page_title: 2016–17 Colchester United F.C. season
section_title: November
hierarchical_section_title: 2016–17 Colchester United F.C. season / Season overview / League Two / November
caption_attribution_description: English: Footballer George Elokobi.
context_page_description: The 2016–17 season was Colchester United's 80th season in their history and their first season competing in League Two following their relegation from League One in the 2015–16 season. It was their first season in the fourth tier of English football for 18-years. Along with competing in League Two, the club also participated in the FA Cup, EFL Cup and EFL Trophy.
  Distinct changes in form and a series of lengthy squad injuries dictated Colchester's season. Many first-team players found themselves ruled out by injury, including Matthew Briggs, Kurtis Guthrie, Denny Johnstone, Frankie Kent, Lewis Kinsella, Doug Loft, Luke Prosser, Craig Slater, and Sammie Szmodics. Early season promise faded in late September with a winless run that stretched to the end of November. A turn in fortunes saw the U's win seven out of eight league games through December into January, earning John McGreal the December League Two Manager of the Month award. They again suffered patchy form from January onwards until a late push for the play-offs saw a return to form in April. Colchester fell just one point short of a play-off place on the final day of the League Two season, finishing in eighth position.
context_section_description: Colchester attracted their largest crowd of the season on 12 November for their home game against Leyton Orient. The O's, who were in the relegation zone before kickoff, beat the U's 3–0 to drop Colchester to 22nd-position, just one point outside of the relegation places. Colchester slipped into the relegation zone on 19 November after they conceded two goals in the final four minutes of their game against Yeovil Town. Kurtis Guthrie's goal early in the second half was cancelled out by substitute François Zoko before fellow substitute Tahvon Campbell scored Yeovil's winner in the 90th minute.
  The U's recalled George Elokobi from his loan at Braintree Town and he was handed his first start of the season for Colchester's game against Cheltenham Town on 22 November. Owen Garvan made his first appearance of the season, assisting a goal as Colchester earned their first victory in eleven League Two matches, moving them out of the bottom two. Craig Slater scored first in the 48th minute following a goalless first half, before Brennan Dickenson scored his fourth of the season on 65-minutes. Three minutes later, a Tom Eastman header from a Garvan corner kick gave the U's a three-goal advantage. The match ended 3–0 to Colchester, while Cheltenham had Harry Pell sent off for simulation in the 87th minute. They followed this up with their biggest win of the season, a 4–0 home win over Crewe Alexandra on 26 November. Kurtis Guthrie opened the scoring in the first-half, while Owen Garvan, Drey Wright and Brennan Dickenson scored in the second half to move the U's up to 15th.
caption: Colchester embarked on a winning run after recalling and reinstating George Elokobi from his loan at Braintree Town.
exif: {}