REPORT BY BRIAN WALLER
It was a depleted U's team that travelled to Luton, as five of their squad were missing.

With Adam Bailey-Dennis, Sam Corcoran, Russell Malton, Jamie Wright and Josh Oakley unavailable, into the squad came three members from the U16s team, defender Bradley Hamilton and midfielders James Eales and Jordan Lartey.

The 11am start saw the game kick off at the Luton Rugby Club. There was almost an instant bad start for Colchester, as with just two minutes gone, the home side went forward, and almost scored with a header.

The visitors responded with a couple of corners taken by Kyelan Marvell but these came to nothing. Just past the quarter of an hour mark, both Nathan Speed and an opponent needed treatment after a clash of heads.

With twenty minutes played, the host striker was close with a shot and then six minutes later, one of his team mates was shown a yellow card.

The referee then became a busy man booking United`s Mitchell Nelson and noting a Luton substitution.

Then after a strong home move on 42 minutes, that saw right full back Speed do really well with a great saving tackle, it was the man in black in a writing mode again as yellow cards were shown to Fabian Quintyn and his marker after a bit of argy bargy.

Into the second half and within a minute and Town were ahead. A cross in from the right, and it was a goal from the first half substitute.

As the U's tried to respond Jeremiah Olusanya was away, he crossed in for Quintyn, but his effort was saved.

Just before the hour mark, Colchester went close again, Marvell swung over the corner, but centre back Ryan Amass was unable to get on the end of it.

It was 2-0 down as Ben Griffiths was deemed to have handled just outside the box. The free kick was played in from the left and a Town defender put the chance away, with 73 minutes gone.

Four minutes later drastic action was then taken as all three available subs were now on for Colchester.

It was an exit for Perry Sansford, Lartey and Speed, with their replacements Jimmy Pirie, Hamilton and Eales on.

After a muddle in the Colchester defence, keeper Jack Smelt was left exposed as the opportunity was passed on for a team mate to put in the third with 83 minutes on the clock.

It could have got worse, as Hamilton shepherding the ball back to his keeper was deemed to have made the back pass.

A free kick was incorrectly awarded by the referee but there was a major escape for the U`s as the eventual shot came back off the crossbar.

Team: Jack Smelt, Nathan Speed, Ryan Amass, James Hammond, Ben Griffiths, Mitchell Nelson, Jordan Lartey, Kyelan Marvell, Jeremiah Olusanya, Perry Sansford and Fabian Quintyn

Used subs: Jimmy Pirie, James Eales and Bradley Hamilton

Other scores - Barnet 1-2 Northampton Town, Brighton 2-2 Leyton Orient, Gillingham 4-1 Southend United, Peterborough United 1-2 Brentford, Wycombe Wanderers 1-1 QPR