On the positive side, the performance was a significant improvement on the bloodless defeat at Sudbury last time out, Colchester scoring four tries to finish with two bonus points.

But the uncomfortable fact is that Colchester have now lost four of their last five matches, dropping to fifth in the league.

Credit goes to Harpenden who did the basics well, made few mistakes, thrived off quick ball and defended like demons.

While Colchester’s forwards impressed, the line-out was too often off-beam and questions remain about their defence and inability to punch through and finish scoring opportunities.

Colchester welcomed back a number of senior players from injury or work commitments, including the Mitchell brothers in the front row, James Crozier and coaches’ man-of-the-match David Higgins.

They started brightly, prop James Mitchell capitalising from a succession of rucks with the first of his hat-trick of tries inside five minutes. Higgins’ conversion went narrowly wide.

With Colchester a man down - Graeme Hay popping a rib and replaced by Harrison Pickett - Harpenden hit back through number 8 Michael Goode, his try converted by Tom Sweeney.

Colchester regained the lead on the half-hour. Harpenden messed up a line-out 10 metres from their own line. Oly Pickett went close before James Mitchell touched down for his second. Higgins slotted a fine conversion.

But Harpenden then enjoyed a purple patch with tries from scrum-half Adam Wilkinson and full-back Sweeney. Colchester’s rolling maul was held up over the line just before the break, the visitors turning round 19-12 ahead.

Harpenden seemingly put the match to bed early in the second half, replacement Fred Gulliford’s converted try and a Sweeney penalty giving the visitors a 29-12 lead.

Colchester’s tireless captain Dan Whiteman forced his way over in the left corner midway through the half, and when Harpenden were reduced to 14 men with 10 minutes left, home hopes were revived.

Just as they had started strongly, the hosts finished with a flourish, James Mitchell battering over for his third, converted by Higgins, to secure two losing bonus points which had seemed beyond them midway through the match.

Colchester director of rugby Anthony O’Riordan acknowledged the team’s lack of discipline in defence after a “great start.”

“We were found wanting and weren’t quick enough to react. As a result of not reacting, a lack of composure and confidence set in, and I think that’s what undermined us in the end.

“Then with a bit of a flourish in the last 15 minutes trying to bring the game back round it was just too little, too late. We ran out of time to take control of the game again. It was just a little bit of naivety probably.

“It’s a long season and there’s still time to fix it”.

The first chance to do that comes on Saturday, away to 10th placed Amersham and Chiltern.