Colchester United

They came into the fixture looking to extend on last season’s Alliance Cup success and, after an evenly contested first half, the U's eventually edged it as Tom Monk grabbed a late goal in the opening period.

The U's senior side go into FA Cup action on Sunday and their younger equivalents progressed through the First Round of their competition with a 3-1 win over the O's.

Colchester United's U18s got a week of cup football off to a winning start on Tuesday evening, as they beat Leyton Orient.

Despite an equalising wonder-strike from Nick Brown, U’s picked themselves up and twice again found the net through Tariq Issa and Joel Atkin, running out 3-1 winners.

Both sides could take positives from a fairly lively first half at the Matchroom Stadium with a fair share of attacking possession in each box.

It was Orient’s youngsters who nearly made the early breakthrough though, as Callum Robinson spilled the ball under pressure from Ayomide Adeboyejo following a corner set piece.

Luckily for the U’s, Jamie Stephens was positioned perfectly on the line to clear the ball acrobatically away from goal. 

Colchester’s turn came next as Tom squared a pass to Joel Atkin in the box, but under pressure from Michael Clark he sliced his shot wide from inside the box.

Back in the Colchester goal, Robinson was forced into two saves coming off his line to clear equally dangerous crosses.

On the right hand side, George Brown was having some fortune cutting in on his left, but could only put the ball into the hands of Ben Card.

Behind him, Tyler Brampton was having a solid performance, after making a key interception the full back beat his man and drove a ball into the box which Orient scrambled to clear for a corner.

Just as the half seemed to be fizzling out to a goalless conclusion, Colchester got the vital opening goal. Monk weaved into the box and placed low shot into the bottom corner, beyond Card.

The goal gave U’s a vital lead going into half time, allowing them to play patiently into the second whilst Orient pushed for an equaliser.  

This theory was short-lived however, as U’s could do nothing about Nick Brown’s wonder goal. The midfielder blasting a shot off the underside of the crossbar from around 30 yards out.

But the resilient U’s side were not deflated by the setback, as minutes later Tariq Issa had them back in the lead. His low free kick hit the glove of Card but still found its way into the net.

Again Orient had to chase the game, and this time U’s took advantage. Monk picked up the ball on the half way line and outpaced his defender impressively, before slotting past Card to make it three.

The game steadied following the fourth goal, Orient had the majority of possession, but U’s posed a deadly threat on the break especially through Atkin who kept Card busy in goal. 

Despite continuing pressure from the O’s, Colchester held out to secure an impressive away win which sees the side through to the Second Round of the FA Youth Cup. 

They will face Cheltenham Town at home in the Second Round, after the Robins progressed past Weston-Super-Mare by a 4-0 scoreline.