Two important wins for our U18s and U21s this week, with the U21s dispatching of Watford in a 6-0 thrashing of the London side, with the U18s scoring twice in a 2-1 victory over New Salamis FC in the FA Youth Cup.
The day started with a trip to Watford for the U21s, an important match at the foot of the Professional Development League South, Watford came into the game in dire form, winning just once in their previous ten games, while the U’s were looking to pick up their first win in five.
The U’s took the lead just eleven minutes into the game, a scrappy goal from a corner was bundled in by a Trialist, who managed to get the best of the defenders and poke the ball home.
The pressure didn’t stop there as the young side doubled their lead in eight minutes later. Donell Thomas was the man on the scoresheet, scoring his second goal in as many games. The ball was once again tapped in from close range.
The Hornets did their best to get back into the game, having a few chances, forcing great saves from our shot stopper, they had no luck as they couldn’t force their way back in and Colchester capitalised.
With one minute to go before half-time, Harvey Sayer made it three with a wonderful curled effort into the far corner of the goal, leaving the ‘keeper absolutely no chance of stopping it, and the three points were almost in the U’s hands by the forty-fourth minute.
And if the win wasn’t already secure, two minutes later in the first minute of additional time, Ryan Lowe made it four. A wonderful header from another corner compounded Watford’s misery and the U’s went into the break four goals to the good.
Watford seemed to get some control back in the second half and had a lot of joy right up until the seventieth minute, in the fifty-first, Blake cut inside and curled an effort just wide of the post, and moments later Watford won a free kick in a dangerous area however it was once again saved by the goalkeeper.
With fifteen minutes to go before the end of the game the Trialist got his second, it was the third goal the U’s scored from set pieces in the game as a free kick was sent in and connected with beautifully.
Four minutes later the U’s extended their advantage. 6-0. Harvey Sayer with his second of the game firing into the bottom corner from a decent distance out, a brilliant performance from the U21s that lifts them over QPR and puts them three points behind Charlton with two games in hand on the London club.
Two fantastic goals were enough for the U18s to move into the second round of the FA Youth Cup in a 2-1 victory over New Salamis FC.
A resilient New Salamis defensive effort wasn’t enough to keep out the U’s as they progress, Milton Oni and Kennedy Mupomba were the goal scorers for the Essex side, both scoring equally beautiful goals.
The hosts scored a great goal in the first half, after catching the Young U’s on the break after being pegged back in their own half for the majority of the half, the finish was good enough to beat Jayden Peglar in goal.
It took the U’s over half the match to break down the fantastic defence. It meant that both of the U’s goals had to be perfect to get through, and they were, with Mupomba and Oni scoring screamers in the second half. It was enough to end a poor run of form and push them into the second round where they will play Maidstone United.