Colchester 4 Brentford 1
Alan Judge missed a penalty and Marcus Bean scored against his former club as Brentford were soundly beaten in their penultimate match of an historic season.
Having already sealed promotion to the Championship, they were well short of their best against a side battling against the threat of relegation, although Stuart Dallas’ first goal for the club was a bright spot.
Ex-Bees midfielder Bean opened the scoring just before the half-hour mark when he bundled the ball into the net following Brian Wilson’s free-kick.
Alex Wynter made it 2-0 three minutes later with a fine header and Alan McCormack then gave away a penalty.
McCormack, one of the stars of Brentford’s campaign, fouled Sanchez Watt and Freddie Sears duly netted from the spot – the first of two goals for the former West Ham man.
Dallas reduced the deficit just before half-time by firing in from 20 yards after Jonathan Douglas’ clever dummy.
But there was to be no second-half comeback by the visitors. Instead, Colchester restored their three-goal advantage when Sears scored into an empty net in the 65th minute.
And when Judge was brought down in the box, he saw his subsequent spot-kick saved by keeper Sam Walker.
Brentford: Button; McCormack (O’Connor 84), Tarkowski, Craig, Yennaris Clarke 81); Judge, Douglas, Saville; Dallas, Trotta (Adams), Donaldson.
Subs: Lee, Reeves, Diagouraga, Grigg.
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