All of the games three goals came within the first quarter of an hour but the contest was somewhat marred when Colchester front man Clive Platt was dismissed midway through the first half.

The Essex side started off very brightly indeed and they showed the same kind of spirit which helped them to defy all the odds in English football's second tier last season.

Strikers Platt and Kevin Lisbie combined well in the opening exchanges but a cross from the former Charlton Athletic man Lisbie was just out of reach for Kem Izzet.

Wanderers started off nervous at the back with Abdoulaye Meite clearing his lines well after suffering a misunderstanding with his goalkeeper Ali Al-Habsi.

On six minutes Lisbie gave the U's the lead when firing a shot on the turn past Al-Habsi but this lead was short lived as Bolton where awarded a penalty after Mark Yeates had felled the in form Ricardo Vaz-Te in full flight.

Veteran Gary Speed made no mistake from the penalty spot, confidently firing the ball past Colchester's young custodian Dean Gerken.

The Trotters increased their lead just over a minute later when Vaz-Te slammed home his third goal in a week after some excellent build up play across the box from Speed, Nicolas Anelka and Kevin Davies.

Yeates nearly atoned for his earlier error when firing a shot from distance towards the Wanderers goal but Oman giant Al-Habsi managed to gather the attempt at the second time of asking.

Hosts Colchester where certainly proving they could mix it with their higher league opponents and ex-Rochdale man Platt nearly got in on goal but for some last minute intervention from Bolton captain Kevin Nolan.

On 26 minutes Wanderers midfielder Gavin McCann fired over after Gerkan mishandled a cross and within moments Geriant Williams side where reduced to ten men when the lively Platt was red carded for an alleged elbow on Bolton's Lubomir Michalik.

It did seem a harsh decision on Platt but the officials had already made up their mind to send the striker for an early bath much to the fury of the home crowd.

The game proved to be cagey for the rest of the first half with Anelka seeing his shot comfortably gathered by Gerken and Vaz-Te foiled by the long serving Colchester man Karl Duigud.

Bolton's Al-Habsi then denied Lisbie after a deep cross had caused some confusion but the save was far from convincing by the Wanderers reserve goalkeeper.

Both sides made a number of changes in the early part of the second half with Bolton using up their full quota of substitutes but for Ian Walker.

Chances where few and far between although Gerken did manage to save from Anelka after the Frenchman had tried to catch him out with a backheel.

Colchester brought on Teddy Sheringham to try and force an equaliser but the ex-Spurs and Manchester United forward could not inspire the hosts to level the scores.

However the experienced front man twice combined well with his former Tottenham team mate Johnnie Jackson only for the midfielder to fire straight at Al-Habsi.

Bolton will begin the new season next weekend when their former manager Sam Allardyce brings his Newcastle United team to the Reebok Stadium.

On the other hand Colchester begin their second consecutive season in the Championship with a game against recently relegated Sheffield United.

BOLTON WANDERERS: Ali Al-Habsi, James Sinclair (Ivan Campo), Abdoulaye Meite (Nicky Hunt) (Zoltan Harsanyi), Jlloyd Samuel (Scott Jamieson), Kevin Nolan (Danny Guthrie), Gavin McCann (Mikel Alonso), Gary Speed (Abdoulaye Faye), Ricardo Vaz-Te (El-Hadji Diouf, Kevin Davies, Nicolas Anelka

Subs Not Used: Ian Walker

COLCHESTER UNITED: Dean Gerken, Karl Duguid, Matthew Connolly, Pat Baldwin, George Elokobi, Mark Yeates (Luke Guttridge), Kemal Izzet, Johnnie Jackson, Kevin McLeod (Teddy Sheringham), Kevin Lisbie (Jamie Guy), Clive Platt

Subs Not Used: Danny Granville, John White, Mark Cousins

Attendance:

2,006

Referee:

Sent Off:

Platt (Colchester)

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