Denny Johnstone netted for the second time in pre-season as Colchester United claimed a 1-0 win at Llandudno tonight, in their latest pre-season friendly.

Johnstone followed up his strike against Needham Market earlier this week with another goal, as the U’s made it three wins out of three so far in their warm-up matches without conceding a goal with victory in North Wales.

Llandudno, who play in the Welsh Premier League, provided a good test for John McGreal’s side on their 3G pitch in front of a crowd of 342 at the Giant Hospitality Stadium, with the new League Two campaign little more than three weeks away.

Kane Vincent-Young pulled an effort just wide for Colchester early on, before the visitors were forced into an eight-minute change after Tom Eastman suffered a facial blow and was replaced by Alex Wynter.

Johnstone fired a shot over the bar before the U’s took the lead midway through the first half.

After Cameron James had delivered a fine cross into his path, Johnstone cleverly directed a header past the Llandudno keeper to score his second goal in as many friendlies.

Colchester suffered their first real scare just after the half hour when keeper Sam Walker was called upon to tip Sam Ilesanmi’s delivery onto his bar and away.

But the U’s almost doubled their lead soon after through Sean Murray, whose shot went just wide following Sammie Szmodics’ assist.

Colchester went in at the break ahead and made two changes at half-time, with Dillon Barnes coming on for Walker between the sticks and Eastman reappearing in place of Frankie Kent.

Szmodics lifted an effort over the line just after the break before Colchester made a number of changes just before the hour mark.

One of their second-half substitutes - Eoin McKeown – headed wide from Tariq Issa’s delivery under pressure from a Llandudno defender and then set up Tommy O’Sullivan for a shot that the home keeper Paddy Rutter saved, as the U’s went in search of a second goal.

McKeown and Issa both went close for Colchester as the clock ticked down, while O’Sullivan sent a header wide at the far post with eight minutes remaining but a single goal proved enough as the visitors claimed victory.

COLCHESTER UNITED: Walker (sub Barnes, 46), Eastman (sub Wynter, 8), James (sub Loft, 58), Kent (sub Eastman, 46), Kinsella (sub Dunne, 58), Vincent-Young, Murray (sub O’Sullivan, 58), Lapslie (sub Slater, 58), Wright (sub Edge, 58), Szmodics (sub Issa, 58), Johnstone (sub McKeown, 58).