Colchester United 3-3 Gillingham (2-4 pens)
FIRST-HALF strikes from Drey Wright and Sanchez Watt were not enough to prevent Colchester losing on penalties in the second round of the Football League Trophy last night.
Gillingham levelled twice through Brennan Dickenson and Bradley Dack before Antonio German bundled in with 13 minutes left.
Only for substitute Freddie Sears to send the game to penalties with an equaliser with three minutes left.
Colchester boss Tony Humes made several changes to the team that lost 4-2 at Preston on Saturday.
Craig Eastmond and new loan signing Elliot Hewitt replaced Alex Gilbey and Sears in the U's starting 11.
Colchester started the better of the two sides and after a quick flowing move Gavin Massey struck from range and pulled a smart save from Stuart Nelson.
And the U's didn't have long to wait to open the scoring and they did so in some fasion. Wright scored his first goal in 18 months with a fizzing shot that thundered in off the woodwork.
But Gillingham struck back seven minutes later when Dickenson latched onto a long ball and calmly slotted the ball past Sam Walker to level the scores.
The U's almost got themselves back in front on the half-hour mark when George Moncur's curling free kick was palmed behind by Nelson.
Colchester again came close to retaking the lead moments later when the ball dropped to Massey on the edge but his first time volley ended just over the bar.
They finally got the break through their played deserved in the 38th minute when Rhys Healey was slid in by Massey who under pressure fell to his knees and the referee pointed to the spot.
Watt stepped up and duly sent Nelson the wrong way to make the score 2-1.
And the U's could have been three up by half time when Sean Clohessey sprung the offside trap and attempted a delicate lob over Nelson. But with the keeper beaten the ball ended narrowly past the far post.
Colchester were forced into a change at the break with David Wright replacing Frankie Kent after the young centre-back picked up a knock just before the break.
The U's picked up where they left off after the break and were looking to extend their lead when Massey was laid off by Watt and drove in a low shot that was easily dealt with by Nelson.
But they were dealt a sucker punch minutes later when Dack converted Jermaine McGlashan's superb pull back to level the scores again.
Moncur then tried to haul the Colchester back in front with a curling effort but Nelson saved well to his left-hand side.
The night then went from bad to worse for the U's when German scored from virtually the goal line midst a goal mouth scramble to give the Gills a 3-2 lead with time running out.
Humes send on Sammie Szmodics in a bid to rescue the game and with three minutes left on the clock his side were level. Debutant Hewitt delivered an inch-perfect cross that substitute Sears volleyed low past Nelson.
The U's then had a great chance to win it at the death when Nelson slipped as he cleared the ball but Moncur's curling chip shaved the crossbar as it went over.
And so the game went to penalties. Colchester were up first and took the lead through Sears but while Gillingham scored their first three, Moncur and Tom Eastman both missed from the spot.
Although Clohessey ensured that Gills' keeper Nelson would have to win the tie he slammed his penalty past Walker to see the visitors into the next round.
The defeat is Colchester's ninth cup defeat in a row dating back to Autumn 2011.