moore
  • 05 Craig
  • 06 Dean
  • 14 Logan
  • 24 Bidwell
  • 04 Forshaw (Adeyemi - 70' )
  • 07 Saunders Booked (Forrester - 52' )
  • 08 Douglas
  • 20 Diagouraga
  • 09 Donaldson (Hayes - 63' )
  • 10 El Alagui

Substitutes

  • 01 Lee
  • 03 Barron
  • 32 Legge
  • 02 O'Connor
  • 12 Adeyemi
  • 19 Forrester
  • 23 Hayes

Colchester

  • 01 Cousins
  • 04 Okuonghae
  • 18 Eastman
  • 20 Wilson
  • 10 Izzet
  • 14 Bond
  • 15 Bean
  • 22 Wordsworth (Morrison - 90' )
  • 24 Coker
  • 11 Sears
  • 16 Henderson

Substitutes

  • 35 Pentney
  • 03 Rose
  • 06 Heath
  • 25 White
  • 32 Sanderson
  • 09 Morrison
  • 21 Massey
Ref: Attwell
Att: 5,499

Match Stats

Shots

18 9

On target

7 4

Corners

4 3

Fouls

11 5

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +4:28 Full time

Full Time The match has reached full-time.

90:00 +3:16

Tom Adeyemi challenges Kem Izzet unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick crossed by Andy Bond, Shaleum Logan makes a clearance.

89:38 Substitution

Substitution Anthony Wordsworth leaves the field to be replaced by Clinton Morrison.

88:57

The referee gives a free kick against Harry Forrester for handball. Mark Cousins takes the free kick.

87:20

Harry Forrester provided the assist for the goal.

87:20 Goal scored

Goal - Farid El Alagui - Brentford 1 - 0 Colchester Farid El Alagui grabs a headed goal from close in. Brentford 1-0 Colchester.

84:34

Header from close range by Farid El Alagui clears the bar.

83:52

Farid El Alagui takes a shot. Save by Mark Cousins. Harry Forrester takes the outswinging corner, Magnus Okuonghae makes a clearance.

82:02

Unfair challenge on Tony Craig by Ian Henderson results in a free kick. Jake Bidwell takes the direct free kick.

80:42

Close range header by Tom Adeyemi goes over the crossbar.

79:08

Shaleum Logan takes a shot. Tom Eastman gets a block in. Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Harry Forrester, Tony Craig has a header from inside the six-yard box and clears the crossbar.

77:28

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Freddie Sears by Toumani Diagouraga. Free kick crossed left-footed by Anthony Wordsworth, clearance by Jonathan Douglas.

75:24

Free kick awarded for a foul by Farid El Alagui on Ben Coker. Direct free kick taken by Mark Cousins.

69:22 Substitution

Substitution Adam Forshaw leaves the field to be replaced by Tom Adeyemi.

68:17

Anthony Wordsworth takes a short corner.

65:57

Paul Hayes is caught offside. Mark Cousins restarts play with the free kick.

62:32 Substitution

Substitution Paul Hayes comes on in place of Clayton Donaldson.

62:32

Drilled shot by Kem Izzet went over the bar.

61:11

Harry Forrester produces a right-footed shot from outside the penalty box and misses wide left of the target.

60:44

Corner taken short by Anthony Wordsworth.

59:55

Corner taken by Anthony Wordsworth, clearance by Tony Craig.

58:41

Freddie Sears takes a shot. Blocked by Tony Craig.

57:56

Jonathan Douglas takes a shot. Save by Mark Cousins.

57:03

Clayton Donaldson is ruled offside. Mark Cousins takes the free kick.

55:02

Foul by Harry Forrester on Kem Izzet, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Magnus Okuonghae.

54:04

Foul by Tony Craig on Marcus Bean, free kick awarded. Free kick crossed left-footed by Anthony Wordsworth, Jake Bidwell makes a clearance.

52:37

Harry Forrester takes a shot from just outside the penalty area which clears the crossbar.

51:26 Substitution

Substitution Harry Forrester on for Sam Saunders.

50:10

Jonathan Douglas has a shot on goal from long range that goes wide left.

48:12

Freddie Sears takes a shot. Save by Simon Moore.

46:48

Ian Henderson gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Harlee Dean. Harlee Dean takes the direct free kick.

45:01

The referee gets the second half underway.

45:00 +1:33 Half time

Half Time The ref blows to signal half-time.

43:35

Marcus Bean fouled by Jonathan Douglas, the ref awards a free kick. Anthony Wordsworth produces a cross, Tom Eastman has a headed effort at goal from close in which goes wide left of the target.

40:54

Adam Forshaw challenges Ian Henderson unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Ben Coker.

39:11

Shot by Adam Forshaw from a long way out goes over the target.

38:54

Jonathan Douglas takes a shot. Blocked by Brian Wilson.

37:45

Shot from 25 yards by Shaleum Logan. Blocked by Anthony Wordsworth. Inswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Sam Saunders, Tom Eastman manages to make a clearance.

36:53

Magnus Okuonghae restarts play with the free kick.

36:53 Booking

Booking Sam Saunders is shown a yellow card.

36:45

Unfair challenge on Freddie Sears by Sam Saunders results in a free kick.

36:15

The official flags Freddie Sears offside. Free kick taken by Tony Craig.

32:56

Ian Henderson has an effort at goal from deep inside the area missing to the left of the target.

31:26

Free kick awarded for a foul by Anthony Wordsworth on Toumani Diagouraga. Simon Moore restarts play with the free kick.

30:22

Shot from 12 yards from Ian Henderson. Save by Simon Moore.

29:30

Anthony Wordsworth takes a shot. Tony Craig gets a block in.

25:51

Farid El Alagui has a header from close range and clears the crossbar.

22:13

Anthony Wordsworth produces a header from deep inside the six-yard box which goes wide of the right-hand post.

20:43

Tom Eastman fouled by Clayton Donaldson, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Mark Cousins.

19:39

Andy Bond produces a left-footed shot from close range which goes wide of the left-hand upright.

17:40

Unfair challenge on Farid El Alagui by Magnus Okuonghae results in a free kick. The ball is delivered by Sam Saunders, Clayton Donaldson takes a shot. Mark Cousins makes a save.

16:34

Jonathan Douglas gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Marcus Bean. Magnus Okuonghae takes the direct free kick.

15:41

Foul by Marcus Bean on Shaleum Logan, free kick awarded. Free kick crossed right-footed by Sam Saunders, Anthony Wordsworth manages to make a clearance.

13:03

Farid El Alagui concedes a free kick for a foul on Andy Bond. Free kick taken by Mark Cousins.

11:06

Close range effort by Clayton Donaldson goes over the bar.

8:57

Toumani Diagouraga has an effort at goal from close range which goes wide of the left-hand upright.

4:44

Corner taken right-footed by Sam Saunders from the left by-line, comfortable save by Mark Cousins.

3:54

Close range header by Clayton Donaldson goes over the crossbar.

0:00

The match gets underway.

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