Colchester United club captain Luke Prosser was back in action on Thursday afternoon, as he moves closer to a first team return.
The U's central defender has been out for over a year with a knee injury, but played 45 minutes against Leyton Orient in a friendly on Thursday.
The skipper is set to face Chelmsford City on Tuesday in the Essex Senior Cup as he pushes to be ready for the remainder of the first team fixtures this season.