Aston Villa have edged into round two of the EFL Cup with a 2-1 win away to League Two Colchester United.
The Championship side took the lead early in the first half through Scott Hogan, before Frankie Kent put through his own net to make it 2-0.
Things got less comfortable for the Villans when Kent scored at the right end shortly before the break, but they held back their opponents in the second half to book their place in the second round.
Find out how the action unfolded with our minute-by-minute text commentary below.
Good evening and welcome to our live text coverage of Aston Villa's trip to Colchester United in the first round of the EFL Cup. First up, team news.
COLCHESTER XI: Walker, Kent, James, Kpekawa, Jackson, Murray, Lapslie, Reid, Mandron, Wright, Szmodics
VILLA XI: Steer, Bree, Chester, Samba, Bjarnason, Adomah, Onomah, Hourihane, Green, O'Hare, Hogan
Villa boss Steve Bruce has made a number of changes from the weekend's 1-1 draw with Hull City in their Championship opener. Chief among them is resting captain John Terry and giving former Blackburn Rovers man Chris Samba a run-out.
Jed Steer comes in between the sticks, having impressed in pre-season with three clean sheets, and Albert Adomah has shaken off a shin injury to make the starting XI. Ritchie De Laet passed a late fitness test to score a spot on the bench.
And speaking of the benches, here's Villa's...
And the Colchester's...
Colchester have made three changes from their League Two opener against Accrington, with Kpekawa, Szmodics and Reid replacing Eastman, Slater and Johnstone.
Naturally Villa are the favourites this evening. They started their Championship campaign with a hard-fought draw against Hull City, while Accrington are looking to bounce back from a 3-1 drubbing away to Accrington by giving a good account of themselves in front of their own fans.
PREDICTION: Bruce has named a fairly strong team this evening and I think it possesses more than enough quality to see off a Colchester United side which will still be reeling from that opening-day defeat at Accrington. I'm going with a 3-1 victory for the Villans.
The EFL Cup began yesterday, and if you want a recap of what went down, here's a handy summary...
Kick off is just moments away now. Live updates from the Weston Homes Community Stadium coming up...
KICK OFF! Colchester get the match underway, kicking from right to left in the first half. It's a windy evening here in Colchester and there's been some rain too, the kind of conditions that might benefit the hosts.
O'Hare, the youngster making his Villa debut, flies into an early challenge and slides straight into the touchline, throwing up water in his wake. The surface is slippery tonight!
Adomah takes a deft touch and surges into the final third, picking out the run of Bree along the right channel but the latter is dispossessed and Colchester clear their lines.
GOAL! Colchester United 0-1 Aston Villa (Scott Hogan)
Villa take the lead after Colchester goalkeeper Walker spills a through-ball straight into the path of Hogan, who guides his shot low into the bottom corner. The home supporters are furious, claiming their keeper was fouled by O'Hare during the build-up.
PENALTY TO COLCHESTER! Szmodics gains possession inside the Villa area and Samba sweeps his legs from under him. It's as clear a penalty as you'll ever seen, and an explosive start to this cup tie.
PENALTY SAVED! Mandron steps up to take the penalty but Steer guesses right and palms it away, allowing the Villa defence to clear their lines. Great save!
The Championship side threaten again from a free kick just outside of the area. Hourihane goes for goal from 20 yards out, but it's an easy save for Walker. Moments later, Villa win another free kick in a similar position, with Hogan meeting Hourihane's cross with a diving header that drifts wide.
Villa have started well, despite that glaring error from Samba. As we expected, they have dominated possession and look sharp on the ball. Adomah and Hourihane have been creative in midfield, while the front pairing of Hogan and O'Hare appear to be on the same wavelength.
GOAL! Colchester United 0-2 Aston Villa (Frankie Kent, OG)
Villa double their lead and it comes under fortuitous circumstances. Adomah, who was well offside, gets away along the right channel and squares a pass into the six-yard box. Hogan is there waiting for a tap-in, so Kent has to make the interception. Sadly for him, it ends up in the back of his own net.
CLOSE! Colchester go straight on the attack after going two down and almost claw a goal back as Mandron sets up Szmodics inside the box. The latter swings at the ball, but Steer gets his body behind it and concedes the corner. The resulting cross causes panic in the Villa box but is eventually cleared.
Villa, it has to be said, look wide open at the back. Szmodics looks capable of getting in behind their back line and might just do a bit of damage this evening. It's a makeshift rear guard from Steve Bruce, whose side are playing without a recognised left-back.
Mandron wins a free kick after being brought down by Adomah. Kent meets the resulting cross with a header, but it ends up at the feet of Adomah, who scrambles the ball clear. The slippery conditions here are giving rise to mistakes from both sets of players.
In fairness to Colchester, they've give a decent account of themselves so far and caused Villa a problem or two. There was an element of fortune about both of Villa's goals, so you have to feel for the League Two side.
Villa may be bossing possession but Colchester have had four attempts on goal versus Villa's three. The visitors, however, have had two on target while their hosts have only managed one. The Villans continue to prod away, playing a long ball into the box through Bree, which Walker races off his line to claim.
Wright is looking creative for Colchester. He plays a cheeky, dipping cross into the box that only needed a touch from one of his teammates, but there are no takers. Moments later, he plays a low pass through to Szmodics, but Chester snuffs out the move with a crucial interception.
CHANCE! Good counter-attacking play from Colchester forces Villa onto the back foot. The ball finds its way through to Szmodics and he's in the clear! The striker takes a touch and lets fly, shooting straight at Steer, who stands tall and blocks.
GOAL! Colchester United 1-2 Aston Villa (Frankie Kent)
Wow! Pick that one out! Frankie Kent, having put through his own net earlier, has just scored a netbuster at the other end. The ball fell to his feet following a corner, almost 30 yards out, and he pulled the trigger from there, drilling a low strike straight into the bottom. Colchester are back in it!
The scoreline is now more of a fair reflection of the first half. Villa have edged possession but there was an element of fortune about both of their goals and the hosts have pushed them at every opportunity, undeterred by the deficit.
There will be at least two minutes of stoppage time to play.
CHANCE! Colchester are finishing the half on the front foot. Mandron gets a shot away inside the box, but it's blocked. The rebound deflects towards Wright on the edge of the area and he heads it towards goal, forcing Steer to tip over.
HALF TIME! Colchester United 1-2 Aston Villa
Villa head into the break of this EFL Cup tie with a slender 2-1 lead over League Two Colchester United. Scott Hogan gave them the lead before Frankie Kent doubled it by putting through his own net. However, the hosts pulled one back when Kent scored at the right end.
Colchester finished the half on a high and have been pressing their opponents at every opportunity. In truth, 2-1 is just about a fair reflection as Villa have dominated possession, despite taking their foot off the accelerator after their second goal.
Steve Bruce will likely give his players a tongue-lashing at the interval. They were in a safe position a 2-0 but have now let it slip and do look like conceding another unless they tighten things up.
Plenty going on elsewhere in the first round of the EFL Cup. Here are the half-time scores...
KICK OFF! We're back underway! Can Colchester maintain the attacking football they were playing before the ref brought the first period to a close and get back into this tie?
CHANCE! O'Hare threads a pass through to his strike partner Hogan and plays him onside. The latter attempts to beat Walker at his far post with a low shot, but the Colchester goalkeeper gets down and smothers it.
Half-chance for Villa as they play a free kick long into the box. O'Hare gets his head to it but barely makes contact, allowing Walker to claim. Shortly after play resumes, Villa youngster Green becomes the first player in the book tonight, and it's a harsh yellow for a tackle where he got the ball.
Better from Villa, who are hitting their League Two opponents with tight counter-attacks now, the latest of which grinds to a halt when Adomah plays a cross too close to Walker from wide on the right. The Colchester goalkeeper collects and clears.
O'Hare is booked on his debut for a rash challenge on Reid. The Villa striker gave the ball away and then flew into a tackle in an attempt to win it back. It was desperate, late and deserving of a booking.
OFF THE LINE! Adomah twice comes close for Villa! His first effort from inside the area is hacked off the line by Kent, who makes another important contribution for Colchester. Moments later, the ball falls to Adomah on the edge of the box and he hits a curler towards the top corner, forcing a finger-tip save from Walker.
Colchester make a change, with Lapslie making way for Slater. Kinsella has also come on against his former club to replace Reid.
The rain is really coming down now, but Steve Bruce seems unfazed by it...
Villa are containing Colchester a lot more effectively in the second half, limiting them to long-range efforts. The latest of those came from Murray just a moment ago, with the home fans urging him to shoot from 25 yards. He obliges, but puts it in the stand.
A dangerous ball into the box from Kinsella sparks panic in the Villa camp. The cross almost finds Mandron in front of goal, but Bjarnason intervenes with a headed interception. Meanwhile, Murray has become the first Colchester man in the book for a mistimed tackle.
CLOSE! Kinsella almost catches Steer out with a cheeky free kick from just outside the box. He went for goal from a jarringly tight angle. Nobody was expecting him to pull the trigger from there and his effort proved almost too hot for the Villa keeper to handle.
SAVE! Colchester almost level things up, and would have if it wasn't for the heroics of Steer in the Villa goal. Jackson surges down the right channel and finds Szmodics in space on the edge of the box. The Os striker takes a few touches and unleashes a screamer, but Steer produces acrobatics and turns it behind with a strong hand. So close!
The hosts are keeping the pressure up, camping out in the opposition's half, but haven't created anything of substance since that Szmodics chance.
Szmodics has now been booked for a rash challenge, which wasn't quite as bad as the soggy surface made it look. Just three minutes plus stoppage time for Colchester to find that elusive equaliser.
There will be five minutes of stoppage time to play. That's plenty for the Os to salvage something!
Villa are doing a good job of running the clock down, taking the ball forward and winning a late corner, which goes begging. Two minutes left!
FULL TIME! Colchester United 1-2 Aston Villa
Villa edge through to the second round of the EFL Cup with a slender victory over League Two Colchester United. A Scott Hogan strike and an own goal by Frankie Kent put them in the driving seat, but things got nervy for them when Kent netted at the right end later on.
The second half was a tighter affair, but Colchester gave a good account of themselves during their search for an equaliser. Villa, however, are the ones into the pot for the second round draw tomorrow.
And that's all we have time for here, but be sure to check back soon for more live coverage of EFL Cup games, as well as commentaries from the Premier League openers this weekend. Thanks for joining us!
