Colchester United suffered late heartbreak after Chris Gunter's strike deep into extra-time gave Championship side Reading a 1-0 win and knock the U's out of the Capital One Cup.

<p> The U's pushed the Royals all the way in an evenly-contested game at the Weston Homes Community Stadium and it looked like the first-round tie was heading for penalties.

<p> But Gunter burst into the area in the 115th minute and slotted past keeper Elliot Parish, to end the U's brave effort.

<p>Reading came very close to scoring inside four minutes when Nick Blackman found himself with time and space in the U’s area, only for Walker to deny him superbly from point-blank range.

<p> Walker needed to make another superb save on the half hour to keep the U’s level, diving low to his right to push away Danny Williams’ goalbound effort.

<p> Hal Robson-Kanu’s curling effort flashed just wide soon after as the Royals continued to knock on the door.

<p> But Richard Brindley registered Colchester’s first serious shot on target just before half-time with a long-range effort that nestled in keeper Ali Al Habsi’s arms, as the sides went in level at the break.

<p> Walker made another good save to deny Stephen Quinn 12 minutes after half-time but at a price, after the stop left the U’s keeper lying in agony in his six-yard box with what appeared to be a recurrence of the knee injury that had hampered him at the end of last season and during pre-season.

<p>Walker was eventually stretchered off and replaced by Parish but Colchester went close just after the hour when Gavin Massey's effort from the edge of the area flashed just past a post.

<p>It was Massey's last contribution after he was taken off seconds later and replaced by winger Drey Wright for his first competitive action of the season, as Colchester went in search of a winner.

<p> But neither side was able to break the deadlock in normal time and the tie went to extra-time. Colchester almost fell behind in the first period of extra-time when the ball appeared to fly off Alex Wynter's boot under pressure from Blackman and crash against the crossbar.

<p>Andrew Taylor almost put substitute Sammie Szmodics' cross into his own net in the opening stages of the second period of extra-time and then Al Habsi turned away skipper Alex Gilbey's long-range free-kick, as the U's went in search of a winner.

<p>But that came from the boot of Gunter, who popped up to score the all-important winner.

<p> For a full match report and pictures from the U's match with Reading, see Wednesday's Daily Gazette.