U's youngsters suffer heavy defeat against Crystal Palace

Coach Wayne Brown has had to deal with an extensive injury list of late and it showed, with the U’s starting line-up featuring just one second-year trainee.

A number of under-16 players either started or were on the bench and inexperience told, with errors proving costly.

Colchester almost took an early lead through Ross Debrick’s powerful free-kick, which was well blocked in the goalmouth.

Palace went straight on the attack and Corie Andrews pounced on Josh Pollard’s poor back-pass and rounded keeper Callum Robinson, before slotting in.

Robinson made a superb save to deny Andrews a second goal soon after.

But Colchester were rocked when Michael Phillips bagged a rapid eight-minute hat-trick, to put the Eagles in full control.

Phillips doubled the visitors’ lead after 25 minutes and scored twice more in quick succession soon after, to give Palace a convincing lead.

The U’s defence was shell-shocked and they conceded a fifth goal when Corie Andrews converted in first-half injury-time.

To their credit, Colchester kept going and they pulled a goal back five minutes after the break through Louis Dunne, who converted after Brown’s header had been saved.

Buoyed by their goal, the U’s went in search of a second and pulled another goal back midway through the second half.

After Joe Linley had delivered an excellent cross from the right, Callum Harrison scored at the far post with a shot that went in off a post.

It left Colchester dreaming of an unlikely comeback.

But any hopes of a revival were dashed with 20 minutes remaining when Will Hoare drove in from the edge of the box, for 6-2.

Colchester continued to plug away but Andre Coker scored in stoppage-time, to wrap up a comprehensive win for Palace.

COLCHESTER UNITED: Robinson, Linley, Pollard, Stephens, Debrick, Brown, Harrison, James, Cosegrave, Oti, Dunne. Substitutes: Downey, Clampin, Syrett, Atkin, Wilson.