NICO Lawrence is confident that Colchester United’s dynamic style of play under Ben Garner can prove the perfect complement to his own game.

The 19-year-old defender, who joined the U’s on a season-long loan from Championship side Southampton in June, is carving out a reputation as a silky, ball-playing centre-back.

Lawrence impressed in the second half of the 2022-23 campaign on loan at Torquay United in the National League, scooping the club’s Young Player of the Season award.

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And as he prepares to compete for Colchester in League Two, the youngster is eager to show what he can do.

Lawrence said: “Under this gaffer (Ben Garner) we’re very ball playing, which is part of my game.

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“It’s something I haven’t yet got to show much of last season maybe but now this season at Colchester, I’m in a position where it’s strictly ball playing with different patterns of play.

“I want to show my intelligence, on and off the ball.

“Southampton will most probably be keeping tabs on me especially under Russell Martin, who’s quite ball playing.

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“So there are some elements in the gaffer’s game that will help under Russell Martin, which could probably help me push into that team as well.”

Lawrence has caught the eye for Colchester in pre-season, looking assured in their friendlies as part of a three-man defence.

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“I’ve settled in very well, on and off the pitch,” said Lawrence, who impressed for the South London-based Kinetic Academy before linking up with non-league outfit Glebe FC.

“The boys are great and I feel like I’m in a very comfortable position to show what I’m capable of.

“Everyone’s welcomed me very well and I can’t wait to get started.

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“I feel like we’re in a good position right now to keep progressing.

“We’ve had some good results in pre-season.

“If we start it right and get a good result against Swindon, it’ll be a good opening to the season.”

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Lawrence experienced a challenging second half of last season, after finding himself embroiled in a relegation battle with Torquay.

The campaign ended with the Gulls dropping into National League South but despite that outcome, the Saints defender says it was a productive experience.

He added: “I feel like Torquay helped me a lot, especially being in and around a men’s environment.

“It gave me a very good guide to what the next step would be for me.

“We were in a relegation scrap, which was more of a mentality thing.

“It might not be the most comfortable position but you’ve got to take everything game by game, to try and get out of that position.”