ESSEX SENIOR CUP: BRAVE Fleet put up a battling display but in the end were not strong enough to beat Colchester United and make it through to the semi-finals of the Essex Senior Cup.

Thurrock FC were beaten in a five- goal thriller at the U’s Weston Homes Community Stadium on Monday night. Colchester’s goals came from goals from Macauley Bonne, Freddie Ladapo and Callum Harrison.

But the League One side did not have it all their own way and goals from Loui Hazelwood and Ross Wall had the travelling Fleet fans on their feet and cheering.

Bonne and Ladapo gave the U’s a two goal lead at the break, with Harrison making it 3-0 just before the hour mark. But Mark Stimson’s Fleet showed true grit to come back late in the second half. However, despite the contributions from subs Hazelwood and Wall, Fleet couldn’t bag an equaliser.