Doug Loft admitted that dreadful set-piece defending cost Colchester United dear during Saturday’s comprehensive 3-0 defeat at Luton Town.

The U’s sunk to 91st in the Football League, just one place off the basement, after a meagre haul of just one point from their first three league fixtures. Olly Lee’s opener, in first-half stoppage time, and Dan Potts’ late third, were both from set piece plays which the out-of-sorts U’s failed to defend.

“Set pieces were the key. We conceded two goals from them, and yet we had worked all week on those, so we’ve got to come in and watch the video and work out what has gone wrong,” admitted midfielder Loft.

- Carl Marston’s final verdict

“If we hadn’t conceded that goal before half-time, then I think the gaffer (John McGreal) would have been happy. But that goal made him change his team-talk. He ended up having a good go at us, and we do have to be better than that.”