Geraint Williams' tenure as Colchester United manager hung by the slenderest thread this evening following a 3-0 defeat at home to the MK Dons.

Aaron Wilbraham's second minute goal for the visitors set seeds of doubt within the U's ranks and after 86 minutes of little U's goal action, Di Matteo's side made the game safe as Sam Baldock scored twice - both thanks to errors from defender Paul Reid.

It has been a long time since the U's fans raised their voices in one of displeasure about the current management regime at the club. Not since the dark days of Steve Whitton and Steve Wignall have the club looked as disorganised and un-interested as today. With stewards required to protect Williams from irate fans towards the end of the fixture, Robbie Cowling must decide soon whether to back, or to sack, the former Derby County midfielder.

Defeat - their first at their new home - leaves United second from bottom of the table after playing a side two divisions below us last season. However, the Dons looked organised and had a plan - United appeared the opposite and, a Wasiu chance excused, created absolutely nothing to worry Dons keeper Willy Gueret all afternoon.

United's under-fire boss made two changes to the starting line-up following last week's defeat at Crewe Alexandra. Perkins was finally given his full league debut while there was another debutant in Sunday-Akanni Wasiu who came in for Scott Vernon to partner Clive Platt. Anthony Wordsworth took the blame for last week's defeat by being left out of the squad altogether. Chris Coyne also came in to replace Matt Heath. The changes saw Jackson move to the left of midfield with Ifil just behind him.

Ninety seconds in to the game United went behind. Mark Wright found Aaron Wilbraham 25 yards from goal who let fly with an early effort which caught Gerken off-guard and unable to prevent it from going in to the net.

Wright's bad touch just outside the six yard box actually helped him as it wrong-footed Paul Reid behind but thankfully, the former Walsall man scuffed his shot and Gerken was on hand to complete the save.

The U's almost found their way through the Dons defence as Platt and Jackson combined to set Yeates up only for the U's wide man to fire over the bar. His blushes were saved by the Assistant though as he was adjudged offside.

Yeates came close just before the break with a free-kick from 25 yards that hit the woodwork before Perkins deep cross from Wasiu unmarked at the far post. However, the Nigerian striker tried to control the ball with his chest instead of heading it first time past Gueret, and that split second extra allowed the Guadeloupe goalie to dive on the loose ball.

The halftime whistle saw a chorus of boos from some sections of the U's faithful who clearly felt that the home side hadn't done enough in the first 45 minutes and it was difficult to disagree with them. Indeed, Williams himself agreed as he made a change at the break with Elito replacing John White. Ifil went to right back, Jackson to left back, whilst Yeates switched wings to allow the U's England U19 International to ply his trade down the right-hand side.

Elito had to thank his lucky starts when the U's were saved from going two down ten minutes after the re-start. The former youth team man lost to the ball in the centre circle to the energetic Wright who promptly raced down the wing and crossed to the unmarked Wilbraham who prodded home from close range. The former Hull City man's delight was short-lived though as he spotted that the Assistant had decided he was in an offside position when Wright crossed.

That disallowed goal spurned the U's fans on for a while but the team couldn't lift themselves. Gerken flapped at a corner from the left and was grateful that O'Hanlon swung at the ball and missed.

Vernon replaced Wasiu but still the visitors looked the more likely to score as Wright could not quite direct Wilbraham's cross the right side of the post for his team.

With quarter of an hour remaining Williams' played his (and what could be quite literally) last card as Hammond replaced the busy Kem Izzet in midfield.

Still though you just could not see the U's scoring unless it came from a set-piece from Yeates. Though many moaned at Clive Platt he was given little to work with when facing goal and as a striker you cannot score when you are looking at your own keepers face. Only once did United get round the back of the Dons when Hammond got to the by-line but his cross was just too high for the man playing against his former side.

United's horror showing was completed in the remaining minutes of the game as Roberto Di Mateo's side scored the second goal they had deserved and a third to round off an emphatic victory. Both goals were down to defensive errors by Paul Reid. Firstly, he managed a convincing impersonation of Adam Virgo when attempting to clear Lewington's ball forward and after missing his kick, allowed Baldock to fire past the exposed Gerken. Then, just a few minutes later, the same player was caught in possession again and Baldock tapped him from just a couple of yards.

The goal's brought about an exodus not seen at Layer Road for many a year. Fans made the feelings known to the long-serving Williams with several having to be ushered away by stewards. Though perhaps it wasn't fair to do that, they did on the other hand have a point. It wasn't good enough. Yes, Williams has been hampered by not having his record signing available to him this season, but surely one player does not make a team?

Williams is a proud man and this result will no doubt have hurt as much as all the others during his tenure. The fact remains though, that he has been given more money to spend than any other Colchester United manager and his team are currently second from bottom. It promises to be a difficult weekend for all involved in the club as someone must make a very hard decision.

Save of the Match: Saves? It could only have been by Gerken but I can't recall him making one.

Shot of the Match: Yeates did hit the post from a free kick.

Moment of the Match: Did everything hinge on Wilbraham's 2nd minute goal? Williams stated that our heads went down after the goal but surely, as manager, it’s his job to ensure that they don't?

Moan of the Match: I really shouldn't have had the pint before the game!

Man of the Match: Difficult to find many contenders in reality so I'm going for the debutant DAVID PERKINS. All willing to have the ball he was always in the face of the opposition - what a pity so many of his team mates aren't prepared to do the same thing.

Photo: Action Images

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