The U's lost 1-0 at home to Wolves after Adam Virgo's error led to Sylvain Ebanks-Blake's 14th of the season.

I didn't sleep very well last night. I tossed and turned, but however hard I tried I just couldn't get yesterday's game out of my mind. Why, in perhaps the most important game so far, where we so passionless, disjointed and frankly, pathetic? I can only hope that Geraint Williams and Kit Symons have got up this morning with the same bags under their eyes.

From the very start there were problems with a team selection that had most U's fans in deep thought before kick-off. Kevin Watson was recalled to the side in place of John White who had failed to recover in time from his dislocated elbow last week. Kevin Lisbie also returned to the starting line-up in place of the unfortunate Scott Vernon but aside from that, it was as you were with new signing Izale McLeod on the bench.

However, the true horrors of the team selection only became apparent as the sides lined up for kick-off. Johnnie Jackson, who has been in inspired form for the U's in the last couple of months, was standing at left back. I cannot think of a single good reason to take the heartbeat of the side away from where he was playing best. Yes, with White injured, Elokobi lining for Wolves instead, and Granville injured, Williams didn't have too many options but had he forgotten about how well Karl Duguid had played on the left hand side when the U's won promotion to The Championship?

That left a midfield four of Kevin McLeod, Kem Izzet, Kevin Watson and Karl Duguid. There was obviously some connection in the midfielders all beginning with the letter 'K' most probably because we spent the game going 'kin'hell' or words to that effect.

Duguid, who should have been playing at left back at not on the right hand side of midfield, picked up an early injury which I understand has been diagnosed as a broken foot which is clearly a blow given the club's current injury crisis and perhaps, he is excused from some of the criticism the midfield four received.

However, the remaining three must take the majority of the blame. Watson didn't look fit and hardly got in to the game at all but managed to survive the full ninety minutes thanks to an even worse performance from Izzet. Now I like the U's diminutive midfielder and though this clearly wasn't his day he did, at the very least, always show for the ball and generally help out at the back when required. That just leaves Kevin McLeod. Quite what you say him the former Evertonian is difficult to put down on paper. Aside from the shot which led to Platt's goal against Bristol City, his influence on games since Christmas has been negligible. Is he really only playing because we've got no one else?

About midway through the second half, Duguid was forced to leave the field after picking up a knock in a challenge with Michael Gray in the early stages of the game. So that's our right midfielder off, so who do you bring on? Not another midfielder of course, but an out-an-out striker in Izale McLeod. Dean Hammond on the bench must have wondered what the hell was going on! It was a gamble from George that failed to pay off. I'm sure he's a decent enough player but at no real point yesterday, one second half run excepted (and that was on the left) did he look as though he was going to unlock the Wolves door.

Up front the U's were also lacking in ideas. True, they had no midfield backing them up or supplying them with any sort of service of note and it didn't help that Craddock, Collins and Breen had Clive Platt pretty much in their pocket all afternoon. I'm not sure why then, the U's didn't change anything up front all game. Vernon stayed rooted to the bench as Bela Balogh came on for Kevin McLeod (Ifil switched to the left, and Jackson (70 minutes too late) went into left midfield) and Hammond replaced Izzet who knew he was having an off day.

But what I don't understand is why we didn't try things. The two McLeod's never switched wings as far as I recall, while not once did Lisbie have ten minutes on the right hand side of midfield instead and push the other McLeod up front to where he normally plays. Surely, that had to be worth a punt? Also, one down and with five minutes to go why did we continue to go 4-4-2? A switch to 4-3-3 might just have worked with McLeod and Lisbie's pace against the Wolves backline.

The one bright part of the afternoon was that the U's defence was pretty solid. However, one terrible mistake from Adam Virgo (how many times have I written that sentence so far this season) cost the U's the three points. It was a simple ball over the top that turned Virgo, and when the ball held up in the wind, he mistakenly let it bounce. It was just the moment Sylvain Ebanks-Blake needed to steel in and fire past the exposed Dean Gerken for his 14th of the season. In fairness to Virgo he had a pretty decent game up to and after this point but these regular mistakes are costing the club so much that the manager has to decide whether he's going to accept them any longer.

There will, of course, be complaints that the U's were too over-reliant on the long balls from the back and that is true but what other options did they have? Finding Watson or Izzet would inevitably end up with the ball coming straight back at them, so better to clear it as far as they could and bypass the midfield, then just find it coming straight back at them.  I'm sure that at no point in the game the U's did produce a passing move of six, seven or even passes that got us within sight of goal. For me, that's how you play the game - on the grass - but today, I could fully understand the defenders not wanting to risk such a thing.

Of course the U's did create a few chances - they were the home club after all. Kevin McLeod's penalty box volley was directed straight at Hennessy rather than meant with the full force of the boot while later in the first half, the same player was only inches away from burying Lisbie's cross after the former Charlton had stolen the ball on the half way line and accelerated goalwards.

The U's best chance came just before the break. For once Lisbie beat the Wolves offside trap and was away one on one with the keeper. Now I don't know whether its me, but the U's leading goal scorer looks neither confident or comfortable in these types of situation when he is bearing down on goal and true to for, he got to close to the keeper and saw his shot bounce away to be hacked to safety by a grateful Wolves defence.

The second half was worse than the opening 45 minutes with the highlight being the passing round of the mint imperials. For the first ever time I can recall midway through the second half, I just could not see the U's getting a goal. It just wasn't going to happen. I've always been fairly optimistic in these situations but I could not see one redeeming feature on the performance.

That the U's did make a couple of chances is credit to them I suppose. Hennessy saved at his near post from Jackson's shot from an acute angle. While right at the death, Jackson's free-kick was deflected away for a corner. The former Spurs man took it quickly and Hammond flicked on at the near post but the ball was just slightly beyond Izale McLeod at the far post who couldn't get a touch to the ball that would direct it goalwards and from a yard or so out, he would surely have grabbed the U's an undeserved equaliser.

I'm sorry that I haven't concentrated on the efforts from Wolverhampton. They had some but generally they were restricted to shots from outside the box and, from memory at least, I don't recall Gerken making a save of any real note. That's not to say they didn't deserve the points. They did. But I'm sure they didn't expect to be quite so easily given up by a side that's now staring relegation full in the face.

Shot of the Match: This award would have gone to any sniper on the roof who took out any of the U's midfield this afternoon but in truth, I can't recall one serious effort that had either keeper worried.

Save of the Match: Hennessy denied Lisbie just before the break.

Moment of the Match: How would the U's have reacted had they got back level just before the break from Lisbie's one-on-one chance?

Man of the Match: Well, it has to come from the defenders or goalkeeper as not one of the attacking options represented a well spent week's wages for Mr Cowling (though I am tempted to give it to Scott Vernon for being fortunate enough to stay on the bench). However, I've decided to give it Chris Coyne who has looked a solid buy for the club and hopefully, he'll be someone we can build the club around next season in League One.

Colchester: Gerken, Ifil, Virgo, Coyne, Jackson, Duguid (I McLeod 39), Izzet (Hammond 69), Watson, K McLeod (Balogh 70), Platt, Lisbie.
Subs Not Used: Bankole, Vernon.

Booked: Virgo.

Wolverhampton: Hennessey, Collins, Breen, Craddock (Foley 34), Elokobi, Elliott, Potter, Henry, Gray (Gibson 77), David Edwards, Ebanks-Blake (Kyle 77).
Subs Not Used: Stack, Eastwood.

Booked: Gray.

Goals: Ebanks-Blake 30.

Att: 5,989

Ref: Iain Williamson (Berkshire).

Photo: Action Images

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