Colchester United’s involvement in this season’s FA Cup is over after they were beaten 4-1 by Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur this afternoon, in front of a crowd of 9,920 at the Weston Homes Community Stadium.

A brace from Nacer Chadli and further goals from Eric Dier and Tom Carroll gave Spurs victory in the fourth-round tie, with Ben Davies’ own goal proving to be the U’s consolation.

Colchester produced a spirited display and only trailed 1-0 at half-time but Spurs showed their class in the second half, to progress.

Colchester were hoping to get off to a solid start against a Spurs side riding high in the Premier League.

But their plans were disrupted in only the second minute when Alex Wynter clashed heads with team-mate Tom Eastman, who suffered a gash to his head.

After several minutes of treatment, Wynter was stretchered off and taken to hospital with a facial injury, with Frankie Kent brought on in his place.

And after receiving medical treatment and initially rejoining the action, Eastman was also forced off and replaced by Matt Briggs, who slotted in at centre-half.

Spurs enjoyed the bulk of possession in the first half and Richard Brindley was forced to clear Nacer Chadli’s effort off the line, while Christian Eriksen and Harry Kane also went close early on.

Lamela’s curled effort hit a post and Eriksen fired over the bar after Kane had done well to release him, before Tottenham broke the deadlock in the 27th minute through Chadli, who lashed a fine shot past Colchester keeper Jake Kean from the edge of the area.

Kane found space on the U's left before shooting into the side netting, as Spurs tried to exploit the hosts' defensive changes.

Kean made a great save to deny Kane’s header just after the half hour and Nabil Bentaleb’s curled effort had to be pushed away by the U's keeper for a corner, late in the half.

Colchester went in trailing at the break but they were still very much in the game and started the second half brightly.

They began to press the Tottenham defence and Darren Ambrose’s goalbound effort was deflected wide by Bentaleb.

But the Premier League side came close to doubling their lead on the hour when Chadli’s effort came back off the bar from close range, after good play by Kane in the area.

And Spurs went further ahead in the 63rd minute when Eric Dier’s effort hit Briggs and looped past Kean into the net for 2-0.

Spurs brought on Son for Kane soon after that and the visitors looked comfortable, as they took complete control of the tie.

Brindley’s spectacular effort flashed wide of the far post as Colchester looked for a way back into the contest and substitute Marvin Sordell wasted a great chance when he burst through on goal following a defensive error by the visitors but his low shot hit the far post before going off for a goal-kick.

But Chadli headed in from Kieran Trippier’s cross with 12 minutes remaining for his second of the game, to give the visitors a 3-1 lead.

Colchester were given brief hope soon after when Gavin Massey’s shot struck the foot of the post and hit Spurs left-back Ben Davies before trickling into the net.

However, midfielder Tom Carroll restored Tottenham’s three-goal advantage with seven minutes remaining, as brave Colchester went out of the FA Cup.

For a special supplement on the U's big game with Spurs, see Monday's Daily Gazette.