Coventry player-manager Gary McAllister produced a superb display to help his side ease into the second round of the Worthington Cup with a win against Colchester.

The hosts made a tremendous start as they opened the scoring within 12 seconds of the kick-off with Gary McSheffrey prodding the ball home from three yards following Dean Gordon's deep cross from the left.

That lead was doubled after 13 minutes when McAllister curled the ball home from a free-kick after a foul on John Eustace.

McSheffrey was replaced through injury just after the interval and his replacement Jay Bothroyd came close to adding a third goal after 55 minutes.

McAllister struck the woodwork with a curling right-foot strike after 74 minutes as Colchester continued to be put under heavy pressure in a one-sided encounter.

The Sky Blues added a deserved third after 82 minutes when Lee Mills headed the ball home from David Pipe's cross.

Coventry: Debec, Konjic, Shaw, Caldwell, Delorge, Eustace, McAllister, Chippo, Gordon, Mills, McSheffrey. Subs: Hyldgaard, Pead, Bothroyd, Normann, Pipe.

Colchester: McKinney, Johnson, White, Baldwin, Izzet, Pinault, Stockwell, Bowry, Keith, McGleish, Morgan. Subs: Brown, Rapley, Coote, Odunsi, Opara.

Referee: R Olivier (Sutton Coldfield).