Steven Gillespie's penalty gave Colchester a narrow 1-0 win over 10-man Leyton Orient.
Gillespie nets decisive penalty
Steven Gillespie's penalty gave Colchester a narrow 1-0 win over 10-man Leyton Orient at the Weston Homes Community Stadium.
Gillespie had earlier been denied by Orient goalkeeper Glenn Morris' one-handed save and then flashed a shot across the face of goal.
But he made no mistake when Colchester were awarded a penalty six minutes before half-time when Tamika Mkandawire was adjudged to have handled Dean Hammond's attempted cross in the area.
Orient squandered a great chance to get back on level terms 10 minutes into the second period.
Hammond was adjudged to have handled in the area, but on-loan goalkeeper Jimmy Walker saved Adam Boyd's spot-kick.
Orient's Sean Thornton was given his marching orders with eight minutes to go after collecting a second yellow card and Colchester's David Perkins hit the woodwork late on.
