Colchester United have been eliminated from the Essex Senior Cup after a second half comeback by Braintree Town - the visitors winning 3-2.
For the quarter-final of the BBC Essex Senior Cup, Dave Huzzey named a team with a handful of first team names including Al-Amin Kazeem, Jayden Fevrier and Will Greenidge.
The U’s were looking to book their place in the semi-finals of the tournament, and it started as a cagey affair at the JobServe Community Stadium; neither side was able to create a clear-cut chance in the opening fifteen minutes of the game.
But the hosts turned on the style with twenty minutes on the clock as Oscar Thorn put his side ahead. On the break, Gene Kennedy picked out the recent arrival from Norwich City with a neat throughball; Thorn obliged with a calm finish by chipping the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper to make it 1-0 to Colchester.
Comfortable with their advantage, the U’s made it two just before half time. It was a smart move by Dave Huzzey’s side in the forty-third minute, with Kaan Bennett converting from close range. A cross was tossed in from the right flank, controlled well by Ihionvien in a tight area, with Bennett lashing home.
And Colchester would hold their two-goal advantage until the break.
Braintree came out fighting in the second half and put the U’s defence under pressure for the opening exchanges, with Akolbire issued a yellow card for trying to break up play in the middle.
The pressure for the visitors paid off with just over fifteen minutes of the half gone, when Alfie Pavey halved the deficit. The ball was thrown in from the right flank with Pavey controlling, allowing him to control and shoot low into the bottom of the net to give the National League South side hope in the tie.
Dave Huzzey decided it was time for a change in personnel, with Harvey Sayer replaced by Milton Oni as his side looked to contain the boisterous opposition. Oni slotted into midfield for the U’s in a more defensive role, holding position just in front of the back four alongside Gene Kennedy.
Yellow cards were issued to the U’s pair of Kayne Jobson and Bradley Ihionvien as the visitors seemed camped in the home half, with Huzzey opting for another change in the last minutes. Scorer of the second goal, Kaan Bennett was replaced by Kai Redgrave.
But with just a couple of minutes to go, the visitors turned the game on its head. Kyren Clements nodded home from a corner to level the tie for his side.
Huzzey’s side looked to get their noses back in front as the game entered five minutes of stoppage time, but it was the visitors that grabbed a late winner. Alfie Matthews, on as a second half substitute sprung the offside trap and rounded the ‘keeper to roll home, eliminating the U’s from the Essex Senior Cup.
Colchester United starting XI: Grossart, Greenidge, Kazeem, Kennedy, Akolbire, Jobson, Thorn, Bennett, Ihionvien, Fevrier, Sayer.
Subs: Chamberlain, Oni, Edwards, Price, Redgrave.
Braintree Town starting XI: Sims, Altintop, Farrell, Clements, White, Davies, Clemons, Payne, Pavey, Boachie, Rush.
Subs: Matthews, Taylor, Regis, Lamar, Turner.