LUKE Chambers missed Colchester United's Carabao Cup defeat at Birmingham City due to a sickness bug.

The experienced defender did not travel with the U's squad to St Andrew's, after suffering from the ailment.

Chambers started Colchester's opening-day game at Carlisle United, making his debut for the club after joining them from Ipswich Town earlier this summer.

But the 35-year-old was forced to sit out the 1-0 first-round loss in the cup and the U's are hoping that he will recover in time to face his former club Northampton Town on Saturday, at the JobServe Community Stadium.

Colchester head coach Hayden Mullins said: "Chambo has got a little bit of a sickness bug.

"He's gone down with a bit of a tummy issue so we'll assess that and see how it is."

Colchester are still trying to add players to their squad ahead of the transfer deadline at the end of the month.

Rumoured U's target Theo Robinson sat in the away end with Colchester's fans at the Birmingham game and is currently out of favour at Port Vale.

"We're still trying to get a couple of bodies in, which is good," said Mullins.

"We're not finished and our squad is our squad at the moment."

Colchester handed a debut to young academy player Gene Kennedy at Birmingham.

The teenager came on as a second-half substitute for Cole Skuse, in the 1-0 defeat.

Mullins said: "It's fantastic for him.

"He had a shot blocked at the end and (a goal) that would have been a dream debut for him.

"He did really well and fitted in really well.

"The first five minutes caught him out a little bit but after that, he settled down a bit and he was good."

Colchester made three changes to his starting line-up for the game against Birmingham.

New signing Sylvester Jasper was handed his first start for the U's since his arrival from Fulham, while Noah Chilvers and Miles Welch-Hayes each made their first appearances of the season.

Mullins added: "All three of them came in and made a really positive impact and it was exactly what we asked for.

"They provided the energy, the passion, the attacking threat, what we did with and without the ball.

"It was excellent and there's competition for places now, which is all you can ask for."