Colchester United succumbed to a 4-0 defeat against Sheffield United at Florence Park on a sunny Saturday morning.
The early stages of the game set the tone of the match with a foul by Makaya James on Sheffield's Marshall Francis leading to a dangerous free-kick. Left-back Mekhi Haughton-Parris delivered a precise cross into the box, resulting in a scramble that ended with Archie Christie-Crainie finding the back of the net.
Despite Colchester's efforts to respond, they were met with further frustration as Sheffield United continued to press. A deflected cross from the left saw Francis narrowly miss the target in the 12th minute. Colchester managed to win a corner after some promising play down the left by Rashaad Douglas, but they failed to capitalise on the opportunity.
As the game progressed, Colchester's defence held firm at times, with Alamin Kosoko making a crucial tackle to thwart Sheffield's attacking threat. However, their efforts were often in vain, as Sheffield’s press proved too much to handle. Colchester's goalkeeper, Jayden Peglar, made several commendable saves, but he was unable to prevent Sheffield from extending their lead.
The second half saw Sheffield United further assert their dominance, with Jackson Blaize capitalising on an excellent run down the right to score their second goal in the 56th minute. Despite Peglar's valiant efforts to keep his team in the game, Sheffield's Noah Kiwomya fired in a rebound to secure their third goal in the 64th minute.
Colchester made desperate attempts to salvage something from the match, making a double substitution. However, Sheffield continued to dominate proceedings, with Lamine Sidibe capitalising on a defensive error to score their fourth goal. Despite a late surge from Colchester, including a promising run down the right by James Sasere, they were unable to find a breakthrough.
Ultimately, it was a disappointing outing for the U’s, who were outplayed by a formidable Sheffield United side.
Colchester United Starting XI: Jayden Peglar, Alamin Kosoko, Harvey Duggins, Makaya James, Rashaad Douglas, Trialist, Alex Kokoshi, Owen Moore, James Sasere, Jamie Arnold, Leo Makata.
