The U’s U18s have drawn 1-1 with Watford in the Premier League Cup, with the Championship side equalising late at Florence Park at the weekend. Bradley Chakawa had put the U’s ahead on the half hour mark, but an injury time penalty levelled things up.
It was the second group game in this season’s Prem League Cup and both sides were looking for the win after failing to secure three pints in their opening games of the competition. On three minutes, there was the first chance for the U’s as T’aizo Marcel Dilaver played in Jamie Arnold, who fired over the bar. Then from the first Watford cross from the right, there was a confident catch by keeper Jayden Peglar.
The best of the early chances came on eighteen minutes. Andrew Palmer-Brown fed Chakawa down the right, a clever flick by Brown released Mupomba and from his cross, Arnold’s strike was superbly tipped over the bar by the Watford keeper. Another chance came quickly for the U’s, but the visiting keeper saved at his near post.
Just before the half hour mark, the U’s deservedly took the lead. A good run by Chakawa resulted in him passing to Mupomba, who was fouled. A cleverly floated in free kick by Marcel Dilaver saw Bradley Chakawa guide his header into the net. Once or twice, the U’s overplayed at the back and when Peglar miscued a clearance, the away side were denied by a very good save by the U’s keeper.
After a foul on a visiting midfielder, Mupomba was booked but then the hosts went close again. Brown escaped down the right, rounded the keeper but from his ball across the box, he could not locate a teammate and the ball was cleared for a corner. The first half ended with the slender 1-0 lead for the U’s.
There was an early second half scare for the U’s as a ball down the left saw Palmer-Brown fail to cut it out, but Edwards was there to clear behind him. Then, Watford were so close to an equaliser when a great cross came in from the left back saw a firm header on the back post that was superbly saved by Peglar. At the other end, a good defensive block by Edwards saw the U’s break but Brown fired over the bar.
Peglar then saved well as the visitors looked for a way back into the game, but it was the U’s who were still having the better chances. Arnold had a couple of headed opportunities, but missed the target with one and the other was saved. Peglar did have to be on his toes though and saved well at his near post as the away side got in down the left.
After a second booking for a foul as the U’s tried to break down the right, Watford were reduced to ten men but they snatched a draw six minutes into injury time. The visitors broke in down the left and a foul just inside the box saw a penalty conceded. The spot kick was put away, just eluding the home keeper, with the final whistle sounding seconds later.
The U’s sit third in the group table on two points with all four teams having played twice.
Colchester United: Jayden Peglar, Bradley Chakawa, Andrew Palmer-Brown, Frankie Edwards, Bailey Berry, Kennedy Mupomba, Milton Oni, Bayan Aman, T’aizo Marcel Dilaver, Sean Brown and Jamie Arnold, with used subs: Matt Yates, Max Jolliffe, Samson Uwandu and Ewan Gordon-Clement.