Shawn McCoulsky bagged a hat-trick for the second successive game against Colchester United under-23s as their ten men fell to a 4-1 defeat at Bristol City, in Professional Development League Two.

McCoulsky, who also netted three times in the Robins’ 5-0 win at Tiptree last November, was in prolific form again as Wayne Brown’s side slid to only a second defeat in six matches.

Colchester had to play with only ten men for nearly half of the match, after Charley Edge was sent off early in the second half having been adjudged to have deliberately handled in the area.

McCoulsky’s shot was deflected behind for a corner in the opening minutes, while Kodi Lyons-Foster saw his powerful header fly wide from the resultant set-piece soon after.

Colchester have had more possession and territory early on but were unable to penetrate the home defence.

But Bristol City keeper Joe Wollacott produced a superb save to tip the ball over, ten minutes before the break.

At the other end, Joe McNulty had a great chance to give the hosts the lead just before half-time but his effort was blocked and the teams went in goal-less at the break.

Colchester fell behind three minutes after the interval when Edge was adjudged to have deliberately handled McCoulsky’s goalbound effort in the area and was sent off.

McCoulsky converted the resulting penalty and that boosted the hosts, who doubled their lead on the hour.

McCoulsky nodded home from ten yards following a well-worked corner routine, to leave Colchester up against it.

And things got even worse for the U’s with 19 minutes remaining when Nurse smashed a shot past keeper Dillon Barnes, following Connor Lemonheigh-Evans’ driving run through midfield.

Colchester were given brief hope three minutes later when Tariq Issa netted from the rebound after Wollacott had saved his penalty, after Nurse had conceded a penalty.

But McCoulsky completed his hat-trick with 11 minutes remaining after holding off his man and firing a shot past Barnes, after being fed by Edwards’ pass to condemn the U’s under-23s to their first defeat of 2017.