Two goals by ex-loanee Scott Vernon gave Blackpool an easy three points at Layer Road this afternoon.

On the evidence of this afternoon's game against Blackpool at Layer Road, the U's Championship adventure will end in May 2008. Former U's loanee Scott Vernon's first half brace, thanks to errors by Adam Virgo, gave Simon Grayson's Seasiders a vital three points to continue their climb out of the relegation spots, and leave United adrift at the bottom of the table.

Blackpool were organised, defensively sound, tight in midfield with a spark of creativity and a striker who knew where the goal was. United were none of these. Yes, the low confidence that affects all sides at the bottom of the table was in evidence yet the U's forced opposition goalkeeper Paul Rachubka in to just one save - a Mark Yeates freekick that was well tipped over. It simply isn't, and wasn't good enough.

For the first time, Williams position as manager of Colchester United is under threat. Tactically, the U's weren't at the races with the wrong players chosen. It will be down to Cowling to decide whether to trust Williams with the small treasure chest he posesses. My gut instinct is that the U's boss will get two more games - but defeat in either (and expecially at home to League 2 Peterborough United in the FA Cup 3rd Round at Layer Road next Saturday) will see the former Ipswich Town midfielder part-company with the club.

Williams struggles began with a team-sheet that caused consternation amongst the home fans with Sheringham and Platt partnered upfront with Jamie Guy and Kevin Lisbie on the bench. The problem was clear to each and every U's fan - any pace the U's had in attacking areas was seated behind the manager. The starting twosome simply don't work together - and as I write many are wondering whether the thousands of pounds spent each week on Mr Sheringham's wages might have been better used on players such a Cureton, Iwelumo or Brown.

Kem Izzet had failed to recover from his dislocated thumb so Luke Guttridge started his second game in succession alongside Johnnie Jackson with Kevin McLeod and Mark Yeates set to pull the strings on the wings. Danny Granville and Karl Duguid were the fullbacks, with Virgo and Baldwin attempting to protect Dean Gerken in the U's goal.

For Blackpool, Scott Vernon got a rare start against the club for whom he scored a vital winner at Bournemouth which helped United's promotion to The Championship. Latvian Kaspars Gorkss was at fullback while Wes Hoolahan has been reciving interest from many of the bigger clubs - and Sheffield United.

I almost don't know where to start but I guess the best way is to go through each and every horrible incident as the game went. A quick word about the referee though - one of the best we've had though, of course, I didn't agree with every decision he'd made, and when booking Virgo I couldn't see why he waited until the player had had treatment before putting it into the notebook. Why not save time and do it while he's on the floor! Other than that any attempt to bounce the result on to the performance of the referee would be idiotic.

The U's PA announcer desperately tried to gee the U's fans up for the game in the face of the post-Christmas festivities. However, its a two-way thing and rarely did the U's give us anything to get excited about. Michael Jackson almost produced a Thriller of an opening to the game as he worked his way in to the U's box unmarker to head Hoolahan's corner a yard over Gerken's crossbar.

Guttridge, who always looked as though he wanted the ball but on occasions was let down by some wayward passing, did produce a lovely pass on to McLeod who was fouled as he made his way towards goal. Yeates' freekick in to the near post was initally caught by Rachubka who then allowed the ball to slip from his grasp and hit the woodwork before going out for a corner.

From the resulting set-piece, Jackson volleyed in to the Aaron Skelton Memorial Netting.

But from then on, it was pretty much all Blackpool for the rest of the half. Claus Jorgensen, who was sent off once at Layer Road when playing for Bournemouth, tested Gerken with a shot from outside the box which the U's keeper did well to parry behind for a corner before the same player tried his luck with a drilled low effort from around the same place only this time, the effort was always wide of the U's goal.

Just before the half-hour mark the U's went a goal down. An error from Virgo, who somehow managed to head the ball backwards, allowed Gary Taylor-Fletcher to lay the ball into the feet of Vernon who turned and fired past the U's keeper. Seconds later and the visitors almost doubled their lead when Michael Flynn's volley was deflected behind by the body of Gerken after yet more poor defensive play from the home side.

From my angle, it looked as though the U's had got back into the game shortly afterwards. The U's won a freekick thirty yards out which was to be taken by Yeates after his brace of free-kicks at Bloomfield Road had secured the U's a point. The Irishman's drilled shot was arrowing in towards the corner of the net before Rachubka got a hand on the ball to turn it behind for a corner.

McLeod switched wings for a while with Yeates which brought some joy. The former Swansea man cut inside from the right and saw his first shot blocked by some desperate defending by Blackpool, but then sliced his second effort from the edge of the box at the drummer in the away section.

The U's chances of success in this fixture were dealt another blow as Vernon grabbed his second goal of the game six minutes before the break. Again, Virgo was responsible as failed to clear the ball again and could only divert the ball into the bath of Andy Morrell. The former Coventry striker picked out Vernon at the far post who could really not fail to score. Virgo was later booked for a challenge on a Blackpool player which one T4 wag suggested was the closest he'd got to the ball all afternoon while a cacophony of boos greeted the U's players as the halftime whistle was blown.

Fifteen minutes was spent by the U's touchline managers deciding just how they would make the necessary changes to drag the U's back in to this game. Nearly all of them would have made a change at halftime by bringing one of our pacy strikers in to the game in the hopes of at least stretching the thick Tangerine line at the back. Williams did nothing, giving his starting eleven fifteen minutes to get themselves out of the jam they were in.

It didn't work though as Morrell slid the ball under the body of Gerken only to see his effort ruled out for offside. At the other end, Guttridge's blocked shot went towards Jackson on the penalty spot but he just couldn't get his balance right to power the ball towards goal. He did try and place it, but there was no fault to the player when his effort went wide.

McLeod produced a storming run down the left hand side, getting past two Blackpool defenders and getting to the byline before whipping in a cross to the near post which Sheringham couldn't quite get enough of a touch to divert it past Rachubka. However, that was more like it - getting to the byline, whipping good quality ball in to the box and making Blackpool's defenders defend with their bodies facing the goal, rather than away from it. Too often the balls are hit in to the box from areas of little or no-danger which defenders can head out with little or no resistance.

Eventually, Williams made his first change of the afternoon midway through the second half with Lisbie replacing the ineffectual Teddy Sheringham up front. However, that didn't prevent Morrell ghosting past Virgo on the edge of the box only to poke the ball just wide of Gerken's goal.

With seventeen minutes remaining Williams made his second change as Jamie Guy replaced Danny Granville and for me, I just can't work out what this was about. Fine, send on an extra striker. No problem with that. No problem taking off a defender either to go to three at the back - but don't take off your only left-footed defender in the side. That left the U's defence totally unbalanced with Baldwin or Virgo always having to turn on to his right to clear. It was a decision that smacked not only of desperation, but also of a struggle to cope tactically.

Blackpool should have made it three as the minutes ticked by as Taylor-Fletcher waltzed through the U's rearguard and seemingly on the six yard box, sliced his effort so wide that it went out for a throw in. Given that he was central to the goal at the time it has to be said to be some feet from the former Huddersfield man. A mis-hit clearance from Jorgensen went straight to Jamie Guy but his shot a block from a defender took all the power away from it, and Rachubka was able to save comfortably enough. As the U's looked for a goal to at least give their fans something to cheer - the day was summed up by a corner from Yeates then was drilled out of play before the near post.

That was it. Blackpool were fully deserving of their win and perhaps shoul have scored more than the two they had. Indeed, had they scored four or five you would be hard-pressed to find a U's fan who would argue too much that the result wasn't justified. United have got to take a long, hard look at themselves if they do not want to see this season slip away. They must ask difficult questions that people won't like the answers too, such as "Is Teddy really working", is "Adam Virgo a good enough central defender to keep him on", "Is my number two doing what he's supposed too" and finally, "Can I take this team any further". If the answer to those questions is no, then perhaps the honourable thing should be done now before its too late.

Shot of the Match: Mark Yeates' free-kick looked certain to find the top corner of the net.

Save of the Match: From the above free-kick, Rachubka somehow tipped the ball over the bar.

Moan of the Match: Even I, one of the more positive members of T4, have struggled to find anything positive to say about this performance.

Man of the Match: So few contenders to choose from. Yeates worked hard but for all his bluster and tricks there is little real output. Jackson went missing for large parts of the game (more to do with trying to stop Blackpool attacks more than anything else) while Virgo just......no, I've no words to describe a player who looks set to go down on record as one of the poorest seen at Layer Road in many a month. Out of desperation, I've given my MOTM to Gerken again. His two early saves kept the U's in the game for at least a little while longer.

Colchester: Gerken, Duguid, Baldwin, Virgo, Granville (Guy 73), Yeates, Guttridge, Jackson, McLeod, Platt, Sheringham (Lisbie 67). Subs Not Used: Cousins, Balogh, Wordsworth.

Booked: Virgo.

Blackpool: Rachubka, Barker, Jackson, Gorkss, Crainey, Taylor-Fletcher, Flynn, Jorgensen, Hoolahan (Fox 73), Vernon (Slusarski 90), Morrell (Burgess 87). Subs Not Used: Coid, Welsh.

Booked: Morrell, Barker.

Goals: Vernon 26, 36.

Att: 5,160

Ref: Paul Armstrong (Berkshire).

Photo: Action Images via Reuters