Colchester United midfielder Teddy Bishop suffered a painful injury during his side’s 3-2 FA Cup first-round defeat to MK Dons, losing his front teeth late in the game at the JobServe Community Stadium.
The 29-year-old was struck in the face during the final 10 minutes of a dramatic tie and required on-field treatment from Colchester’s medical team before bravely completing the match.
Bishop Battles Through Pain in Narrow Cup Defeat
With the scores level at 2-2, Bishop went down following a heavy challenge that left him clutching his mouth as medical staff rushed on to assist. Despite clearly being in discomfort, the former Ipswich Town midfielder opted to play on until the final whistle.
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The best of the action from Saturday’s FA Cup tie with MK Dons, captured from behind the lens. A tough result, but plenty of positives on show.#ColU | #WeAreUnited
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— Colchester United FC (@ColU_Official) November 3, 2025
Head coach Danny Cowley confirmed after the match that Bishop had lost multiple teeth in the collision but praised his determination to continue.
“Teddy’s lost a tooth, he’s lost his front teeth,” Cowley said. “He’s a good-looking boy — he’s probably the only boy who can lose his front teeth and still be handsome!”
Cowley’s side had earlier fought back from behind but were undone by an 87th-minute strike from substitute Joe Tomlinson that sealed MK Dons’ place in the second round. The result extended Colchester’s unwanted run of early FA Cup exits, with the Essex club now eliminated at the first hurdle for a fourth consecutive season.
Cowley Frustrated by Injuries and Late Defeat
The loss of Bishop added to an already concerning injury list for Colchester. Midfielder Arthur Read was forced off with a groin strain, while winger Harry Anderson was left struggling late on following a challenge Cowley described as “cynical.”
“Harry has an injury that happened right in front of the referee and the fourth official,” Cowley added. “Their player cynically just does him straight in the back. It’s a really poor challenge and he’s in a bad way.”
Colchester were already without playmaker Jack Payne, who missed the tie with a hamstring problem. Cowley, who has emphasised the importance of consistency and discipline in recent weeks, admitted the defeat was a harsh lesson for a side still searching for rhythm and resilience.
Colchester manager Danny Cowley pointed the finger at a ‘cynical’ challenge on one of his players by MK Dons frontman Callum Paterson on Saturdayhttps://t.co/YPjvKRYv8W
— Toby Lock (@Citizen_Toby) November 2, 2025
Despite the disappointment, there were positives to take from the performance. The U’s twice found a way back into the contest and showed attacking intent, with goals from Cameron McGeehan and Samson Tovide keeping the tie alive.
However, defensive lapses at key moments proved costly once again, and Cowley conceded that his side must find a stronger balance between aggression and control.
Colchester will now turn their attention back to League Two action, where they face a critical run of fixtures ahead of the busy winter schedule. For Bishop, meanwhile, the immediate priority will be recovery, and, as his manager joked, “a trip to the dentist” after one of the more painful afternoons of his career.
