Colchester won their third successive bonus point victory to stay second in the league. A quality Luton side put in an impressive first half performance but were unable to hold against Colchester’s dominating second half performance.
Luton were challengers for promotion last season but lost their effective midfield pairing to injury and a move to a Championship side. Three front row injuries on the day led to uncontested scrums in the final quarter. Winger Dave Brennan celebrated his return to Colchester from Luton with two tries against his former club.
Visitors Colchester misfired in the first half as passes were dropped or ruled forward whilst a spate of offside penalties conceded position. Luton exploited their visitors’ unduly generous penalties to take an early lead. A missed penalty kick at goal was followed with a penalty kick to touch, the lineout catch and drive resulting in hooker Ben Murphy’s opening try.
Power play from Jay Hatcher, Charlie Thorogood, Jo McMillan, Liam Pickett, Graeme Hay and replacements Jerome Awesu and Elliot Castle led to Colchester controlling the scrums. Back row Danny Whiteman, Ollie Pickett and James McRae led the Colchester pack forward in a series of phases. Quality possession enabled skipper Calum Irvine to combine with left wing James Crozier to close to the line, recycled ball spun wide where No. 8 McRae zipped over for Colchester’s first try, Higgins converting for the lead.
Another penalty gifted lineout catch and drive saw Luton cross but Colchester prevented touchdown. A Colchester scoring opportunity counterattack was wrecked by a knock-on ended, Luton responded in kind but left wing Tesh Edwards broke two tackles to run in a fine solo try.
Pressure from the Colchester pack enabled Higgins to add a penalty to level the halftime score 10 apiece.

The Colchester team heeded their Coaches’ halftime call for error reduction and proceeded to dominated the second half. Luton were soon penalised for offside, scrumhalf Gregor Irvine’s quick tap penalty sending brother Calum into space to draw defenders before releasing Dave Brennan to race in a try from halfway. Luton responded with a successful penalty kick by lock Tom Albone.
Pressurising Luton from the restart kick resulted in a hasty clearance kick fielded by fullback Brett Cuttbush who counterattacked at speed, linking with Irvine who set Brennan clear to race in his second try.
A deja-vu penalty kick lineout Luton catch and drive was held up on the line by skipper Calum Irvine. Colchester’s forwards turned the scrum to win a put-in five metres in front of their own line. Colchester audaciously decided to run the length of the field to score. McRae and Whiteman carried from the scrum V, Elliot Castle linking with Crozier who drew defenders before Cuttbush raced in for the fourth bonus point try.
Colchester were moved the ball with confidence but a carefree pass was intercepted leading to a try for the impressive Luton flanker, Will Temperley.
Replacement wing Damien Brambley set up a Colchester attack. Graeme Hay made hay charging forward, Referee Nick Houghton indicating a penalty award to Colchester but the wily Gregor Irvine played the advantage against a static Luton defence to send brother Calum over for a try, Higgins adding the conversion.
Pressurising a retreating and beaten Luton, Colchester spun the ball to Brambley who left the strewn bodies of tired tacklers in his wake to score a try with the final move of this exiting contest.