COLCHESTER United were beaten in their opening EFL Trophy group match after losing 2-0 at League One side Portsmouth tonight.

A first-half double from Marcus Harness saw the U’s fall to defeat against the current holders in the Group A curtain-raiser, at Fratton Park.

Colchester boss Steve Ball made five changes to his starting line-up, following the 3-1 defeat at Reading in the Carabao Cup, last weekend.

New signing Shamal George made his debut between the sticks for Colchester, while right-back Miles Welch-Hayes was handed his first competitive start.

Attacker Luke Gambin returned having been on international duty with Malta and Courtney Senior and Omar Sowunmi also featured in the starting line-up, while Tom Eastman took the captain’s armband.

Cohen Bramall, Tommy Smith and Callum Harriott all dropped to the bench, while Harry Pell and Dean Gerken were rested.

It was a relatively even start to the contest, as Colchester looked to get their group challenge off to a positive start.

Pompey were restricted early on, although keeper George had to be alert to come and collect a loose ball after Harness and John Marquis had come together in the middle.

The home side had a good chance in the 19th minute when Gareth Evans failed to get his shot away, following Ronan Curtis’s delivery.

Colchester had a decent opening midway through the first half when Ben Stevenson just failed to get on the end of Senior’s dangerous ball into the area and Gambin fired wide.

But two goals in less than two minutes changed the nature of the contest, late in the first half.

Harness gave Portsmouth a 37th-minute lead through Harness who fired the ball into the bottom corner from just outside the area.

And just as Colchester were recovering from that blow, Harness struck for a second time after breaking the offside trap and shooting past George from a tight angle.

Captain Tom Naylor’s shot drifted wide of the upright after the U’s had given the ball away in a dangerous area, as the visitors went in at the break with it all to do.

Colchester started the second half brightly and Kwame Poku fired over in the minutes that immediately followed half-time.

But Gareth Evans had a good chance to score a third for Pompey just after the hour mark when he failed to connect with a header in front of goal.

The U’s made a double change midway through the second half, bringing on Martell Taylor-Crossdale for his debut following his loan move from Fulham and Paris Cowan-Hall against his former club, with Poku and Jevani Brown making way.

George did well to deny Marquis from close range with ten minutes remaining as Pompey threatened to score again.

And George was in action again a few minutes later when George made a smart stop to foil substitute Ellis Harrison following a poor back-pass, as the U's were beaten.

COLCHESTER UNITED: George, Welch-Hayes, Sowunmi, Eastman, Scarlett, Stevenson, Chilvers, Senior, Gambin (sub Marshall-Miranda, 78), Poku (sub Cowan-Hall, 67), Brown (sub Taylor-Crossdale, 67).

Substitutes (not used): Bramall, Smith, Harriott, Coulter.

Portsmouth: MacGillivray, Johnson, Whatmough, Raggett, Pring, Naylor, Morris, Harness (sub Cannon, 77), Evans, Curtis (sub Williams, 77), Marquis (sub Harrison, 81).

Substitutes (not used): Turnbull, Brown, Williams, Close, Bolton.

Referee: Craig Hicks.

Goals: Portsmouth: Harness (37, 38).

Bookings: Colchester United: Sowunmi (foul, 40). Portsmouth: Williams (foul, 79), Pring (foul, 86).