It was an indication as to how well Latics performed at Colchester that home keeper Ben Williams was named man of the match.

There was also a compliment from U's manager Aidy Boothroyd who described Latics as the best visiting team to visit the Weston Homes Community Stadium in the current campaign.

Sadly the kind words counted for nothing at the end of the day as Latics suffered a heartbreaking defeat.

Other than a failure to put the ball in the net, there was little wrong with Latics' display which again showed the fine dividing line between top and bottom in League One.

Once more a neutral would have been mistaken for thinking Latics were the high-flyers instead of battling at the bottom end of the table.

Manager Dave Penney found encouragement despite the defeat which  leaves Latics one spot clear of the relegation places.

He said: "We should have scored two or three goals. There are a lot of positives, but we were disappointed to get no points because the performance was good.

"We had a shout for a penalty turned down for a foul on Chris Taylor and Colchester then went up the other end and scored from a corner.

"That is the way it is at the moment. When you are at the top you ride your luck, but when you are at the bottom you lose 1-0 like we did.

"We will have a change of fortune if we keep working hard as we have been doing and putting in performances like that. The deflections will eventually go in off someone's backside."

The afternoon had seen Latics miss a hatful of chances and on another day they might have won by some distance.

Jason Price had the misfortune of twice being denied by the frame of the goal while striking side kick Pawel Abbott could have scored  a second-half hat trick.

The opening half produced only two clear-cut chances as Latics keeper Dean Brill made a brilliant save to deny Steven Gillespie who burst clean through on goal while Price headed against the upright from an Abbott cross.

There was no shortage of action in the second half as Latics peppered the home goal and must still be mystified at their failure to find the net.

Williams made a brilliant save to deny Abbott from point-blank range and then another decent stop to keep out a free kick from Dale Stephens and it looked only a matter of time before Latics scored.

But there was always a nagging fear they would be punished for failing to take their chances, as sadly proved to be the case.

Midway through the second period, centre-half Danny Batth was left unmarked at the near post to head home a David Prutton corner, his first goal for the U's with whom he is on a season-long loan from Wolves.

Penney sent on Joe Colbeck and Keigan Parker for the injured Chris Taylor and Deane Smalley and they provided fresh legs on a gluepot pitch which sapped energy.

Latics continued to make most of the running as Abbott had two shots blocked by Williams who also pulled off an excellent full length diving save to turn away Colbeck's drive after he cut in from the left.

You knew it was destined not to be Latics' day when, with four minutes left, Parker set up Price whose shot deflected off Matt Heath and looped over Williams who was saved by the crossbar.

Colchester (4-4-2): Williams; Ifil, Batth, Heath, Tierney; Prutton, O'Toole, Izzet, Wordsworth; Platt, Gillespie (Lisbie 75). Subs (not used): Cousins, Fox, Elito, Knudsen, Henderson, Vincent.

Latics (4-4-2): Brill; Marrow, Hazell, Gregan, Jacobson; Smalley (Parker 80), Furman, Stephens, Taylor (Colbeck 72); Abbott, Price. Subs (not used): Aljofree, Lomax, Lee, Brooke, Flahavan.

Referee: Mr J Linington.

Attendance: 5,321.