Colchester United U18s have be beaten 2-0 by Nottingham Forest
Liam Bailey's youngsters were defeated by Forest in the recent fixture in the East Midlands.
They went behind just before the half hour mark, but were always still in the game throughout the remainder of the ninety minutes. They couldn’t find a leveller though, and Forest sealed the win with a second goal in injury time.
It was a noon kick-off for the U’s eleven days ago, as they travelled up to Nottinghamshire for the game at the Nigel Doughty Academy.
Both teams began the match well, with home defender Silvio Bellio sending a shot over the bar before the U’s began to exert some pressure.
Just before the quarter hour mark, Forest went very close when a free kick was driven in by Gibson-Hammond and Esapa Osong’s effort was superbly saved by keeper Ted Collins.
Three minutes later, the U's keeper fouled Finn Back, but made amends when he saved Boland’s weak spot kick.
The visitors then went very close again as a good move ended with Kacy Parish failing to get his fierce shot on target on twenty four minutes.
The hosts only had to wait three minutes after this scare for the opening goal of the game, with Finn Back heading home from a corner.
They were getting on top as the half time break approached, with Gibson-Hammond firing into the side netting and Mutoti’s shot being deflected just wide.
Forest began the second half how they finished the first and two minutes after the interval, Esapa Osong broke clear of the offside line, but was denied by another deflection.
In the U’s next attack, just before the hour mark, Marley Miranda saw his header comfortably saved before Gibson-Hammond ‘s effort was cleared off the U’s line at the other end.
With just over a quarter of an hour to go, a Back cross found Gibson-Hammond arriving on the far post but he was unable to squeeze the ball into the net.
The U’s weren’t giving up on an equaliser even late in the game, and they went very close as Sonny Fish broke but his effort was saved by the home keeper.
The hosts went into injury time in the ascendency though, and Back saw his looping header cleared off the line, before scoring the decisive second Forest goal.
This came in stoppage time as he netted with a cool finish across the goal after some good set up work by Oliver Hammond.