Sheffield United looked a confident unit and looked firmly to have swept away their troubles which haunted them earlier in the season and despite having a hat full of chances the Blades were forced to rely on a penalty kick moments from full-time to record their sixth consecutive victory on the spin and more importantly pushed the S2 side up to a respectable 12th in the table and six points clear of the bottom four.
Harry Maguire went on a surging 30 yard up field before been prevented by a Tom Eastman block, Baxter hit the foot of the post with his effort whilst a save from Sam Walker stopped Ben Davies from scoring on his full debut as the visitors missed opportunities during the game to seal a more convincing win which was deserved.
The loanee from Derby County was also well involved in the build up which saw a penalty awarded and as a result saw Porter net his third goal in as many games with just three minutes remaining. Howard again deputised in goal and during his reign has number one as conceded just one goal in 10 hours of football, this largely due to both his own heroics and a solid back four defence.
United had started the game well with Jamie Murphy in fine form. On one attempt to rumble the U's defence, as early as the 12th minute should have gifted Stefan Scougall a sight of goal, instead the Scot saw his pass cut out by David Wright.
Baxter saw his first time effort bounce out for a corner to much relief of the Colchester defence. Murphy again staged a frightening run, he made a trademark cut-in but his shot fired wide and at the other end, with United dominating the hosts did see the occasional advance into Blades territory but this was short-lived and Dominic Vose was in the thick of things, clearing Conor Coady's header from Jose Baxter's cross at the far post.
Captain Michael Doyle, was on hand in the 61st minute to carve an opening which saw Baxter's timed shot fly past keeper Walker and dip agonisingly onto the foot of the far post, and this was the kind of effort which looked to sum up the visitors night, full of chances with no rewards.
Brayford, who scored the opening goal last Saturday against Bristol City in a 3-0 win, was raring to wheel away in celebration when he squared the ball for Davies who looked poised to open his account, but Walker somehow was able to scramble the ball to safety.
The hosts looked to be hanging on for a point when as far as the home side are concerned disaster struck when former Wednesday striker Freddie Sears tripped Davis in the box - for United it was just the tonic they needed, PORTER stepped up and duly sent the keeper the wrong way, firing to the strikers left to send the 500+ away support of a 3,088 crowd into dubitation.
COLCHESTER UNITED: Walker 7, Wright 6, Dickson 6, Okuonghae 7, Morrison 6 (Eastmond 46, 6), Sears 6, Bean 6, Ibhere 7, Eastman 6, Wilson 6 (Sesay 46, 6), Vose 6. Not used: Cousins, Massey, Sanderson, Olufemi, Bonne.
SHEFFIELD UNITED: Howard 6, Harris 7, Brayford 7, Maguire 7, Doyle 7, Baxter 7 (Porter 83), Collins 7, Coady 6, Scougall 6, Davies 6 (Hill 88), Murphy 7 (Flynn 80). Not used: Miller, Paynter, Long, Kennedy.