LIGHTNING struck twice on Albion's travels as they shipped three goals again to suffer back-to-back 3-2 away defeats.

The Baggies made the perfect start as they looked to bounce back from their Southampton reverse a fortnight ago when Kevin Phillips, returning from a two-game ankle injury lay-off, fired home his seventh goal of the season in the sixth minute.

The lead lasted less than two minutes as Mark Yeates' free-kick levelled the scores and Kevin Lisbie's breakaway strike put the hosts 2-1 up.

But an end-to-end encounter and some poor defending by both sides at Layer Road saw Ishmael Miller restore parity six minutes before half-time.

And in a game that could have swung either way a reckless challenge by Martin Albrechtsen on Yeates gave the U's winger the chance to notch his second goal of the afternoon and what proved to be the winner from the penalty spot in the 68th minute.

James Morrison was also restored to the Baggies' starting XI as Chris Brunt and Zoltan Gera were dropped to the bench.

Albion took an early lead in the sixth minute in untypical fashion when Phillips sneaked in behind United skipper Pat Baldwin and lobbed Dean Kiely's long punt over Aidan Davison from just inside the area.

But two minutes later the hosts punished Leon Barnett for his foul on Johnnie Jackson just outside the box as Yeates stepped up to curl home a free-kick and level the scores.

Morrison managed to flash a cross in from the right by-line in the 11^th minute but neither Phillips nor Filipe Teixeira could get their heads on it despite their best efforts.

Three minutes later Phillips fed Morrison down the right and Miller looked like tucking away his cut-back before Adam Virgo's vital last-ditch challenge.

Slick passing by the visitors in the 18^th minute led to Robert Koren slotting Teixeira in on goal but from a tight angle the Portuguese winger's effort was blocked at the foot of the left-hand post by Davison.

A minute later Albion looked to be building some pressure on Geraint Willliams' men, only for the U's to catch them with the sucker punch.

A swift break from a Baggies corner then saw George Elokobi find Lisbie one-on-one with Albrechtsen.

And the former Charlton striker had the Danish international twisting and turning before slotting home from 12 yards despite Kiely getting his right hand to the ball.

Albion managed to compose themselves and in the 25^th minute Miller neatly controlled Teixeira's ball into him before turning Baldwin and firing high and wide with a left-foot effort..

Things almost got worse for Mowbray's men in the 27^th minute when Yeates was given the freedom of the right wing and picked out Danny Granville and Jackson at the back post.

But the two United men got in each other's way and allowed Kiely time to come and block at their feet before the ball was cleared.

Morrison homed in on the Colchester goal in the 32^nd minute and forced Davison to turn his low 20-yard cross-shot around the left-hand post for a corner.

Another attack by the hosts saw Yeates fire a low right-wing ball across the face of goal and Clive Platt came within inches of making contact with a late lunge.

Six minutes before the break Platt set Lisbie off down the right and he cut the ball back for Kem Izzet, whose goalbound exocet was blocked by the brave Barnett.

Just seconds later the Baggies equalised against the run of play when Morrison burst down the left and crossed to the back post where Miller headed past Davison.

Teixeira bamboozled Bela Balogh out wide on the left four minutes into the second-half and his ball across the six-yard box was almost tucked away by Phillips with a clever back-heel.

A simple ball forward by Granville split Barnett and Albrechtsen and allowed Lisbie in on goal in the 51^st minute - but he screwed his 18-yard strike wide of the right-hand post.

Almost immediately, Miller leapt highest to flick on Kiely's long punt and Phillips' lob this time lacked the height to beat Davison.

Williams made a change in the 58^th minute when Virgo made way for Matt Connolly at the heart of defence.

Jackson's right-wing corner was then met by Lisbie at the near post but he headed over.

At the opposite end Morrison's ball around the corner found Miller inside the box and his curling strike deflected wide for a corner.

Another Jackson flag-kick was only cleared to Izzet on the edge of the area in the 63^rd minute and he whizzed a shot inches past the left-hand upright.

Two minutes later Teixeria's left-wing corner rebounded back to him and he drove a low shot straight back into the side-netting.

A pass down the line by Granville allowed Yeates to receive the ball inside the box in the 67h minute and referee Kevin Friend had no choice but to point to the penalty spot following Albrechtsen's clumsy challenge on the U's winger.

Yeates picked himself up to slot the spot-kick home a minute later.

Mowbray made a double change in the 70th minute with Brunt and Gera replacing Teixeira and Koren.

Gera and Phillips both got flicks to Morrison's throw-in in the 78^th minute and Davison did well to block Brunt's strike at the back post.

The U's keeper then launched the ball forward for Platt, who held off Albrechtsen before firing a tame effort at Kiely from a tight angle.

Eight minutes from time Brunt spotted Phillips' run and the former England man headed just over from 18 yards.

Mowbray then handed Bartosz Slusarski his Baggies debut in the 84^th minute as he replaced Carl Hoefkens in the search for an equaliser, which never came.

COLCHESTER (4-4-2): Davison; Balogh, Baldwin, Virgo (Connolly 58), Elokobi; Yeates, Jackson, Izzet, Granville; Lisbie (Sheringham 75), Platt. Subs not used: Gerken (gk), Watson, McLeod.

ALBION (4-4-2): Kiely; Hoefkens (Slusarski 84), Barnett, Albrechtsen, Robinson; Morrison, Koren (Gera 70), Greening, Teixeira (Brunt 70); Miller, Phillips. Subs not used: Steele (gk), Cesar.

BOOKINGS: COLCHESTER - Yeates (foul 87); ALBION - Barnett (foul 89).

GOALS: COLCHESTER - Yeates (8, 68 pen), Lisbie (19); ALBION - Phillips (6), Miller (39).

REFEREE: K Friend (Leicestershire).

ATTENDANCE: 5,798.

ALBION STARMAN: James Morrison.

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