Colchester United bow out of Essex Senior Cup

Colchester United bowed out of the Essex Senior Cup at the semi-final stage tonight, beaten 3-1 by Concord Rangers at the Weston Homes Community Stadium.

U’s young keeper, Dillon Barnes, did well to keep out defender Steve King’s 26th minute header, from a 26th minute free-kick.

But Barnes was powerless to prevent Cornard from taking the lead, just a minute later, with Lewis Taaffe on target.

Only the woodwork denied the visitors a second goal, on the half-hour mark, when Steve Cawley’s lob cannoned off the bar.

The U’s were level shortly afterwards, in the 31st minute, when Louis Dunne was fouled in the box, and it was Dunne who picked himself up to convert the ensuing penalty.

However, Concord were awarded a penalty of their own, in the 62nd minute, for handball, and Cawley buried the spot kick.

Barnes made a fine save from Jay Dowie, following a corner, to keep the U’s in with a chance during the latter stages.

But Dowie sweep home Concord’s third, in the 84th minute, to seal victory.

COLCHESTER: Barnes, Brampton, O’Donoghue (sub Wilson, 70), Lapslie, James, Olufemi, Sembie-Ferris, Harrison (sub Issa, 70), Curtis, Edge (sub Brown, 82), Dunne.