Colchester won their first game since sacking Ben Garner, earning a 3-2 victory over Grimsby at Blundell Park.

Goals from Joe Taylor, Zach Mitchell and Arthur Read earned Colchester all three points after four straight League Two defeats.

Owen Goodman’s own goal and Donovan Wilson’s effort got Grimsby on the scoresheet.

Grimsby were gift-wrapped their opener after seven minutes when Will Greenidge hacked back towards his own goalkeeper and Goodman could do nothing but help that wayward pass into the net.

Read teed up Taylor for the equaliser three minutes later as the latter finished low and powerfully into the corner, while Colchester then went in front 10 minutes before half-time as Mitchell nodded in from an out-swinging Read corner.

Grimsby improved after the interval and Wilson made it 2-2 with a neat left-footed strike with 52 minutes on the clock.

Goodman kept Colchester in the match with two stunning saves and that proved to be telling with Read going on to grab a 64th-minute winner.