The U's made it four points from their last two away games as they put in an excellent display against Bristol City.

As they had done against Charlton, they roared out of the blocks to take the lead within the first ten minutes and, although they were pegged back in the match, they more than matched one of the best sides in the division.

Both Bristol and the U's were left rueing strong penalty appeals, with the visitors denied a cast iron spot kick right on the final whistle which left their players furious with the official.

The U's might have slipped to the foot of the table on the back of other results, but they will be hugely heartened with how they have matched two of the best sides in the division.

Indeed, the two teams were separated by the length of the league come 5pm, but the previous ninety minutes showed two teams going toe to toe.

The ups and downs of recent weeks have seen the U's and their fans on something of a rollercoaster ride, but the curve is definitely upwards, despite what the table may say.

The U's made four changes for the game at Ashton Gate, giving two players their debuts after a busy week in the transfer market.

Phil Ifil and Chris Coyne came into the team for George Elokobi and the injured Pat Baldwin, with a new look defence at the back. Clive Platt came in for Teddy Sheringham as the U's changed things up front as well.

Although there was no place for Karl Duguid, the U's went for a solid midfield with Johnnie Jackson moving out to the left flank and Luke Guttridge and Kem Izzet pairing up in the middle.

The two midfielders were in the thick of the action from the kick off, with Guttridge crossing into the middle and the ball coming out to Izzet, whose driven shot was blocked on the edge of the box.

It was a nice bright start from the U's in the first few minutes, but the home side then responded in kind with a spell of possession of their own.

Just as it seemed as though Elliott might score at one end - the midfielder miscuing a header in front of goal - the U's broke down the other end and opened the scoring themselves with six minutes gone.

Skipper Jackson did exceptionally well to work his way past the full back as the ball dropped to him on the left and he slid the ball through to Lisbie.

The striker kept his composure as he bore down on goal with plenty of space and, as Basso came off his line, he curled a ball around the keeper and into the bottom corner.

It was a very well worked goal and they almost repeated the feat four minutes later. This time, after a good spell of possession, it was a clever through ball by Yeates with the outside of his foot that sent Lisbie through.

Under more pressure from the defence this time around, he again got in on the goalkeeper and tried to poke the ball over the onrushing Basso, who pulled off a great save with a full length dive to his left.

The U's were playing some great stuff and some positivity by Jackson saw him bundle past his defender and slide in a great ball to Platt.

The striker's diagonal run was taking him away from goal, but it still needed Basso to be sharp off his line to deny the U's striker.

The U's kept probing though and the next chance fell to Lisbie on 15 minutes. Yeates drove from right to left across the box and pushed the ball to Lisbie and as he worked his way back along the area, he couldn't quite contrive space for a shot.

Next up, another fine move by the U's saw the ball crossed deep to the far post for Platt, who headed back into the danger area and it required a fantastic defensive header to deny the onrushing Guttridge, who would surely have buried the ball for 2-0.

The visitors had their first opportunity for quite a while when they pinned the U's back on eighteen minutes but first Ifil and then Virgo got their toes in and denied the home side as the visitors got themselves organised with two good banks of four.

But, as the home side started to turn the screw, the U's still were creating plenty, although Yeates would have hoped to have come closer when he struck a shot from the edge of the box, he eventually dragged his effort well wide.

The U's were breathing a sigh of relief midway through the first half as Sproule and Ifil ventured into the box and, as the City winger got past the U's man, Ifil put his toe in.

The City man went to ground and it seemed that the referee would be certain to point to the spot, but he deemed it a corner to the home side and that Ifil had got to the ball.

And it was the first time in the game that the Robins were getting on top, the U's having to defend manfully to ensure they kept the home side at bay.

It was all about tempo for Gary Johnson's side as they were quick onto any loose ball as they hunted for a way back into the game.

But opportunities were still at a relative premium, as the U's did their best to keep their shape at the back. 32 minutes were on the clock when the door half opened for Trundle, but Izzet zipped back and put the ball behind off the striker for a goal kick.

However, the home team got the goal their efforts deserved 90 seconds later. The ball was played out to Sproule down the left and he cut inside Ifil and worked himself into a position to curl the ball past the despairing dive of Gerken.

The Robins then looked like they had taken an immediate lead as after a bundle in the area, the ball fell to Vasko and he pushed the ball over the line.

Ashton Gate erupted, but the celebrations were cut short as the referee looked over to the linesman and deemed the goal was offside - much to Gary Johnson's annoyance.

The U's had been pounded for a good fifteen or more minutes but came out the other side relatively in tact and nearly got back in front on 36 minutes.

Another clever move sent Lisbie into the area but Basso was sharp off his line to deny the U's striker as he tried to get his shot away eight yards out.

The chances kept on coming though and the visitors, making the most of the width of the Ashton Gate pitch, got the ball out wide to McIndoe who cut inside and hit a shot that dipped over Gerken and pinged off the top of the crossbar and away to safety.

The U's were dangerous on the break and four minutes before half time again came close to beating Basso. A fine cross came into the area and Jackson had drifted into the middle - his header forcing the goalie into a sharp save.

That was followed by another fine Colchester move which saw Lisbie wait for the onrushing Yeates, laying it into his path and he was unfortunate to see his deflected shot go wide and away from the awaiting Platt.

From the resulting corner, the ball came to Guttridge on the edge of the box and, showing great technique, he smacked in a sidefooted volley which forced a fine save out of Basso who saw the ball through the bodies in front of him.

A breathless first half, reminiscent of the toe to toe encounter at Watford, came to a close with the two teams level.

And the home side started the second period at the same high tempo and Byfield almost escaped the U's back line four minutes into the half, only for a late linesman's flag to deny his run towards goal.

The opening spell of that second half did start more quietly than the first though in terms of chances and it would have been something that suited the U's more than the home team.

The Robins did have an escape eight minutes into the second half though as the U's bullied the ball off Vasko and broke towards goal.

Platt had Yeates outside of him and he drove in a shot that took a deflect, almost wrongfooting the goalkeeper who eventually collected behind his back foot.

The U's then came close on 56 minutes as Lisbie escaped the attention of his defender and dropped it back to Jackson twelve yards out and his sidefooted finish seemed destined for the back of the net with Basso out of position, but it clipped a defender and went over the bar.

The U's were working hard though to keep their position in the game, with Kem Izzet exceptional in his efforts to deny the Robins.

64 minutes were on the clock when Sproule again worked his magic down the left, wriggling past the efforts of Ifil. However, the winger was denied as Yeates got back and put in a brilliant tackle at the right moment.

The U's went down the other end and had a chance of their own as the ball found Jackson on the edge of the box. He miscued his volley, swiping his foot through the air, but Izzet followed up and forced Basso to save.

The game was stepping up a level again and Trundle spun away down the left midway through the second half and looked like he had engineered a position to shoot. However, Virgo stood strong and the appeals of the Welsh striker for a penalty interested the referee not a bit.

The former Swansea man did much better just after that, striking in a fierce shot that forced Gerken into a good save but the block was not necessary as the linesman's flag had gone up.

The U's were hopeful that they might test Basso with 70 minutes on the clock after Izzet was fouled, but after a long delay, Yeates was only able to lift his effort over the bar.

The visitors then penned the home side back with the ball ricocheting around the area for a good thirty seconds before eventually the Robins manoeuvred it clear.

The U's were finishing the game strongly and working hard to do so, so the home team were the first to make a change in an attempt for the magical third goal.

Showumni came on for Byfield with twelve minutes to go and was straight into the thick of the action as he came across the near post to try and tuck home a Sproule cross, but Gerken saved bravely.

Too bravely perhaps, as Gerken had to be substituted with ten minutes to go after taking a crack to the arm in that incident and Mark Cousins came on for the final stages of the match.

It would be a nervous conclusion to the game for the visitors, not least when Sproule won a free kick on the edge of the box and the young keeper had to punch clear.

Indeed, the U's were now themselves pinned back and defending manfully, as they tried to see off the Robins and their increasingly vocal home support.

Those fans were enraged when McIndoe got away through the middle but was again denied by the linesman's flag.

Johnson made one throw of the dice with ninety seconds to go, introducing McCombe for Trundle. Meanwhile, Ifil went off for Balogh, with the U's given four more minutes to see the game out.

They almost created a chance of their own when Jackson and Lisbie broke, and the latter was at the heart of huge drama right at the final whistle.

Lisbie battled his way into a decent position in the box and looked destined to score, but was hauled down by Vasko - only for the referee to wave away a penalty appeal as he had done for the home team in the first half.

Four excellent points from Charlton and Bristol and the U's tally ticks on.