Colchester United lose out to Ipswich Town in pre-season contest

Steve Ball's side took on their League One opponents in two games of 75 minutes, as both clubs gave their players valuable game time ahead of the new campaign.

Town ran out 4-0 winners in the first match and were 1-0 victors, in the second.

The U's were more of a competitive force in the second game, having been largely second best in the opening match.

In the first of the two matches, New Zealand international centre-back Tommy Smith was given another chance to impress for the U’s, playing against the club he spent more than a decade with.

Paul Lambert’s Ipswich side had a familiar name to Colchester fans in the starting line-up, with Kane Vincent-Young lining up at right-back.

Indeed, Vincent-Young registered the first effort on goal in the game when his close-range shot was blocked in the six-yard box by the U’s.

The U’s fell behind in the seventh minute when Aaron Drinan slotted the ball past keeper Dean Gerken, after a through ball had split the home defence.

Colchester looked for a response and Luke Gambin made space for himself and fired in a shot that keeper Harry Wright parried well.

But Ipswich missed a gilt-edged chance midway through the first half when Vincent-Young scuffed a golden opportunity wide at the far post.

And Town doubled their lead in the 25th minute through Drinan, who scored his second of the game from the spot after Smith had been adjudged to have fouled Teddy Bishop in the area.

Colchester fell further behind on the half hour when Gwion Edwards drove into the far corner of the net.

Wright made a good save to deny Jevani Brown who had found himself alone in the area before the break.

Ipswich added a fourth goal nine minutes after half-time through Idris El Mizouni, who found the top corner with a good strike.

Edwards curled an effort just past the post for Ipswich late on, as the U’s were beaten.

Colchester fielded a completely different starting line-up in the second game, with trialist goalkeeper Shamal George given another chance to impress.

Alan Judge fired a good chance over for Ipswich while at the other end, Michael Fernandes scuffed a 20th-minute effort across goal and wide, following a sweeping U’s move.

George tipped Judge’s free-kick over before Ipswich took a 23rd-minute lead in the second game with a well-worked move from a corner when Judge curled in a superb shot for 1-0.

Omar Sowunmi cleared Flynn Downes’ header from near his own goal-line and George denied Jack Lankester, as Town pressed for a second.

But on the stroke of half-time, skipper Callum Harriott forced a good save from Town keeper Adam Przybek, who saved well down low at his near post.

Lankester nodded just wide for Town in a quieter second half, as the U's narrowly lost out.

COLCHESTER UNITED (first game): Gerken, Welch-Hayes, Smith, Kensdale, Clampin (Kazeem, 57; Bramall, 68), Pell (sub Marshall-Miranda, 46), McLeod, Gambin, Senior, Poku, Brown.

COLCHESTER UNITED (second game): George, Bramall, Sowunmi, Eastman, Scarlett, Chilvers, Stevenson, Hasanally, Harriott, Fernandes, Hutchinson.