LUTON TOWN 3 (Lee 45+3, Collins 52, Potts 83)

COLCHESTER UNITED 0

COLCHESTER United’s disappointing start to the season continued with a 3-0 reverse at Kenilworth Road today.

The hosts dominated and after Olly Lee put them in front in first-half stoppage time, the Hatters went on to add more goals through James Collins and Dan Potts.

The damage would have been worse, had it not been for some excellent saves from U’s keeper Sam Walker.

One, in particular, was a top-drawer stop to deny Alan McCormack.

That said, Hatters keeper Marek Stech made a brilliant save of his own when it was 2-0, diving to turn over Sammie Szmodics’ header.

Had that gone in, it might have been a different story.

Instead, Luton went on to flex their muscles and it means Colchester are yet to register a win, after their opening three League Two fixtures.

This result came hot on the heels of an opening-day defeat at Accrington Stanley, followed by last week’s 1-1 draw with Stevenage.

Sandwiched in between was their Carabao Cup exit at the hands of Aston Villa.

U’s head coach John McGreal made three changes from the team that drew with Stevenage, at the Weston Homes Community Stadium.

Former Hatters loanee Lewis Kinsella replaced Ryan Jackson, Doug Loft came in for Sean Murray and Kane Vincent-Young was handed a start at the expense of Kyel Reid.

And it was the visitors who started brightly, trying their luck twice in the opening six minutes.

Kinsella had a shot blocked before Tom Lapslie’s low effort forced a diving save from Stech.

Vincent-Young also had an early opportunity and after winning the ball he drove forward, only to shoot just wide of the right-hand post.

As the first half progressed, Luton looked the more likely to score and Danny Hylton had a header saved by Walker, after a right-wing cross from Jack Stacey.

Andrew Shinnie then had a drive blocked by Tom Eastman before Lee turned and saw a shot well-saved by Walker, after being fed by Hylton.

Walker was called into action again just before half-time, this time to keep out a first-time effort from Shinnie.

But he was powerless to keep out Luton’s opening goal, in first-half stoppage time.

A corner was only half-cleared and then headed back in by McCormack.

Lee pounced to steer the ball home from close range.

Hero Walker was at it again right at the start of the second half.

This time, McCormack let rip with a rising drive from just inside the box and Walker threw himself to turn it over the bar. It really was an exceptional, acrobatic stop from the former Chelsea youngster.

Alas for the U’s, Luton added their second shortly after when Stacey’s cross from the right found Collins.

The Hatters man played a one-one with Shinnie, before curing an exquisite effort into the top right-hand corner. Walker had absolutely no chance of saving it.

Colchester refused to save the white flag and they were denied by another great save at the other end, as Stech hurled himself to his left to keep out a header from Szmodics.

Another goal looked likely and it was Luton who went agonisingly close, when Hylton connected with a long ball forward from McCormack.

However, stationed in a central position, his header came back off the bar.

Luton hit the woodwork again when Sheehan struck the right-hand side of the bar with a cross-shot that flew across the U’s area.

But Luton successfully added their third seven minutes from time.

Sheehan played a free-kick into the area and Potts met it at the far post, turning the ball home with a left-foot effort.