Colchester United Reserves were denied the chance to go top of the Pontins Holiday Combination League when they were soundly beaten 3-0 at non-league Stevenage Borough.

The side - which included first-team squad members Pat Baldwin, Ben Bowditch, John White and Jamie Cade - failed to find the net as they fell to their second defeat of the season.

They went behind through two long-range efforts, and when they tried to push forward they were caught out.

Boro managed a third to put the game beyond doubt.

Cade, once again, looked sharp leading the attack and was well-supported by strike partner Richard Harris, but neither of them were able to make the scoresheet.

U's boss Phil Parkinson was watching the match as several fringe players were doing their utmost to impress him ahead of his squad selection for Saturday's League One encounter against Milton Keynes Dons at Layer Road.

Published Thursday, September 16, 2004

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