JEVANI Brown scored the winner as Colchester United chalked up their first pre-season friendly after beating Wealdstone 2-1 this afternoon.

Brown struck just after the hour mark to win it for the U's at the Vale, after Tom Eastman had cancelled out Moses Emmanuel's opener, just before half-time.

Colchester played against ten men for more than half a game, after Danny Green was sent off for the National League new boys, just prior to the break.

Nevertheless, boss Steve Ball will have been pleased with many aspects of his side's display, after they registered their first win of pre-season.

Colchester survived a penalty scare in the opening minute when the ball appeared to hit Kwame Poku’s hand in the area.

And the Stones had an effort ruled out when Emmanuel had the ball in the net for the hosts but the flag had long been up for offside.

Jacob Mendy’s hopeful 13th-minute long-range low effort was saved down to his right by goalkeeper Dean Gerken and the hosts started brightly.

Indeed, striker Ross Lafayette provided a physical presence for the hosts, giving the Colchester defence, marshalled well by Tom Eastman and new signing Tommy Smith, plenty to think about.

However, the U’s began to dominate possession more as the first half went on and the visitors had their best effort of the half in the 25th minute.

Jevani Brown’s shot from just outside the six-yard box was blocked well, after Callum Harriott’s effort had also been blocked.

However, Lafayette curled a free-kick over the bar from the edge of the area for Wealdstone before a major flashpoint, five minutes before the break.

Green’s strong challenge on U’s midfielder Ben Stevenson on the edge of the Colchester area sparked a huge melee which resulted in Green being shown a straight red card and Miquel Scarlett being booked.

It left Wealdstone down to ten men but it was the hosts who broke the deadlock, on the stroke of half-time.

Emmanuel converted from close range after Lafayette’s effort from Mendy’s low cross had crashed against the crossbar.

The U’s stuck with the same starting XI to begin the second half but the Stones made wholesale changes, with former Maldon and Tiptree trio Charlee Hughes, Danny Parish and Jack Cawley all entering the fray.

Colchester dominated in the second half against their ten-man opponents and were back on level terms in the 52nd minute when Eastman had the easy task of tapping in from close range, after Smith had headed a corner into his path.

Poku curled a shot towards goal that Sam Beasant saved just before the hour and the Wealdstone keeper also denied Pell at full stretch soon after, as the U’s pushed for a second.

It came soon after when Brown clinically fired in from close range in the 62nd minute from Bramall’s fine low cross, after Poku had picked out the left-back in space.

Hughes dragged a shot wide for Wealdstone and Parish's header was scrambled off his own goal-line by Gerken with five minutes remaining.

But Colchester held out to claim a pre-season win.