Colchester United 2 (Cureton 4, Iwelumo 45)
Wolves 1 (Collins 90)
Wolves went down 2-1 to Colchester to become the 11th team in succession to lose out at Layer Road.
Jamie Cureton fired the U's into an early lead with Chris Iwelumo grabbing a controversial second on the stroke of half-time. Neill Collins' consolation goal came too late to have an affect on the outcome of the game.
Rohan Ricketts came in for the suspended Michael Kightly as Colchester kicked off attacking the end of the ground that housed 1,000 Wolves supporters.
And those fans had an excellent view of Matt Murray's early save from Cureton - the keeper diverting the ball behind with his legs after just 22 seconds.
But Cureton needed just three more minutes to make his mark. He got up after being fouled by Collins just outside the Wolves box to hammer the resultant free-kick into the bottom corner of the net.
Collins then had to head behind a cross from Cureton that looked destined for the head of Iwelumo before Murray produced two fine saves in the space of a few seconds.
Cureton slipped a short pass to Richard Garcia who arrowed a shot towards the top corner only for Murray to get his fingertips to the ball at the expense of a corner.
From Kevin Watson's flag-kick the ball dropped to Kevin McLeod who hammered in a shot that Murray pushed away at full stretch.
Home keeper Dean Gerken's first real piece of the action came in the 19th minute when he kicked the ball away from the inrushing Leon Clarke.
Gerken then made a great save to turn away Clarke's header after a cross from Mark Little.
Three Ricketts corners in quick succession were cleared as Wolves went searching for an equalizer but when play quickly switched to the visitors area, Gary Breen made a timely intervention as Cureton slipped through.
Seyi Olofinjana glanced a header wide from Michael McIndoe's centre before United grabbed a fortuitous second in the final minute of the half.
As Breen attempted to clear, the ball bounced kindly into the path of Iwelumo who appeared to handle before he fired home through Murray's legs.
Half-Time: Colchester 2 Wolves 0
Collins went on a run from halfway but he was way too high with his final shot and then Olofinjana wascaught wrongfooted and he could only deflect the ball wide after Ricketts fired a low cross into the Colchester box.
A foul by McLeod on Ricketts to the right of the home area led to a McIndoe free-kick that flew dangerously through the six-yard box before going out for what was an unproductive corner from Ricketts.
Murray dived low to cling hold of a Cureton drive before Mick McCarthy made a change sending Criag Davies on for Olofinjana.
Brown's trip on Davies in the 'D' presented Wolves with a chance but Ricketts hit the free-kick into the wall and then his follow up shot was deflected behind for a corner.
After Murray had dived low to save from Jamie Guy, two Wolves men went into the book in the space of a few seconds - Ricketts for a foul on Karl Duguid and then Little, also for a foul, on Cureton.
Davies forced a save out of Gerken after Ricketts had nodded back McIndoe's cross and then Davies headed onto the roof of the net after another well flighted McIndoe delivery.
Deep into stoppage time Collins rifled a low shot into the net following a free-kick from Darren Potter.
Colchester: Gerkin, Halford, Brown (capt), Watson, McLeod (Duguid 70), Cureton, Izzet, Iwelumo (Guy 61), Baldwin, Garcia, Barker.
Unused subs: Davison, Jackson, Elokobi.
Wolves: Murray, Little, McNamara (Clapham 86), Potter, Breen, Collins, Ricketts (Edwards 89), Olofinjana (Davies 63), Clarke, Henry (capt), McIndoe.
Unused subs: Hennessey, Finkler.
Bookings: Ricketts (72 - foul), Little (73 - foul)
Referee: R. Beeby.
Attendance: 5,893.
