On-loan Blues forward Armando Dobra made his Colchester United debut as the League Two side were beaten 1-0 by Gillingham in the opening fixture in Town’s Papa John’s Trophy group earlier this evening.
Dobra, 20, who is with the U’s for the season, started and put in a lively display over the full 90 minutes.
Robbie McKenzie scored the winner for the Gills from a cross from former Blues loanee Mustapha Carayol, who had come off the bench in the 82nd minute.
Dobra and Carayol were far from the only ex-Town players in action at the JonServe Community Stadium with Frank Nouble skippering the U’s, Tom Eastman starting and Freddie Sears and Alan Judge subs. Former Town youngster Stuart O’Keefe was in the Gillingham side.
The Blues play their first Papa John’s Trophy tie at home to West Ham’s U21s on Tuesday.
Elsewhere, Tyreece Simpson came on as a 63rd-minute sub as Swindon beat Arsenal’s U21s 2-1 at the County Ground, also in the Papa John’s Trophy.