Colchester United 4 Derby County 3

Last updated : 28 August 2006 By Footymad Previewer
Jamie Cureton scored the eighth hat-trick of his career to help Colchester United to their first ever point in the Championship.

Summer signing Cureton put the U's in command with two goals in quick succession midway through the first half, and went on to complete his hat-trick against a woeful Derby County side.

However, the Rams were given hope of stealing a point that they never deserved with two late goals, to give the Layer Road crowd a few nervous minutes at the end of what was in truth a very one-sided game.

Cureton was cursing his luck after only 14 minutes when he hit the bar with a spectacular overhead kick, but his head did not go down and he duly put Colchester in front on 28 minutes.

His influential strike-force partner, Chris Iwelumo, flicked on a throw by Karl Duguid and Cureton was able to control before volleying home his first goal of the season.

Two minutes later some more slack defending from Derby enabled Colchester and Cureton to celebrate a second goal after the 30-year-old headed firmly home from Kevin Watson's precise free-kick.

Derby pulled a goal back against the run of play just before half-time, thanks to a sweet strike from their Arsenal loanee Arturo Lupoli, who was the one ray of sunshine for the visitors all afternoon.

The Italian teenager struck out of the blue, beating a couple of defenders and then rifling in a low shot beyond U's goalkeeper Aidan Davison from the edge of the box.

But this failed to dampen Colchester's spirits and they regained their two-goal advantage early in the second half.

A powerful run by Richard Garcia was ended by a crude challenge inside the box from Derby defender Lewin Nyatanga, and referee Peter Walton had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.

Up stepped Iwelumo to send visiting goalkeeper Lee Camp the wrong way with a clinical penalty. It was the Scotsman's first goal of the campaign.

Cureton celebrated his hat-trick in the 67th minute, a perfect way to mark his 31st birthday, which takes place on Monday. He managed to lob Camp from a narrow angle, the ball dropping in from a great height into the far corner of the net.

The game looked dead and buried, but Derby tried to stage an unlikely comeback. The promising Lupoli netted his second goal of the game in the 80th minute, after U's skipper Duguid had been robbed in the middle of the park.

And with a minute remaining of normal time, substitute Paul Peschisolido glanced home a corner from Seth Johnson to ensure a nervous ending for the home side.