SWINDON Town slipped to fifth consecutive defeat this evening as Sammie Szmodics netted a late winner for Colchester United at the Energy Check County Ground.

The visitors led 2-1 with 15 minutes to play courtesy of Mikael Mandron’s header just after the hour but Town seemed to have the initiative when substitute Kellan Gordon fired them level.

However, parity stood for just three minutes as Szmodics took advantage of more slack marking in the home box to secure the points for the U’s and help his side leapfrog Town to climb into the League Two play-off places.

Kaiyne Woolery had earlier looked to have sent Town into half-time a goal to the good when he lashed home after a free-kick was not cleared but the hosts were caught out in first-half stoppage time as Frankie Kent restored parity when Swindon switched off at a corner.

Flitcroft made three changes to Town's last match - a 1-0 defeat at home to Forest Green Rovers in the second round of the Checkatrade Trophy - 10 days previously, switching back to a 4-2-3-1 formation as well.

Donal McDermott returned from an ankle injury after missing the last six games, with Woolery and Ben Purkiss also recalled to the side. Kyle Knoyle, Chris Robertson and Luke Norris were the three to drop out, with the latter missing altogether due to injury.

Woolery gave an early warning to the visiting defence when he stole the ball off Kent and raced towards goal, with the U’s centre-back having little option but to trip him and collect a booking after just six minutes.

Matt Taylor sent the resulting free-kick straight at keeper Sam Walker before the first real sight of goal came after a quarter-of-an-hour when Town’s Paul Mullin collected the ball on the left, cut infield and fired narrowly over the top from 25 yards.

It took 26 minutes for Colchester to muster up their first chance and it came via a Swindon error, with Kane Vincent-Young pouncing on a loose header from Purkiss before shooting over the top from the edge of the box.

Town looked the more threatening side and a Taylor corner was played short to McDermott, who offloaded to Mullin and his drilled ball across goal just eluded the outstretched leg of Woolery.

The goal that the hosts deserved arrived 10 minutes before the break when Mullin was tripped by Ryan Jackson high on the left. Taylor’s whipped free-kick cannoned off a head in the box and landed perfectly for Woolery to lash home from 12 yards.

Another Taylor set-piece created another chance for Town on the stroke of half-time when a half-clearance from a corner dropped to Keshi Anderson on the edge of the box but he blazed well over the top.

With just stoppage time to negotiate before the interval, Swindon unexpectedly found themselves heading back to the changing rooms all-square as they were punished for a lapse in concentration.

Drey Wright’s corner was not properly dealt with and after a scramble in the box, Kent blasted home from close range to give the U’s an undeserved equaliser.

Flitcroft rang the changes at the interval, sending Knoyle and John Goddard on for Purkiss and Anderson, and the duo combined for the first sight of goal after the restart as Goddard flicked a deep Knoyle cross back across goal but the U's were able to clear.

Colchester were not really offering much as an attacking threat but again caught Town out with a set-piece just after the hour mark when Mandron leapt high to slam home a header from Kyel Reid’s left-wing free-kick to put the visitors in front.

Reid then darted towards goal himself, with Swindon skipper Olly Lancashire getting a crucial foot in to send his shot into the side-netting.

Town introduced Gordon just shy of the 70-minute mark and he had an instant impact, hauling the home side level within seven minutes of replacing McDermott.

The wideman saw a long-range effort deflected behind and was then perfectly placed to rifle into the net when Taylor's corner was only half-cleared by the visiting defence.

However, parity lasted just three minutes as Szmodics restored Colchester’s lead after being picked out by Wright in the box before turning and firing past Lawrence Vigouroux.

Town tried to galvanise themselves for one last push and Woolery turned towards goal before drilling the ball across the box but no team-mate was there to meet it.

However, they almost fell further behind in stoppage as Mandron shot wide from close range and the final whistle shortly afterwards was greeted by a chorus of boos after another bad result for Town on home turf.

SWINDON TOWN: Vigouroux; Purkiss (Knoyle 46), Lancashire (capt), Preston, Iandolo; Linganzi, Taylor; Mullin, Anderson (Goddard 46), McDermott (Gordon 68); Woolery.

Substitutes: Henry, Robertson, Dunne, Brophy.

COLCHESTER UNITED: Walker; Vincent-Young, Eastman, Kent, Jackson; Reid (Murray 83), Lapslie (capt), Comley; Wright, Szmodics (Odelusi 90), Mandron.

Substitutes: Kpekwa, Hanlan, Slater, Gilmartin, James.

Referee: John Busby

Attendance: 6,020