The U's wait for a first ever victory at Stoke City goes on, as they fell to their first away defeat of the season on Saturday.

A quiet first half had seen the home team take the lead early on by Ryan Shawcross, but the U's battled back yet again this season to pull themselves all square with a goal from Clive Platt.

From that point, it appeared that the U's might go on and sneak a surprise win, but it was the impressive Liam Lawrence who won the day with a fizzing shot that flew past Dean Gerken.

The U's had once again pushed their opponents all the way, but were left to rue the goal conceded from the corner in the early stages.

The U's named an unchanged side from the one that had beaten QPR in midweek, the sole change coming on the substitutes' bench, with Bela Balogh making his first appearance in a matchday sixteen, with Medy Elito making way.

It was a much changed Colchester side from their last visit to Stoke, though, with only four of the starting eleven still in place from the last visit at the end of 2006/7.

The home team started, as expected, on the front foot, with the U's having issues picking up their men as Stoke moved the ball around well.

They were at least holding their line against the Potters, with the home side restricted to shots from distance, as Delap and Lawrence had efforts blocked.

A better effort by Sidibe was blocked behind from a corner and, from the resultant set piece, Shawcross dropped off his man to power home a header for his fourth goal of the season.

It would have frustrated boss Geraint Williams immensely to see his side undone from a corner, but they did much better with the next one to be thrown into the box as Clive Platt headed clear.

The home team continued to turn the screw, though, with the U's not really testing Steve Simonsen until a quarter of an hour was on the clock.

A well crafted move saw the ball played out to Granville on the left and his measured cross was well taken by the Stoke keeper under pressure from Platt.

Another City set piece on 18 minutes saw Wilkinson flick on the ball towards goal, only for the ball to drop narrowly over the bar as Gerken scrambled across.

The U's were starting to find their feet in the game and only a saving tackle at the last prevented Yeates getting in on goal as he cut in from the left.

Yeates was again in the thick of the action on 26 minutes.

Platt did excellently to win the ball in the box and laid it back to Granville. His cross at the second time of asking was cleared out to Jackson, who in turn played a clever reverse ball to Yeates, who lashed a fierce shot into the side netting.

Platt then did well to get up for a header to lay it on for Lisbie and he cut in, then out, before driving in a shot that took a deflection for a corner.

The home team then broke away from the second set piece in a row for the U's, with Duguid tracking Creswell all the way into the box. The visiting skipper blocked the ball and was left writhing on the ground as Lawrence eventually fired over.

There was no way back for the Colchester captain, who having twisted his ankle was substituted on 33 minutes by Bela Balogh for his debut for the visitors.

The Hungarian saw plenty of the ball in his early moments, but it was Elokobi who did well on 36 minutes to shadow Fuller and prevent him getting his shot away.

The home team made their first change as a full back of their own went off injured - Dickinson replacing Wilkinson.

They really should have doubled their advantage just before the break as Shawcross was just short of a deep cross into the box and then Fuller fired right back across goal from a narrow angle.

The home team started the second half as they had the first with a corner, but Eustace was not able to direct his effort on target.

The U's were using the ball much better in the early parts after the restart and a good spell of retaining the ball saw Yeates cutting in on goal.

He weaved past two before being dispossessed and as it came back to Jackson, his measured effort from the edge of the box was well blocked by the home defence.

The Potters were dangerous pushing forward, but Yeates and Platt combined again on 52 minutes to again lay it back to Jackson, but once more his shot was charged down.

The U's did pull level on 58 minutes, though after a moment of real quality from the visitors.

Again, it was a cross of real quality from Granville, and as it dropped to Platt inside the box, he headed back past Simonsen to get the U's on the scoresheet.

The home team nearly got back in front as the ball was played back to Fuller just inside the box and, as Virgo closed him down, he pulled his shot the wrong side of the near post.

The U's had the home team out of their rhythm as the second half unfolded and City were sitting deeper on the ball, giving the visitors more chance to get out and play their stuff.

As a result, Tony Pulis made his second change of the game, introducing Jon Parkin in place of Sidibe for the last quarter of the match.

The U's were retaining the ball much better than in the first half, and nearly got their noses in front when Yeates threw in a great cross that was just too long for the men in the middle.

Granville helped it back into the danger area, but it wouldn't quite sit down for Izzet and Lisbie and the home team cleared.

That miss proved crucial as a ball was played forwards down the right with Lawrence chasing forwards with Elokobi. The Stoke man earned some space and lashed in a fantastic shot over the onrushing Gerken and into the upper part of the net.

The goal saw the U's make their second change of the game with Jamie Guy coming on for Danny Granville. Yeates switched to the left, Guy taking up the right wing berth.

It was from Guy's side of the pitch that the home team next threatened, Cresswell teasing Balogh before firing in a low cross, which Parkin diverted over the bar with an instinctive flick of the boot.

With the goal advantage, the home team began to sit deep - to the frustration of their fans - and that in itself gave some incentive to the U's to push forwards.

Balogh then saw yellow for a foul on Cresswell, before the U's broke forwards and Platt headed back into the danger area. Lisbie flicked it up with his right boot, but saw the ball cleared before he went to pull the trigger.

Elokobi did manage to pull the trigger, but it soared wide, whilst Delap's effort from similar range at the end was saved at the second attempt.

The shots were raining in and a low effort on the angle was well held by Simonsen, given that the ball had taken a deflection on its path to goal.

And, try as the U's might, they were unable to find a second path to goal as that unbeaten away record came to an end.

Plenty to consider for boss Geraint Williams during the international break, but the U's will be raring to go when West Brom come to town.

Att: 12,395