npower League One Colchester Utd 5 Exeter City 1

COLCHESTER United mercilessly saw off nine-man Exeter City to win by more than two goals for the first time this season.

Daniel Nardiello put the visitors in front after 21 minutes, but the U’s were back on level terms 10 minutes later when Steven Gillespie helped a powerful Matt Heath header into the net,

Exeter had their first man dismissed in the 36th minute when right-back Steve Tully, deemed the last man, fouled Ashley Vincent as he looked to burst into the box.

Colchester had keeper Ben Williams to thank for a super save just before the break and were then frustrated by their 10 man visitors for the opening 25 minutes of the second half.

The match turned on Exeter’s second red card of the afternoon in the 72nd minute though when Vincent’s pace again got his marker dismissed – this time Scott Golbourne hauling back the livewire winger as looked to burst past the last line of defence in the box.

David Mooney converted the resultant penalty to put the U’s in front before the home side then proceeded to ruthlessly take advantage of their two-man advantage in a devastating 10 minute spell.

The impressive Vincent made it three in the 76th minute when he raced onto substitute Lloyud James’ ball over the top before expertly lobbing on-rushing keeper Ben Hamer.

Just over a minute later Gillespie tucked the ball away for his second and Colchester’s fourth after Bond had found him with a square pass into the area.

Bond then put the icing on the cake himself in the 86th minute when ramming the ball home with the outside of his foot after David Mooney’s effort had come back off the post.

– Full match report in Monday’s EADT. Reaction to follow.

COLCHESTER UTD (4-4-2): Williams; Wilson, Heath, Clarke, Coker; Bond, Izzet (James 75), Perkins, Vincent (Henderson 87); Mooney, Gillespie.

Unused Subs: Cousins, White, O’Toole, Wordsworth, Odejayi.

EXETER CITY (4-3-3): Hamer; Tully, Duffy, Archibald-Henville, Golbourne; Sercombe, Dunne, Harley; O’Flynn (Logan 90), Cureton (Cozic 66), Nardiello (Jones 46).

Unused Subs: Edwards, Stewart, Bennett, Krysiak.

Red card: Tully (36), Golbourne (72).

Booked: Dunne (55), Duffy (72), Jones (72).

Attendance: 3,629

Referee: Mr K Evans