Injury-jinxed Colchester striker Steven Gillespie was on the scoresheet and got 70 minutes under his belt for the reserves on Tuesday afternoon.

The Us' club-record signing found the net on his latest comeback from a hamstring injury as the second string beat Luton 4-0 at the Community Stadium.

Gillespie has yet to figure for the first team this season but was an unused substitute at Swindon on Saturday and will hope to figure in boss Adrian Boothroyd's plans for this weekend's visit of Hartlepool.

Matt Lockwood, Joel Thomas and Scott Vernon were also on target for the Us.

Meanwhile, young defender Tom Bender has been called into the Wales Under-17 squad at the forthcoming UEFA Championships.