Colchester United manager Tony Humes said he could not make any excuses for his side after they were thumped 4-1 at Millwall this afternoon.

A brace from Shane Ferguson and further goals from Lee Gregory and Byron Webster condemned the U's to a heavy reverse at the Den, their third straight league defeat.

Chris Porter's goal early in the second half was Colchester's sole consolation but they contributed to their own downfall with some sloppy defensive play and Humes said he could not defend his team.

Humes said: “It’s so frustrating it’s untrue and I’m sure the players are the same.

“We’ve just said in the changing room, we’ve got a lot of talented players out there who as we’ve seen this season capable of creating and scoring goals but the amount that we’re conceding, I’m sure they’re getting disillusioned.

“We play some good football but the players are just not taking responsibility defensively.

“It was basic defending from experienced players and we didn’t do it.

“I don’t know what to say because it was so basic, it was untrue.

“You can’t condone the errors and you can’t stick up for them; you just have to be 100 per cent honest- what can anyone else do?”

For five pages of coverage of the U's game with Millwall, see Monday's Daily Gazette.