Colchester Rugby Club beaten at Tunbridge Wells

But the Blacks returned from Kent with significant positives under their belts, along with two bonus points.

The four tries they scored in the 28-24 defeat showed their attacking game is coming along nicely.

However, they might have won the match had discipline not let them down with a succession of late penalties ultimately costing victory.

With David Higgins and Corey Button both injured, Chris Lewis made his debut at fly-half after more than a year out with serious injury.

On a warm autumn day, Colchester kicked-off playing down the slope, Wells taking an early lead through George Montgomery’s penalty.

Colchester’s first try soon followed, Sam Easton breaking and Ross Taylor taking the ball on with Sam Butler touching down for the hooker’s third try of the season.

Lewis missed the conversion into the wind.

The hosts retook the lead as Colchester were caught napping, wing Jack Smith collecting a kick to score.

On 27 minutes Colchester had their second try, Danny Whiteman finishing a move started by a storming break by Connor O’Reilly and a third soon followed, full-back Jimmy Mpailane latching on to a lovely chip through by Lewis, who converted.

But a see-saw half ended all-square as Mylo Vanner-Mackew’s try for Wells was converted to make it 17-17 at the break.

The hosts enjoyed the better of the second half, taking the lead through Mike Doherty’s unconverted try as Alex Mitchell made way for Jerone Awusi.

With a Wells prop sin-binned for a high tackle and no replacement front-rower on the bench, the referee called uncontested scrums meaning the hosts were briefly down to 13 men.

In the chaos Mpailane crossed for his second try after a Wells player fumbled Lewis’s kick through.

The conversion put Colchester 22-24 ahead with a try bonus point.

Mpailane made way for Luke Rokomoce and, instead of closing out the game, Colchester conceded the first of three penalties in the red zone, two of which were kicked by Montgomery to put Wells 28-24 ahead.

With Ed Parry on for Matt Mellish, Colchester still had a chance to win it when they got a penalty close to the Wells line, but the penalty was reversed by the referee for foul play and Colchester’s last opportunity evaporated.

“Penalties killed it for us,” bemoaned Colchester head coach Craig Burrows.

“We were five metres out and that could have been the turning point. With our strong rolling maul that would definitely have been a try in my eyes.

“Our attacking structure was always a threat. We played a few training-pitch moves which we executed brilliantly and scored off one of them.

“We’re definitely heading in the right direction.”

Adam Thomas was named man-of-the-match for his all-round performance in the centres.

The defeat drops Colchester to sixth in the league with fourth-placed CS Stags next up at Raven Park (Saturday 3pm).

Elsewhere, Colchester sides clocked up a hat-trick of wins against teams from Ipswich.

The Ravens scored eight tries in 50-12 win, the fourths won 10-0 and the fifths 39-19.

Colchester: Mpailane, O’Reilly, Bodkin, Thomas, Taylor, Lewis, Mellish; McMillan, Butler, A Mitchell, Easton (c), L Pickett, Kerr, Whiteman, H Pickett. Reps: Awesu, Rokomoce, Parry.