Kurtis Guthrie played for 45 minutes as Colchester United's under-23s lost 2-1 to their Newcastle United counterparts in the Premier League Cup.

The 24-year-old, who has made only two appearances for the U's first team this season after undergoing ankle surgery in the summer, played the first half of the game against the Magpies, at the Weston Homes Community Stadium.

It was Guthrie's first appearance for more than two months and he will now be hoping to get more minutes under his belt in the coming weeks, as he strives towards full fitness again.

Colchester fell behind to Luke Charman's first-half strike for Newcastle.

And although Tariq Issa equalised for Wayne Brown's side after half-time, Charman scored his second of the game to bag the visitors' winner, midway through the second half.

Colchester under-23s are back in action again in the Premier League Cup on Thursday when they take on Swansea City.