A goal in each half enough to beat Hadleigh.
The U's U21s got their pre-season campaign off to a winning start on Saturday, as a goal in each half was enough to see off Hadleigh United.
The goals came from triallists Anthony Cook and Alex Yearwood, whilst important saves at the start of the second half from Shaun Phillips ensured that the U's retained their early advantage.
Cook's goal came after just seven minutes. He reacted quickest when Mason Spence's cross dropped to him in the box and stabbed home a header to give the U's the lead.
The right winger was a livewire throughout the first half and, after a fine low save by Phillips at one end, Cook curled a free kick narrowly wide of the post.
He then exchanged a one two with Simmons before firing over, whilst he was left disappointed by a goal ruled out for offside when Nwachuku's shot had come back off the inside of the post.
The U's were in command in the first half, moving the ball well and when Hubble drove across a low cross just after the half hour mark, it was only just missed by Szmodics at the far post.
The second half saw the U's make a number of changes and it took them some time to rediscover their fluency as Hadleigh started the second half brightly.
Phillips pulled off two superb saves in one on ones, where it looked like the home side were destined to score.
The U's then nearly doubled their advantage when Ladapo's powerful header from a corner was well blocked on the line.
However, the keeper could do little when triallist Yearwood brought the ball down well, lifted it over his defender, twisted one way then the other before firing home to ensure victory for the U's.
Next up are the senior side, when they play against Heybridge the first of four games in four days.
The goals came from triallists Anthony Cook and Alex Yearwood, whilst important saves at the start of the second half from Shaun Phillips ensured that the U's retained their early advantage.
Cook's goal came after just seven minutes. He reacted quickest when Mason Spence's cross dropped to him in the box and stabbed home a header to give the U's the lead.
The right winger was a livewire throughout the first half and, after a fine low save by Phillips at one end, Cook curled a free kick narrowly wide of the post.
He then exchanged a one two with Simmons before firing over, whilst he was left disappointed by a goal ruled out for offside when Nwachuku's shot had come back off the inside of the post.
The U's were in command in the first half, moving the ball well and when Hubble drove across a low cross just after the half hour mark, it was only just missed by Szmodics at the far post.
The second half saw the U's make a number of changes and it took them some time to rediscover their fluency as Hadleigh started the second half brightly.
Phillips pulled off two superb saves in one on ones, where it looked like the home side were destined to score.
The U's then nearly doubled their advantage when Ladapo's powerful header from a corner was well blocked on the line.
However, the keeper could do little when triallist Yearwood brought the ball down well, lifted it over his defender, twisted one way then the other before firing home to ensure victory for the U's.
Next up are the senior side, when they play against Heybridge the first of four games in four days.