U's defeat Barnsley 4-1 in latest home win.
Colchester United’s U21s maintained their impressive start to the new season – and their spot at the top of the table – with a 4-1 win against Barnsley on Monday night.
The U’s raced into a 3-0 lead after just twelve minutes and it looked like they might score a hatful of goals in an explosive start to the game.
But, despite further chances through the match, they added just one more to keep their positive start going.
The U’s were ahead after only seven minutes. The ball came in from the right and Jack Curtis slotted home with a composed finish.
They were two ahead shortly afterwards. Again the ball came in from the right with a good cross from Dion Sembie-Ferris, and Macauley Bonne dived to head home past the helpless Walton in the Barnsley goal.
The Tykes shot stopper found himself retrieving the ball from his net for the third time after just twelve minutes.
Sembie-Ferris showed his electric pace to beat his man and he cut the ball back for Bonne to grab his second of the game.
Drey Wright went close to adding a fourth as he lifted one just over the bar, before Szmodics curled one just wide.
Szmodics’ involvement wasn’t to last too much longer, though, as he made way with an injury that he had picked up in the warm-up and struggled to shake off.
Chris Regis replaced him and went close to adding a goal of his own, with Curtis also going close to extending the U’s advantage.
It remained three at the break and the visitors gave themselves brief hope on 64 minutes when captain Paul Digby slotted home after a goalmouth melee after the U’s were unable to clear a Barnsley free kick.
Tom Lapslie, again outstanding in the heart of the team, went close to adding a fourth as he embarked on a lungbursting run that forced a good low save out of the keeper.
But the U’s did get that extra goal their play had been threatening, as Bonne completed his hat-trick.
It was a clever move from the U’s that saw them move the ball quickly through the centre of the pitch and Bonne slotted home despite calls for offside from the visiting defence.
It rounded off a good display in front of an appreciative home support who have seen their U21s win all four home games this season.