Colchester United U23’s have beaten Charlton U23’s 3-2 in an entertaining game at the JobServe Community Stadium
Diogo Freitas-Gouveia, Michael Fernandes and Jake Hutchinson, (pictured playing in the FA Youth Cup), were on the scoresheet in an impressive victory for the young side.
The U's got off to a good start with Freitas-Gouviea netting fourteen minutes into the game. He took the ball from inside his own half to the Charlton penalty before smashing past Harness in the away goal.
The lively U’s winger went close again towards the end of the first half, replicating his run for the goal only to be denied by the legs of Harness.
Charlton did get level before the break with Billy French netting from a corner, just as the game entered first half injury time.
The away side were only level less than a minute as the U's got ahead again before half time.
Michael Fernandes went on a weaving run down the right wing, before cutting in, rounding the keeper and slotting into the empty net.
It was a tight game for much of the second half, with the U’s trying to hit Charlton on the break as the away side looked for an equaliser.
Substitute Jake Hutchinson put the U's ahead with just ten minutes to go, neatly finding the bottom corner after a Callum Anderson cross was blocked and bounced around the penalty area.
Hutchinson’s quick reactions put the U’s 3-1 up.
It was a sign for Charlton to throw everything at the home defence, which they duly did.
Josh Davison made the young U’s sweat in the dying moments, after arrowing a shot into the top corner, impossible for Coulter in the home goal to stop.
Charlton had a few chances in injury time, but couldn’t find a way through the U’s defence, and the game finished 3-2 to Colchester United.