Another win in pre-season.
The U’s looked like they might get in again with ten to go. Adeloye and Edwards interchanged on the edge of the box and the summer signing was denied as he went to shoot by Merrifield.Further changes came just after 70 minutes, with Cameron James, Alex Gilbey and Tomi Adeloye coming on for Tosin Olufemi, Alex Wynter and Macauley Bonne.
Eastman stepped out of defence to maraud into the Stortford half, but his long range missile was inches wide of the home side’s goal.
That was a short lived two goal advantage, though, as a free kick for the home side was drifted to the far post and Lee was on hand to nod home from close range.
The visitors further extended their lead 20 minutes into the second half. Wright and Moncur showed persistence to keep it in a dangerous area, and Bonne slammed home.
The U’s made another change as Frankie Kent limped off to be replaced by Tom Eastman, whilst Lapslie and Lee were replaced by Moncur and Edwards.
Three minutes later and the U’s were in front. The visitors made the most of a defensive slip-up and Holman reacted quickest to get to the ball first and clip it past the onrushing keeper and into the net.
A flowing move sent the U’s up the pitch and Wright cut the ball back to Curtis, who pinged one in off the post to make it 1-1.
Jack Curtis was also introduced at the interval in place of Byron Lawrence and he drew the U’s level six minutes into the second half.
Triallist Grot made way at half time, with Dan Holman replacing him and Bonne moving into the middle.
The U’s tried to get level again seven minutes before the interval. Bonne’s acrobatic effort was well blocked but it fell to Lapslie, whose follow-up was deflected over.
With half an hour gone, the U’s made their first change, with Drey Wright coming on for Dion Sembie-Ferris down the right.
Next, Lawrence turned on the edge of the box to strike a firm effort, but it just nicked off a defender to go over for a corner.
They should have been level on 27 minutes as Lee capitalised on a defensive mistake to slide in Grot but Lovelock was out quickly to deny the one on one chance.
A Bonne shot was blocked into the path of Lee, who again took aim from distance, but Lovelock again got his body behind it.
The goal had knocked the U’s out of their stride a little and it wasn’t until midway through the half that they tested the home defence again.
The home side could have been further ahead on eighteen minutes. A cross from the right found Buchanan waiting in the middle and he directed his header just wide.
He took a touch to get the ball in front of him and hit a firm strike that fizzed past Lewington and in off the underside of the crossbar.
After that bright start, it was the visitors who took the lead after sixteen minutes. Stortford seized on the U’s first slower piece of play and the ball was fed out to Sellears on the right.
The former Birmingham midfielder was in the thick of the action early on and, having set up two of his team-mates, then had two chances of his own blocked at source.
Lee then turned provider for Bonne, who was in space on the left hand side, but the Stortford defence were out quickly to him to block the shot.
Next, triallist Sherwin Grot was slid in by Lee. He wrong footed his defender with a deft touch, but could only strike his shot straight at the keeper.
The U’s went close in the early stages, with Ollie Lee picking up the ball 25 yards out and striking a low shot that forced Tom Lovelock into a low save to his left.
That means it's three out of three for the U's so far, but they now face a home quadruple to test their mettle ahead of the new season.
Starting with a young side, they trailed at the break to a Bishop's Stortford side that gave them their toughest test so far, but hit a quick fire treble in the second half to ensure another victory in a 3-2 win.
Colchester United recorded another pre-season victory on Saturday - but they had to come from behind to do so.