2,114 first team appearances proved to be the difference between the U's staff team and the local media as the two sides came face to face at Layer Road on Wednesday evening.

In the latest of the pitch hire games, journalists, reporters and photographers who spend the season covering Colchester United took to the pitch to try and disprove the adage "those that can, do, those that can't, talk about it".

However, they were up against a tough U's outfit that featured boss Geraint Williams and assistant manager Kit Symons, along with Ademola Bankole in goal and former U's David Gregory and Joe Dunne further up pitch.

The first forty-five minutes was a tight affair and the U's team had only a goal from youth team Player Development Officer Aron Barnes to their name as the half time whistle arrived.

After a stern talking to by boss Brian Owen, the "home" outfit made the most of their experience, as goals from Dunne, Williams and star of the show Tony Flynn sealed victory.

The media had chances of their own as the game opened up though, and they were thankful to big keeper Bankole to preserve the clean sheet.

To complete the role reversal on the Wednesday evening, U's left back John White was on hand to snap the local media in action and his photos appear below!