Ryan Clampin’s 50-yard strike saw Colchester United to a 1-0 Leasing.com Trophy victory over the Blues at the JobServe Stadium which sees the U’s top the group. A dull game appeared to be going nowhere when Clampin hit his long-distance fortuitous effort to seal the three points and a home tie in the next round while Town will face an away trip.
Town boss Paul Lambert has made nine changes for this afternoon’s FA Cup first round tie against Portsmouth with centre-halves Toto Nsiala, who skippers, and Mark McGuinness the only players to survive from the team which lost 2-1 at Sunderland on Tuesday.
Sean Raggett scored a controversial 111th minute winner for Portsmouth as Town exited the FA Cup in the first round following a 3-2 after-extra-time defeat at Portman Road. Pompey scored two goals in two minutes via Ronan Curtis and Tom Naylor in the 11th and 13th minutes before Jon Nolan pulled a goal back for the Blues two minutes before half-time then, after Town had been denied a clear penalty for a foul on Oli Hawkins, sub James Norwood made it 2-2 on 66. Raggett won it for the visitors in the second half of extra-time when he stabbed home from close range following a free-kick but having strayed offside.
Town boss Paul Lambert jokingly suggested reporters used his quotes from the Sunderland match after the Blues were once again on the wrong end of poor refereeing as they were beaten 3-2 by Portsmouth in the FA Cup at Portman Road.