Colchester United won their second home game of the season in thrilling style as they came out on top in a five goal encounter.

The two sides came into the encounter as the top scoring sides in the division and the match did not disappoint as an end to end match saw chances throughout.

Mark Yeates was the headline maker with two of the three goals - yet another free kick special being followed up by the Irishman converting a penalty that he won himself.

And although the former Spurs man deserves all the plaudits he gets, much praise must go to Kevin Lisbie and Clive Platt, who worked their socks off up front to provide a potent threat up top.

The Baggies were a threat throughout themselves, but the U's kept them at bay as the Layer Drome effect returned once again.

The U's made two changes to the side that had started against Stoke, with Bela Balogh and Aidan Davison coming in for Karl Duguid and Dean Gerken respectively. The U's captain had had a recurrence of his ankle injury picked up in the game a fortnight ago.

It was on the substitutes' bench that the home team also had notable changes, with Teddy Sheringham and Kevin Watson returning to action to give Geraint Williams options for later in the game.

But the visitors took the lead with just five minutes on the clock. The ball was cleared by Dean Kiely on the edge of his own box and the U's back line didn't deal with it as it bounced at the other end of the pitch.

Kevin Phillips made the most of the moment of hesitation by Pat Baldwin and lofted the ball over the head of the despairing Aidan Davison, who had come forward in anticipation of the nod back from his defenders.

The U's went straight down the other end and scored from a free kick on the edge of the box. Jackson's determination saw him fouled on the fringes of the area and Mark Yeates made no mistake as he powered home a free kick past Kiely for his sixth of the season, the fifth from such a set piece.

The goal sent the U's fans into delirium and the atmosphere begun to climb to the heights of last year's Layer Drome experience for the first time this season.

The Baggies came close to regaining the lead on ten minutes as Miller held off the U's defence and laid the ball out wide for Koren to cross. It eluded all efforts to head it in, with Teixeira just shy at the far post.

Teixeira got in again on 17 minutes, as some clever interplay around the edge of the box saw the Portuguese wide man slid in at the far post, but Davison saved well.

That save proved crucial as the U's went in front on 19 minutes. The U's finally got hold of the ball and Jackson moved it towards the halfway line.

Lisbie was already on his bike and chased after a brilliant through ball, holding off the attentions of Albrechtsen, cutting inside his man and breaking into the area. He fired in a low shot that Kiely got a hand to, but couldn't prevent creeping into the bottom corner of the net for 2-1.

Lisbie was in the thick of the action, making a nuisance of himself and he was joined on the front foot by Jackson, who burst onto a loose ball midway through the half, losing his footing as he went into the box. The home fans appealed hopefully for a spot kick, but it would have been a fortunate award had it been given.

The U's were not far off adding to their tally on 27 minutes. Yeates ran at Robinson and the full back was turned back and forth before - from a standing position - the winger stood up a delightful cross with the outside of his foot, that Granville and Jackson were unable to bundle home at the far post.

The visitors, who had perhaps seen that they weren't having the best of the midfield battle, had opted to instead go long to the aerial power of Miller to try and cause problems up front.

When the U's cleared one such ball, Morrison strode onto it and hit a low shot that had Davison scrambling along his line to turn around the post.

It was Yeates who was pulling the strings and again nearly turned provider on 34 minutes with a sensational low cross.

The wide man was fed the ball by Lisbie and he held onto it as Platt, Granville and Lisbie surged in, but the brilliant ball eluded all efforts in the six yard box to convert it.

Lisbie then turned provider again on 39 minutes, bursting into the box and then cutting back, laying the ball into the path of Izzet, whose shot was blocked.

That defensive block proved crucial as the Baggies drew level on 40 minutes. Good work by Morrison who cut from right to left saw him wrong foot Baldwin and send over a cross that Miller met at the far post to bury past Davison.

The U's again pushed straight down the other end and the ball went from Elokobi on the left to Yeates on the right and the winger appeared to be obstructed as he tried to get into the box. It was a free kick, of that there was no question, but neither ref nor linesman showed any interest.

The home team were not cowed by being pegged back and were crunching into tackles.

And, after they survived a half hearted Baggies penalty appeal just before the break, the home team had a shout of their own not long after the restart.

Yeates burst into the box and was felled as he came face to face with Hoefkens, but the referee adjudged that the U's man had run into his opponent who had at least tried to make himself small.

The Baggies then went close to taking the lead as Teixeira again worked his magic and sent over a low cross from the byline that Phillips tried to turn home with a flick of his instep.

The U's were catching their opponents on the counter attack at this point and five minutes into the second half, Granville sent Lisbie off on a chase with Barnett, as in the first half.

Again Lisbie got the better of his opponent but, with the defender closing him down, he struck a shot on the rise that skewed wide of the post.

It looked like it might cost the U's again as Phillips escaped the attentions of the back line, but he couldn't quite work his feet as he got into the box to lift the ball over the onrushing Davison, who caught at head height.

The Baggies fans were again calling for a penalty as Teixeira was felled by a U's tackle, but the referee again erred on the side of the defender.

The U's made their first change on 59 minutes as Matt Connolly was introduced for Adam Virgo. The substitute had not touched the ball before Lisbie flashed a header over the upright from a whipped corner.

Miller was one of the dangermen for the visitors and curled in a shot on 61 minutes that flicked off a U's man as it went past the far upright.

But Colchester continued to battle hard to unlock things at the other end, with Lisbie putting in a real shift up front alongside strike partner Platt.

Their combined efforts won the U's a corner on 62 minutes but as the ball came to Izzet on the edge of the box, he dragged his shot just wide.

From another set piece, though, the U's regained the lead on 67 minutes.

The U's had combined cleverly down the left with Granville and Platt and as Yeates burst into the box, he was felled by Albrechtsen.

After his frustrations at not getting decisions against Burnley and earlier against the Baggies, the referee pointed to the spot this time and the winger made no mistake as he slotted home his seventh of the season.

The goal saw Tony Mowbray make his first changes of the afternoon midway through the half, with the impressive Teixeira being replaced by Chris Brunt and Koren having his place taken by Zoltan Gera.

The U's made their own second change just after the 75 minute mark, with Lisbie coming off to be replaced by Sheringham. The experienced man would need to hold the ball up to let his team-mates join in, as the U's were beginning to sink deeper onto the top of their area.

Baggies substitute Brunt had a half sight of goal as a ball from the right reached the far post, but Davison was out quick to turn it behind from a corner.

The U's broke straight down the other end and a deft header from Sheringham sent Platt into the box.

The front man was on his weaker left foot and, as he tried to move it onto his right, he was only able to stab his shot from a tight angle straight into the arms of Kiely.

The visitors were not to be defeated without a fight though and a clipped cross from Gera into the box saw Phillips rushing in, but he was only able to push his header over the bar.

Mowbray took off Hoefkens and brought on Slusarski for the final five minutes of the match as he went all out for a way back into the match.

The U's fans, excellent in their support of the team through the game, were getting quieter as the match came to a close, knowing that their side were close to a crucial win.

They were frustrated as their side kept the ball in the corner from a set piece, but saw Jackson go close with a whipped effort.