Two goals from Fraizer Campbell and one from substitute Caleb Folan earned the Tigers a 3-1 win at Colchester United on Tuesday night.
On the day that the Manchester United loanee was called up to the England Under-21 squad for the first time, Campbell struck twice in the first-half after the home side had been reduced to ten men.
Even though the Us pulled one back before half time, Folan's late strike sealed the points.
As expected, Phil Brown kept faith with the same eleven that started the 5-0 demolition of Southampton at the weekend with the only changes coming on the bench.
Caleb Folan and Jay-Jay Okocha both returned from suspension at the expense of Michael Bridges and Ryan France.
On his 200th appearance for the Tigers, Ian Ashbee captained the side while Richard Garcia lined-up against his former club.
Having been re-arranged as the original fixture due to be played on 19 January because of a waterlogged pitch, this became the last-ever floodlit game to be played at Layer Road.
With City kicking-off a game as high as fifth position at Championship level for the first time since November 1987, they played towards their large band of travelling fans in the first half.
The Tigers' strike pairing of Dean Windass and Fraizer Campbell were both denied opportunities by the assistant referee's flag in what was a scrappy opening ten minutes.
The first incident of note saw Colchester's Adam Virgo booked for a nasty foul on Campbell as he looked to make progress towards the opposition box.
Wndass took the free kick and curled a shot just wide from 25 yards.
Campbell was next to try a shot after picking up Dean Marney's pass but Dean Gerken saved easily.
Colchester were reduced to ten men on 14 minutes.
Campbell was once again sent racing away and when Phil Ifil deliberately tripped him, he was shown a straight red. Marney fired the free kick wide.
The referee was starting to lose control, even at this early stage, and he listened to the calls from the fans as he booked Campbell for a nothing challenge on John White in the 17th minute.
Ashbee almost headed City in front from Andy Dawson's corner but Gerken saved before the captain fired the rebound over.
In the 20th minute, City took the lead. Windass found Campbell and when Gerken smothered his original effort, the striker fired the rebound home.
City were continuing to press forward and won a corner on 25 minutes, although Marney's ball in was cleared at the near post.
The Tigers doubled their lead in the 33rd minute and it was that man Campbell on target again.
Windass switched play out to the left where Henrik Pedersen managed to control the ball before finding Campbell.
The striker cut back past Matt Heath onto his left foot before delivering a devastating finish into the bottom corner of the net.
City weren't settling for that and Pedersen was unlucky to see his header from Richard Garcia's cross flash narrowly wide.
But it wasn't all one-way traffic as Colchester pulled a goal back in the 37th minute. Kevin Lisbie was afforded too much space to fire a shot across Boaz Myhill and into the net.
Windass then missed a great chance to regain the two-goal cushion, sending a free header from Marney's cross wide from eight yards.
The referee continued his card antics just before half time, booking Matt Heath for a foul on Garcia, which came as a surprise as the centre back was nowhere near the offence when it took place.
Colchester thought they had leveled during added time when a corner was headed goalwards, but the ball was cleared off the line.
Half Time: Tigers 2-1 Colchester
The home side threatened early in the second half when Clive Platt got a shot away. Myhill eventually claimed the ball at the second attempt.
City's first chance after the break fell to Michael Turner when he met a corner from the left, but his header came back down off the bar before bouncing to safety.
They should have extended their lead on 57 minutes when Campbell's superb ball found Pedersen. His shot was parried by Gerken and with almost the whole of the goal to aim at, Ashbee fired straight at the keeper.
City's first change came on 67 minutes when Bryan Hughes replaced the hard-working Pedersen and that was soon followed by the introduction of Folan in place of Windass.
With Colchester firing the ball forward at every opportunity, City were looking a little nervy at the back.
A foul on Marney presented City with an opportunity 25 yards out. Dawson stepped up to take the free kick, but his effort was held by Gerken.
With five minutes remaining, Sam Ricketts was booked for kicking the ball away after failing to keep Marney's pass in play.
City sealed the three points with two minutes remaining. Folan was sent racing through and after confidently rounding Gerken, he slotted the ball into an empty net.
It almost got even better a minute later when Garcia picked up possession and charged towards goal before unleashing a superb shot which came back off the bar.
Tigers (4-4-2) Boaz Myhill; Sam Ricketts, Michael Turner, Neil Clement, Andy Dawson; Richard Garcia, Dean Marney, Ian Ashbee [captain], Henrik Pedersen (Hughes 67); Fraizer Campbell (Okocha 89), Dean Windass (Folan 70).
Subs: Mark Tyler, Simon Walton, Bryan Hughes, Jay-Jay Okocha, Caleb Folan.
Bookings: Campbell 17, Ricketts 86
Colchester United (4-4-2) Dean Gerken; Phil Ifil, Adam Virgo, Matt Heath, John White; Karl Duguid (Balogh 70), Dean Hammond, Johnnie Jackson, Anthony Wordsworth (Izzet 62); Clive Platt (Vernon 72), Kevin Lisbie.
Subs: Ade Bankole, Medy Elito, Scott Vernon, Bela Balogh, Kem Izzet.
Bookings: Virgo 12, Heath 45, Izzet 79, Lisbie 80
Sent-Off: Ifil 14
