REPORT BY BRIAN WALLER, PICTURE BY KEVIN DRURY
Two teams with 100% records met at the Garrison Ground on Saturday, in the third series of matches in the Youth Alliance League.

The main difference was that the U's were victories, whilst the Seagulls were both losses.

Despite an excellent home start, a shock was to be on the cards, as the visitors capitalised on the failings of the Colchester side.

Everything looked so good at the start, as in the opening minute, a ball was sent long from the defence, Craig Arnott raced clear of the defence, but the keeper was out to tip the ball away, and the follow up effort by him was also blocked.

This was to set the trend of the half as the home side dominated and created no end of chances.

After two minutes it was a Brighton effort flying just over the bar, but back came the U's.

There was good build up play from Bradley Hamilton, Jordan Pavett and Jordan Lartey, to set up the possible opening for Arnott, but the defender was cutting the ball out.

When a poor attempt to clear by Tom Bender hit George Barker, he set up George Hayward, but his drive went just wide of the home keeper's right hand post.

Next, two headers by Pavett and Lartey set up Arnott in on the right, but his drive flashed low across the goalmouth and past the far post.

It was certainly a lively opening ten minutes, and Conor McCloskey then created the chance for Lartey, but his dipping drive went narrowly over the bar.

From a left sided throw in, it was then McCloskey trying his luck, but the attempt drifted wide of the far post.

Shane Stamp's throw in then put Pavett into the action, and on the turn he drove the shot in low, but the keeper saved at his near post.

For the visitors, George Barker worked some space, but keeper Cusack blocked and gathered.

However, it was still Colchester in the main doing the pressing.

Alex O'Leary down the left made a tremendous run, took on and beat the full back and sent over the cross which just evaded Pavett, but Lartey just behind him was denied as the keeper did really well to tip his header over the bar.

Lartey then embarked on a tremendous 50 yards run through the centre of the pitch, he found Arnott, he tried to get the ball across, but Lewis Ide was in the right place to cut out at the near post.

For the away team, Barker then went at Bradley Hamilton, he laid it off for Hayward, but he fired wide.

To end a promise half for the home side, Arnott again got in on the right, but once more his drilled low shot was narrowly wide of the far post.

The half ended still scoreless, but hopes were still high of a home success.

The good work then continued at the start of the second, and it was defender Hamilton striking the bar with a good shot (pictured), before McCloskey fired just wide.

Dan Bolwell then got the better of Hamilton down the left to cross the ball in and Jake Caskey in from the right, with a tight angle to shoot hit the side netting.

Ide then nearly gifted Pavett a goal as he was dispossessed, but the home striker fired over the bar.

The miss then proved costly as the away team then struck.

Colchester got caught down their defensive left channel, and a good bit of passing finally saw DAN BOLWELL played in on the left, and it was a good finish by him on 51 minutes.

The goal seemed to totally deflate the home side, and all the enthusiasm seemed to drain from their game.

Again the defence got caught as Barker burst through the middle, and his shot went just wide of the dive of the home keeper, but also outside of his right hand post.

A brief riposte saw O'Leary send in a corner from the right, which keeper Mitch Walker caught well, and back came Brighton to score again.

Smith sent in a corner from the left, and there was Ide to volley home at the near post just after the hour mark.

It was then so nearly 3-0. John Glowacki left his back pass short, Brighton's Jamie Strong challenged with the home keeper, but as the ball ran loose, the Seagull man on the ground hooked his shot just wide.

Arnott then tried to get his side back into the game, nipping into the box, but his shot was blocked.

Then changes saw Jordan Sanderson and George Wilson on for McCloskey and O'Leary.

It was the visitors still continuing to remain the bigger threat, as Barker got the better of Hamilton and Glowacki, but shot just wide.

The spark from the home side had really gone now, and a third change saw Chem Attac on for Stamp on 75 minutes.

The lack of confidence in the home game was then demonstrated after Pavett robbed Hayward to feed in Arnott.

Normally so sharp in front of goal, he then allowed the ball to get away from him, and run on to the keeper.

Pavett still was searching hard, as he flashed in a 25 yard effort, but the keeper down to his left pushed the shot around the post.

A free kick short by Hamilton to O'Sullivan saw him play the ball into the box, but Lartey's effort was deflected away for a corner.

A late change saw Woodley on for goal scorer Bolwell before the U's had one final chance.

Arnott and Lartey played a one two, and the former was felled on the edge of the box but, to sum up a disappointing morning, the free kick by Pavett was sent well over the bar.

Teams - Colchester: Shane Cusack, Bradley Hamilton, John Glowacki, Tom Bender, Shane Stamp, Jordan Lartey, Conor McCloskey, Louis O'Sullivan, Alex O'Leary, Jordan Pavett and Craig Arnott

Used subs: Jordan Sanderson, George Wilson and Chem Attac with unused sub: Andrew Dickey