The biggest crowd of the season at Portman Road, 28,355 watched a penalty from Alan Lee and goals from Sylvain Legwinski and Danny Haynes give Town the derby honours.

Jim Magilton's side had to come from a goal down to take the points though, Karl Duguid's controversial opener putting Colchester ahead inside the quarter hour.

Lee levelled the scores from the penalty spot just before the half hour mark before Legwinski's header early in the second-half put Town in command.

Just as he did against Norwich, Haynes came off the bench to find the net and seemingly secure victory but Chris Iwelumo scored from the penalty spot after David Wright was sent-off for handball in the last seconds of the game.

Alan levels the scores from the spot

Wright returned to the starting line-up after missing the FA Cup win over Chester, the recent signing from Wigan making his home debut for Blues.

Billy Clarke came in alongside Lee in attack with Jaime Peters keeping his place on the right side of midfield.

Wayne Brown was in the Colchester line-up, making his first return to Portman Road since leaving the Club in 2002.

The game started at a frantic pace, Dean Gerken quickly off his line to deny Lee, with Duguid testing Lewis Price from the edge of the box.

Richard Naylor headed wide from a Gary Roberts corner, Peters shot just wide before the game exploded on 14 minutes. Clarke and Lee linked up inside the box and Clarke's shot was diverted towards and clearly over the goalline by Garry Richards before being toed away to safety. Colchester immediately broke and Hogan Ephraim took a long ball in his stride, shrugged of Naylor's challenge and set up Duguid who buried his shot in the Town net.

Blues' players surrounded referee Graham Laws to protest that Clarke's shot was over the line and the striker couldn't contain his fury, picking up a yellow card for venting his anger at the referee's assistant, Mr Lewis.

Sylvain heads in Town's second goal

Roberts then had a free-kick palmed around the post by Gerken and from the corner, Alex Bruce saw his header cleared off the line by Kevin Watson. At the other end, Watson had Price scurrying across his goal with a 20 yarder.

Lee headed over from Roberts' cross, with Iwelumo then shooting at Price as the game continued to be played in an open and fiercely contested manner.

Gavin Williams went close with a free-kick before Town levelled just before the half hour. Richards was adjudged to have pulled down Lee with the arms and the Republic of Ireland international did the rest from the spot. Greg Halfordbooked for his protests over the penalty award.

Town flooded forward and Roberts sent another free-kick inches past the post, the signing from Accrington Stanley then rattling the bar from 25 yards just before the break.

Ephraim failed to test Price from 25 yards in the first action of the second-half, the lively U's front player then forcing a corner that Price gathered after Wright had guided the ball back to him.

Town's second goal came 10 minutes after the break, Legwinski and Bruce challenged at the near post for a left sided corner with the Frenchman heading in his fourth goal of the season.

Colchester boss, former Town midfielder Geraint Williams, made his first change of the game, Jamie Guy replacing Ephraim just past the hour.

Lee brought the home fans to their feet with a turn and strike from 25 yards that went just wide before Blues made a change, Haynes coming on for Clarke on 67 minutes.

Iweluno headed in on 70 minutes after a series of shots had been blocked but was clearly offside, Naylor then doing well to clear from Guy inside the box.

Johnnie Jackson replaced Kemal Izzet as the game entered the last 15 minutes, Brown picking up a booking after a foul on Lee.

Naylor, excellent at both ends of the pitch, showed he's still got a striker's touch, holding the ball up well before setting up Peters who blazed wide. Haynes then forcing a save out of Gerken after bursting past the Colchester defence.

Haynes made no mistake nine minutes from time though, Peters sending him through and the 19-year-old slipping the past over Gerken.

George O'Callaghan was handed his Town debut for the final five minutes, replacing Lee with Matt Richards coming on for Roberts.

Blues' fans ended up nervously calling for the final whistle though after Iwelumo scored from a penalty, Wright sent-off for deliberate handball with referee Laws bringing a cracking game to a conclusion with a final blast of his whistle.

The red card leaves Wright suspended for next Saturday's FA Cup tie against Swansea, Williams booked for his protests at the decision.

Town: Price, Wright, Naylor, Bruce, Harding, Peters, Legwinski, Williams, Roberts (Richards 90), Lee (O'Callaghan 86), Clarke (Haynes 67). Subs not used: Supple, Wilnis. Sent-off: Wright. Booked: Clarke, Williams.