Colchester United U21s were taking on Millwall in a Professional Development League clash at Park Drive on a cloudy Friday afternoon.
Before the ball started rolling in Maldon, the spectators and the players had to endure a thirty-minute delay as they awaited the arrival of a paramedic who had to be in attendance for the game to begin.
When the action eventually started, the visitors came out of the blocks firing as they took the lead through Boateng after just eight minutes. The Lions managed to dispossess the U’s in their half before quickly moving up the pitch. The ball was then lofted in from the left flank with Boateng alert and ready, putting the ball in the back of the net on a rebound following a good save from Collins.
The next twenty minutes didn’t see much action at all with both sides battling in the middle of the pitch without creating any threats.
The U’s finally had a chance to equalise on twenty-eight minutes when T’Aizo Marcel-Dilaver’s shot from the edge of the box troubled Evans in Millwall’s goal but he was able to push it out for a corner.
Less than four minutes later one of Colchester’s trialists nearly converted a free-kick from twenty-five yards but the ball flew narrowly past the post.
This trend continued for the rest of the half with Dave Huzzey’s men dominating but failing to get back on level terms.
The second half began much like the first with Millwall finding the back of the net early on. The visitors capitalised on some defensive errors made by the U’s when attempting to play out from the back with Abdulmalik converting from close range following a drilling ball into the box.
With the clock ticking in the uneventful half, Huzzey opted for his first change with twenty minutes to go as one of the trialists replaced Kaleel Green. Soon after Bailey Lamb and another trialist were called to the bench with their places being taken by Max Jolliffe and Jet Dyer.
The substitutes didn’t get much time to make an impact with Millwall getting their third after seventy-nine minutes following a quick break on the left flank and a scrappy shot from six yards that floated over Collins.
The U’s, however, reduced the deficit sixty seconds later when Marcel-Dilaver’s cross from a corner was caught by Evans in goal who then bizarrely ended up walking into his own net with the power simply beating him.
The rest of the match saw Colchester push for their second but the U’s were only able to find the target with seconds left in the clash. Oscar Thorn’s cross was converted by a trialist with a good header but there simply wasn’t enough time for anything else with the youngsters succumbing to a 3-2 defeat.
Colchester United Starting XI: 1. Ted Collins, 4. Trialist, 5. Frankie Edwards, 6. Ryan Lowe (C), 7. Archie Oliver, 8. Trialist, 9. Kaleel Green, 11. Kennedy Mupomba, 12. T’Aizo Marcel-Dilaver, 14. Oscar Thorn, 15. Bailey Lamb
Subs: 10. Bayan Aman, 16. Jet Dyer, 17. Max Jolliffe, 18. Trialist, 29. Harrison Chamberlain
