COLCHESTER United's under-23s were beaten 3-1 at Bristol City in their latest Professional Development League Two match at Ashton Gate, writes BRIAN WALLER.

Despite taking the lead, the visitors lost out as City eventually fought back to seal the win.

The U’s had an early chance as after Gene Kennedy’s shot was saved, Donell Thomas should have done better with his tap in.

And at the other end, Seb Palmer-Houlden really should have scored when he somehow fired wide of the near post, on 25 minutes.

Colchester went ahead on the half hour mark.

Thomas was found down the right and from his low cut back, the ball then ran onto Chay Cooper who put the chance away, after Samson Tovide's mis-control had set him up.

Taylor-Clarke's free-kick sailed just over the crossbar before City back on level terms, eight minutes before the break.

Owers found Callum Wood on the left and from his inviting cross to the back post, Palmer-Houlden hit the ball into the pitch and it bounced and being deflected and went over the stooping keeper Ted Collins.

Palmer-Houlden almost got clear again soon after but the back-tracking Frankie Terry got his foot in to slide the ball away for a corner.

The sides went in level at the break but Colchester went close early in the second half, with substitute Bradley Ihionvien's left-foot shot well saved by Mac Boyd after he got the better of Bell and Idehen.

And after the trialist linked well with Thomas, the latter’s effort was just wide of the far post.

But soon after, the trialist lost out to Olly Thomas who sent Palmer-Houlden away down the right and he calmly fired his shot low to the right of Collins to put City ahead just before the hour.

On the hour mark there was a nasty clash of heads between Tovide and Bell, with the U’s striker needing treatment.

Olly Thomas and Wood both went close for the hosts, before Collins made a close-range save to deny Thomas.

Thomas sent another chance wide before there was a major clash of heads as Tovide chased a long high ball forward and collided with home keeper Boyd who had come out of his box to head clear.

After a very lengthy delay, the Rovers keeper was replaced by Josey Case-Grande.

On the 90 minute mark, Collins raced out of his box and missed the ball as he went to deal with a through pass as Palmer-Houlden was chasing onto it but the trialist baled him out of trouble by clearing away for a corner.

Bennett was denied by City's stand-in keeper before the hosts wrapped up their win in the fourth minute of stoppage-time.

City counter-attacked really well as Palmer-Houlden found Thomas and from his ball across, Omar Taylor-Clarke converted.

Right at the end, City's sub keeper clattered into U’s player Parish who needed treatment and eventually after 11 additional minutes, the game was finally over.

U's under-23: Ted Collins, Ellis Sullivan, Camron Gbadebo, Gene Kennedy, Frankie Terry, Trialist, Sam Cornish, Chay Cooper (sub Bradley Ihionvien), Ryan Lowe (sub Kacy Parish), Donell Thomas (sub Kaan Bennett), Samson Tovide. Sub (not used): Jaime Tedaldi.