Colchester United boss Joe Dunne says they will be appealing the red card shown to skipper Magnus Okuonghae during their 4-0 Capital One Cup defeat at Charlton Athletic tonight.

Okuonghae was sent off in the 24th minute of the U's first-round tie at the Valley, after referee Charles Breakspear adjudged he had prevented a goalscoring opportunity by blocking Callum Harriott's goalbound effort with his hand.

However, Dunne felt that the ball hit Okuonghae's ribs and that his defender should not have been sent off.

Charlton's Yoni Buyens scored from the penalty and a brace from Lawrie Wilson, along with Simon Church's late strike, sealed Colchester's fate.

Joe Dunne said: "It wasn't a penalty - it hit his ribs.

"I understand it's a goalscoring opportunity.

"But it's hit his rib cage and he's sent him (Magnus) off.

"You ask your defenders to block and throw your body in front of things and he's done that.

"Mags is an honest player and if he'd handled it, he'd have told me so and that's why he argued.

"It changed the course of the game, because up until then I thought that we were more than a match for Charlton.

"We kept the ball exceptionally well and created one or two goalscoring opportunities.

"We will definitely be appealing it."

For a full match report, reaction and pictures from the U's game at Charlton Athletic, see Wednesday's Daily Gazette.