PHOTOS: An English soccer club held 'A Game for Ukraine,' donating all its ticket sales to refugees evacuating the country

With an average attendance of just 2,775 this term, Colchester chairman Robbie Cowling issued a rallying call for more people to turn up for Monday's fundraiser.

"You don't have to be a Colchester United fan to attend," he said on the club's website. "You just have to be someone who wants to make what we are doing successful to the extent that others want to follow in our footsteps."

Cowling's call was answered, with a season-high 6,140 buying tickets for the match.

At £10 ($13) apiece and with 6,140 tickets sold – Colchester raised £61,400 ($81,400) for both the humanitarian charity the British Red Cross and the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal in ticket sales alone.

On top of that, an additional £4,906 ($6,501) was raised through a JustGiving page, which was set up for those who couldn't attend but still wanted to donate.

"We want to thank every one of the supporters who attended the game, and to those that couldn't come along but have donated," said general manager Tim Waddington after the match.

"It's still so difficult to comprehend what the Ukrainian people are going through as they are forced to flee their homes and their country.

"The Chairman wanted to do something to help, everyone at Colchester United was right behind him, and it was great to see the people of Colchester and beyond supporting us.

"Hopefully, this can be the start of something that can really make a difference to those people suffering that hardship."

Outside the stadium before kick-off, British Red Cross volunteers stood with buckets collecting money.

Though it isn't clear how much was raised, one volunteer told Insider that people were being "very generous" and "putting in five- and 10-pound notes."

Colchester usually play in blue at home games and in green and black at away games.

However, on Monday, the team wore special yellow and blue kits to honor Ukraine.

The shirts, which had "United with Ukraine" printed above each player's name on the back, will now be auctioned, with the money also going to charity.

It didn't take long for Colchester, which had won just nine of its 37 League Two matches going into Monday's game, to go behind on the night, with Matty Stevens opening the scoring for the visitors with a fine header in just the ninth minute.

Rovers dominated for the remainder of the first half, but in the second period, Colchester was the much better side, laying siege to the Rovers goal, as it was spurred on by the voices of the unusually packed stands.

Substitute Junior Tchamadeu came closest when his low shot struck the post in the 83rd minute, but the home side failed to convert any of its 14 shots as it slumped to its 17th loss of the campaign.

With more than £65,000 ($86,000) and counting raised for refugees fleeing Ukraine, Colchester can hold its head up high, as can Forest Green Rovers for playing its part.

"The things that are happening around the world at the moment are more important than football," Rovers' midfielder and Man of the Match Ebou Adams told Insider after the game.

"It is important that we support the people that are struggling. It's not going to be easy, but it's such an amazing gesture by Colchester."