Colchester United U21s were taking on Charlton Athletic in a Professional Development League clash at the Valley on a rainy Friday afternoon.
Dave Huzzey named a young starting eleven with the likes of Kai Martin and Max Jolliffe getting the taste of U21s football. There was, however, some experience in the squad with Conor Wilkinson and Will Greenidge getting some minutes following recent injuries. Tom Smith was also in between the posts.
The U’s began the match well, looking composed on the ball and attempting to play out from the back. Nonetheless, the first ten minutes of the clash were uneventful with Colchester creating one half-chance, which saw a trialist miss the target following a decent ball into the box from Jet Dyer.
The first attempt on goal came from the hosts after seventeen minutes, but more worryingly for the U’s, Greenidge was forced to come off soon after following a strong challenge. He was replaced by Bailey Berry.
The next twenty minutes saw plenty of shots from distance with both goalkeepers staying alert and no efforts troubling them massively.
The breakthrough came with less than five minutes left in the first half when a free-kick cross was converted by Conor Wilkinson with a powerful header from five yards, putting the U’s ahead.
There wasn’t much time left for anything else in the first forty-five minutes with Huzzey’s men going in at half-time leading by a goal to nil.
Charlton came out with some real intensity for the second half and nearly managed to find an equaliser after less than three minutes. Smith, however, did brilliantly in goal quickly diving to his right and saving the low effort.
Despite that intensity, it was the U’s who opened the scoring again when a quick break up the pitch on the right flank saw Wilkinson convert inside the box on a rebound. The Addicks’ goalkeeper made a great initial save but was no match for the experienced forward’s tap-in.
Charlton weren’t deterred and kept pushing, eventually finding their first goal of the match after fifty-four minutes. Smith was no match in between the posts for an unstoppable curling effort from the edge of the box.
The rest of the match didn’t see much action with occasional chances here and there. Overall, the U’s looked composed and stayed compact defensively preventing serious goal threats from Charlton.
Wilkinson was unlucky not to score a hat-trick with his low effort on eighty-five minutes brilliantly saved by Charlton’s ‘keeper.
Tom Smith then made an incredible one-on-one save in the dying minutes of the clash, all but securing a win for Colchester United following a very professional and controlled performance.
Colchester United Starting XI: Smith, F Edwards, Lowe, Oliver, Greenidge, Jolliffe, Dyer, Martin, Wilkinson, Trialist, Torn
Subs: Collins, Berry, Mupomba, Green, Thomas
