COLCHESTER United kicked off their preparations for the new League Two season with a 2-0 friendly win at Isthmian League premier new boys Bowers and Pitsea.

Second-half goals from Louis Dunne and Luke Norris gave the U's victory against their non-league opponents.

The U’s fielded new summer signings Omar Sowunmi, Luke Gambin and Michael Fernandes in the warm-up contest, at the Len Salmon Stadium.

Colchester played out a goal-less first half, where chances were few and far between for both sides as they eased their way into pre-season.

The first meaningful effort on target for either team came just after the half hour mark when Bowers right-back Ryan Sammons’ long-range effort was gathered by U’s keeper Ethan Ross.

Ross was replaced between the sticks soon after by Bailey Vose, whose involvement only lasted for a few minutes after he was accidentally caught by a stray Bowers boot soon after coming on.

Colchester almost went ahead in the minutes just before half-time through Frank Nouble, whose close-range effort was well saved by Bowers keeper Callum Chafer.

But Bowers threatened again before the interval and should have taken the lead when James Thomas’s glancing header flashed inches past the post, on the stroke of half-time.

The first half ended goal-less though and Colchester fielded a completely different XI after the break.

Kane Vincent-Young was unlucky not to score when his effort was saved by Chafer and Andre Hasanally was denied on the follow up.

Dean Ager’s low shot then flashed just wide of the far post following Gambin’s fine cross-field pass, before Colchester broke the deadlock on the hour mark.

Dunne slotted neatly home from close range, after Vincent-Young’s fine run and pass.

Bowers came close to equalising three minutes later when Luke Hirst’s diving header flew straight at Dillon Barnes from close range.

But Colchester looked the more likely to score the game’s next goal and Dunne almost doubled both his own and his side’s tally with 17 minutes remaining when his curled effort from just inside the box was brilliantly turned away by Chafer for a corner.

Norris headed over from Cameron James’ precise cross with 12 minutes to go while five minutes later, Chafer made a superb stop to push over Vincent-Young’s 25-yard strike, as Colchester pushed for more goals.

And they got their second with five minutes remaining through Norris, who tapped home from close range after James brilliantly controlled Tom Eastman's long pass and picked the striker out.

Colchester’s next pre-season friendly is at Dulwich Hamlet, next Tuesday night.

COLCHESTER UNITED: FIRST HALF: Ross, Jackson, Sowunmi, Prosser, Clampin, Comley, Stevenson, Senior, Chilvers, Fernandes, Nouble.

SECOND HALF: Barnes, James, Kensdale, Eastman, Vincent-Young, Lapslie, Hasanally, Gambin, Ager, Dunne, Norris.