For the second U18s game running, Colchester United U18s faced the league leaders, with Cardiff City coming to town.
Cardiff have been in good form in recent weeks and took the lead after just five minutes as Isaak Davies struck home.
Davies then won the visitors a penalty, but Ted Collins saved with ten minutes on the clock.
Whilst the U's grew into the game, Cardiff went close again through Colwill, but Collins did really well to tip the ball over the bar.
Jake Hutchinson fired into the side netting after good work by Harvey Sayer, before Donnell Thomas headed an Ollie Sims cross just wide.
Sims then sent over another dangerous cross that Todd Miller lifted over the bar, as the U's threatened.
The two teams continued to trade chances as thee game went on, and it seemed like the U's would get something out of the match with the chances that they had.
However, Cardiff took the match further away from the home side on 86 minutes when substitute Dan Griffiths headed home to double the lead.
And so a defeat for the U18s, but an encouraging performance ahead of their FA Youth Cup match at Stevenage.
U's: Collins, Wind, Cracknell, Fouche, Sayer, Miller, Cornish, Hasanally, Thomas (Kennedy), Sims (Stagg), Hutchinson
Unused subs: Hallett, Patino, Kane