Colchester United’s defensive woes continued this afternoon after they were thrashed 4-1 at Millwall to slump to a third successive league defeat.

The U’s were comprehensively beaten at The Den, despite substitute Chris Porter’s consolation goal just after half-time.

Colchester boss Tony Humes made three changes to his side for the trip to South London to play Millwall.

Tosin Olufemi and George Elokobi were recalled to the back four in place of Frankie Kent and Matthew Briggs, who both missed out through illness.

There was also a recall for Gavin Massey, who returned to the starting line-up after his recent calf injury in place of Tom Lapslie.

Steve Morison headed wide for Millwall early on and Colchester’s back four, sporting two changes from their defeat against Coventry City, looked nervy from the start.

The U’s fell behind in the 13th minute when Tom Eastman failed to cut out Shaun Williams’ long ball and Lee Gregory advanced towards goal and planted the ball past the exposed Jamie Jones.

Marvin Sordell dragged a shot wide for Colchester but they were rarely seen as an attacking force in the first half and the U’s almost fell further behind just before the half hour.

Gregory pounced on George Elokobi's poor attempted header back and fired towards an open goal, only for his shot to hit the post.

But Millwall did score a second eight minutes before half-time when Shane Ferguson fired past Jones from ten yards after Morison had pounced on Elokobi’s error on the edge of the U’s area and squared a pass.

Only a good save by Jones just before half-time from Morison’s header prevented the U’s deficit from being greater at half-time as they went in at the break trailing.

Humes sent Porter on for Marvin Sordell at the interval, in an attempt to get his side back into the game.

And after Morison’s attempted cross had dropped onto the top of the Colchester bar in the moments that immediately followed the break, the U’s got back into the game ten minutes after the restart.

Joe Martin made a hash of dealing with Callum Harriott’s fine cross and Porter made no mistake, firing emphatically into the net past Jordan Archer.

Millwall’s Aiden O’Brien blazed a good chance over when he should have scored while at the other end, Macauley Bonne squandered an equally inviting opportunity on the hour when he fired over from three yards following Harriott's delicious ball into the area.

But the Lions’ restored their two-goal advantage in the 63rd minute through Ferguson, who finished emphatically for his second goal of the game after Gregory had nut-megged Eastman to pick him out in the area.

And Millwall scored their fourth with ten minutes remaining when Byron Webster slammed home after Jones had parried away following a corner and the ball had not been cleared.

Archer pushed away Porter’s header in stoppage-time but by then the game was all but over, as Colchester’s poor recent form in League One continued.

For five pages of coverage of the U’s game with Millwall, see Monday’s Daily Gazette.