A rout in the rain for sorry U’s

COLCHESTER United crashed to their fifth defeat in the last six matches, at the hands of slick MK Dons this afternoon.

The rampant Dons made light work of the U’s, thanks to a brace from Luke Chadwick, a penalty by Shaun Williams, a header by Jon Otsemobor, and a long-range strike from Ryan Lowe.

The U’s sole response was a goal from Ian Henderson, which briefly reduced the arrears to 3-1 just after the hour mark.

To make matters worse for the U’s, they also had substitute Gavin Massey sent off for serious foul play.

The Dons took the lead in the 26th minute, Chadwick confidently slipping the ball beyond keeper John Sullivan from close in following Patrick Bamford’s slick pass.

And it was 2-0 on 37 minutes, thanks to Williams’ penalty. Tom Eastman tripped Bamford in the box, and centre-half Williams beat Sullivan to chalk up his third successful penalty in the last five games.

Defender Otsemobor headed home the Dons’ third goal, from a 61st minute corner, and although Henderson pulled a goal back for the U’s just two minutes later, it was just 60 seconds before Chadwick restored the three-goal advantage.

The visitors had to play the final quarter of the game with just 10 men, when substitute Gavin Massey was sent off for serious foul play in the 68th minute. He caught Balanta with a late challenge.

Substitute Lowe completed the rout with a terrific fifth goal in the 82nd minute.

U’s boss made three changes to the side that lost 3-1 at home to Coventry in midweek. Striker Jabo Ibehre was not allowed to play, against his parent club, while Michael Rsoe and Marcus Bean were dropped to the bench.

Clinton Morrison replaced Ibehre up front, for his first league start under Dunne, while West Ham loanee Dan Potts made his U’s debut at left-back, and Andy Bond came in for Bean in midfield.

It was a very drab first quarter of the game, with precious little in the way of goalmouth action.

The Dons bossed possession, although it was the U’s who recorded the game’s first attempt on goal – Morrison’s deft header, from Ian Henderson’s cross, was comfortably caught by keeper David Martin on 11 minutes.

But once the hosts went ahead, through Chadwick, it was one-way traffic.

Williams’ penalty put the game beyond the U’s, and in fact it should have been 3-0 at the break, because Angelo Balanta missed a real sitter in first-half stoppage time, blasting this shot over the bar with just Sullivan to beat.

But the Dons did grab their third goal on the hour mark, courtesy of Otsemobor’s free header from a corner.

Henderson pulled a goal back in the 63rd minute, but a mistake by Eastman allowed Chadwick to restore the Dons’ three-goal advantage just 60 seconds later.

Already 4-1 down, the U’s were then reduced to 10 men following substitute Massey’s rash challenge on Balanta.

Lowe lashed home an unstoppable long range shot with eight minutes remaining to round off a dismal afternoon for the U’s.

Squads

MK DONS: Martin, Otsemobor, Williams, Kay, Chicksen, Gleeson, Potter, Chadwick (sub Ismail, 77), Bowditch (sub Sekajja, 84), Balanta, Bamford (sub Lowe, 69). Unused subs: McLoughlin, Doumbe, MacDonald, Galloway.

COLCHESTER UNITED: Sullivan, Wilson, Okuonghae, Eastman (sub Bean, 70), Potts, Bond (sub Massey, 46), Eastmond (sub Thompson, 70), Wordsworth, Henderson, Morrison,, Sears. Unused subs: Cousins, Rose, Duguid, White.

Referee: Darren Deadman (Cambridgeshire)