U's bow out of Carling Cup on penalties

The U’s battled back from 2-0 down to take the first-round tie into extra-time, after the game had finished 2-2 in 90 minutes.

Steven Gillespie scored from the spot in the first period of extra-time but Stuart Beavon equalised for the Chairboys and the game went to penalties.

And Ben Harding slotted home the decisive spot-kick, after Michael Rose had seen his penalty saved by Wycombe keeper Nikki Bull.

After the euphoria of last Saturday’s excellent win at Preston North End on the opening day, the U’s were brought back down to earth with a bump early on in this tie.

They found themselves two goals down after 12 minutes and left with a mountain to climb, after Wycombe came racing out of the blocks.

The Chairboys took a second-minute lead when Scott Donnelly swept in from just inside the area, following Andy Sandell’s short free-kick.

Colchester protested that referee Pat Miller had blown his whistle after the set-piece had been taken but the goal was allowed to stand.

Ashley Vincent went close for the U’s but Wycombe doubled their lead in the 12th minute through Joel Grant, who swept home after goalkeeper Mark Cousins had only been able to push away Stuart Beavon’s low shot.

Colchester got back into the tie just before the half-hour mark through Kayode Odejayi, who headed home well from Michael Rose’s deep cross.

And after that, the U’s produced some fine attacking football which Wycombe at times found too hot to handle.

Nikki Bull saved from Anthony Wordsworth, before Colchester equalised in spectacular fashion when Ian Henderson unleashed a spectacular effort from more than 20 yards which flew into the net.

Chances were few and far between in the second half for both sides, although Wordsworth did fire into the side-netting for the U’s with 15 minutes to go after Henderson had raced down the right flank and delivered a low cross.

Henderson missed a great chance to win the game for Colchester in normal time when he latched onto Izzet’s threaded pass deep into stoppage-time, only to be denied by the on-rushing Bull.

As a result, the tie went to extra-time and after Bull had palmed over substitute Steven Gillespie’s clever first-time lob, the U’s took the lead for the first time in the match in the eighth minute of the first period of extra-time.

Wordsworth fell under Sandell’s clumsy challenge in the area and Gillespie slammed home the resultant penalty.

Substitute Lloyd James then fired a gilt-edged chance into the side-netting from Odejayi’s pass when he should have at least hit the target, before Beavon levelled for the Chairboys with a superb strike from the edge of the area.

There were no more goals in extra-time so the game went to penalties.

And although Gillespie, Wordsworth, Henderson and James had scored their spot-kicks, Rose’s penalty was saved and Wycombe’s Harding scored to send the Chairboys through.