Colchester United made it three 1-0 wins in a row but left it late in a nail biting fixture against Leyton Orient. 

Orient started the brighter of the two teams and after 7 minutes Danielle Kite was unlucky to see her shot from 20 yards smash off the underside of the crossbar, no Orient player was able to react fast enough to put the ball in the back of the net and the U's managed to clear the ball from danger.  From the resulting corner Colchester's keeper was bundled over by the Orient forward and the ball fell to an Orient player 8 yards out who's shot was cleared off the line while the goalkeeper Nikita Runnacles lay helplessly in the back of the net holding her injured face.  When play was stopped Nikita was more worried about having a black eye for her school photos coming up in the week than the actual pain to her face. 

After the nervy start from Colchester they started to come back into the game and won a free kick in a good area 20 yards out.  Up stepped Rosee Golding who's shot looked to be sailing into the top right hand corner, only to see Paris Smith make a great save and tipping Golding's shot over the crossbar.  This seemed to be the spark for Colchester and they had some good possession winning 4 corners in the space of 5 minutes, Emma Wake coming closest to scoring, heading over from 6 yards out.  On 20 minutes a flowing attacking move from Colchester lead to an inch perfect cross from Jo Chase and Toni Smith having a great effort saved again by Paris Smith the O's goalkeeper. 

The next 20 minutes was forgettable as neither team created any decent chances.  However, on 42 minutes a great ball from Hannah Porter landed at the feet of Jo Chase who found space to get her shot off forcing another save from Paris Smith which was the last chance of the half. 

In the second half Colchester started much more brightly with a chance straight away for Jo Chase as she ran onto a long ball over the top only for it to run through to the keeper just as Chase was about to get her shot in.  On 50 minutes Orient were lucky to not have their young centre half sent off for fouling Toni Smith on the edge of the area when she was one on one with the keeper.  Only a free kick was awarded and again as in the first half Golding's free kick was tipped over the bar.  Colchester were starting to dominate possession and the U's defence stopped any pressure coming their way with some great defending from Krista Hultquist and Laura Watson.  It was not only the defenders with Toni Smith working extremely hard up front winning every first ball and tracking back continuously giving the Orient defenders a hard time and on the hour mark the impressive Toni Smith won a free kick in a wide position.  The free kick was taken and cleared but only to Golding who volleyed wide from 8 yards out.  With the remaining 15 minutes Orient pressed for the next 5 minutes and won 3 corners in a row.  Danielle Kite arguably Orient's best player missed their best opportunity of the game finding herself 10 yards out but blazed her shot over the crossbar.   

On 87 minutes it looked like it was heading for a 0-0 draw until Hannah Porter who scored the U's winner last week, beat the offside trap and found herself one on one with the goalkeeper.  Porter showed coolness personified and stroked the ball into the back of the net with great composure giving the U's a dramatic last-gasp victory leaving them top of the league.

Next weekend the U's are at home to Ipswich Town Ladies who held Northampton to a 2-2 draw last weekend. The game kicks off at 2pm at Alresford Town Football Club and is free admission for all.