Match ends, Colchester United 2, Sheffield United 3.
Chris Porter's late penalty settled an all-League One clash in the FA Cup first round as Sheffield United defeated plucky Colchester.
The Blades had raced into a 2-0 lead with a Harry Maguire header and an own goal by goalkeeper Sam Walker.
But Macauley Bonne nodded in Luke Garbutt's cross to reduce the deficit and then Garbutt fired in from 25 yards to level just after the hour mark.
However, Porter won it from the spot after Magnus Okuonghae handled.
VIEW FROM THE DRESSING ROOM
Colchester manager Joe Dunne told BBC Essex:
"Magnus Okuonghae is one yard away. How has he got a reaction time to make a decision to deliberately block that ball?
"It is impossible to get away from. It's an appalling decision and it's cost us.
"Mags has got no time to react. It's not a penalty. I want anyone within PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited) to warrant that penalty to me.
"You know what they'll do? They'll say sorry. It's no good, we're out of the cup.
"You see a main stand shut down because we can't afford to open it, and we can't go through because we've been done by an official. We deserved a replay, and that would have given us another crack to get through."
Sheffield United manager Nigel Clough told BBC Radio Sheffield:
"A very hard earned but deserved victory.
"To get two goals up, should have been three, in the first half was a great opening period from us.
"We don't want to sit back, we want to get the third goal and eventually we got (the win) in a 2-2 situation which was well deserved.
"A third one would have really killed them off. It wasn't through the want of trying. We didn't sit back."
Line-ups
Colchester
Formation 4-4-2
- 44Walker
- 20Wilson
- 27GarbuttBooked at 83mins
- 15BeanBooked at 85mins
- 4Okuonghae
- 18Eastman
- 14BondSubstituted forDicksonat 45'minutes
- 6EastmondSubstituted forVoseat 79'minutes
- 41BonneSubstituted forSzmodicsat 87'minutes
- 9Morrison
- 22Gilbey
Substitutes
- 1Cousins
- 3Dickson
- 12Sanderson
- 23Olufemi
- 25Vose
- 26Spence
- 40Szmodics
Sheff Utd
Formation 4-4-2
- 25Long
- 29McMahon
- 6Hill
- 14McGinnSubstituted forFlynnat 68'minutes
- 5Maguire
- 15Collins
- 17Coady
- 8Doyle
- 12MillerSubstituted forBaxterat 75'minutes
- 9PorterSubstituted forTaylorat 90'minutes
- 22Lappin
Substitutes
- 1Howard
- 7Flynn
- 10Taylor
- 11Baxter
- 16Cuvelier
- 18King
- 23Murphy
- Referee:
- Phil Gibbs
- Attendance:
- 2,509
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home48%
- Away52%
- Shots
- Home15
- Away16
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away8
- Corners
- Home1
- Away6
- Fouls
- Home17
- Away9
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Colchester United 2, Sheffield United 3.
Post update
Foul by Jose Baxter (Sheffield United).
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Luke Garbutt (Colchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Simon Lappin (Sheffield United).
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Sammie Szmodics (Colchester United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Ryan Flynn (Sheffield United).
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Ryan Dickson (Colchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Jose Baxter (Sheffield United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Luke Garbutt (Colchester United).
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Corner, Sheffield United. Conceded by Ryan Dickson.
Substitution
Substitution, Sheffield United. Lyle Taylor replaces Chris Porter.
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Anthony McMahon (Sheffield United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Alex Gilbey (Colchester United).
Substitution
Substitution, Colchester United. Sammie Szmodics replaces Macauley Bonne.
Booking
Marcus Bean (Colchester United) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Foul by Clinton Morrison (Colchester United).
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Chris Porter (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Booking
Luke Garbutt (Colchester United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Ryan Flynn (Sheffield United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.