BRADLEY Ihionvien bagged Colchester United's winner as they ran out 1-0 winners in their second 60-minute friendly at Ebbsfleet United.

Young striker Ihionvien struck in the 19th minute to give the U's victory in their second friendly of the afternoon, at the Kuflink Stadium.

Noah Chilvers skippered Colchester, with Tom Dallison, Will Greenidge and Al-Amin Kazeem playing as centre-backs and Junior Tchamadeu and Ellis Iandolo the wing-backs.

Colchester almost went ahead in the opening minute, with young striker Bradley Ihionvien shooting straight at Ebbsfleet goalkeeper Mark Cousins, after Chay Cooper had squared the ball to him just inside the area.

But the U’s continued to press and went ahead in the 19th minute through Bradley Ihionvien, who finished smartly from close range after being picked out by Tom Hooper in the area, following Ellis Iandolo's incisive pass.

Ebbsfleet were in the game though and had a golden opportunity to equalise in the 26th minute.

Tom Dallison was adjudged to have fouled Dominic Poleon in the box but Colchester goalkeeper Sam Hornby made a fine save from the spot, diving to his left to push away Josh Wright's penalty.

Ebbsfleet came close again to equalising in the opening minutes of the second half with Toby Edser’s near-post header that crashed against the underside of the crossbar from a corner.

But Colchester almost doubled their lead when Hopper was denied at point-blank range by Cousins, after Iandolo had picked him out in the six-yard box with a low cross.

And the U's came even closer to grabbing a second through Chay Cooper, whose excellent first-time effort came back off the inside of the far post, after Tchamadeu's deep cross had picked him out.

Ihionvien's dipping effort flew just over from the edge of the area for the U's, before the young Colchester striker was denied again by Cousins from point-blank range, as the visitors pressed for a second.

Tom Hopper's far-post header came off the post after Chilvers had delivered a deep cross and then seconds later, the U's striker was again unfortunate not to score after his goalbound effort was cleared off the line, as Colchester finished strongly.

Colchester United XI (second game): Hornby (sub Collins, 30), Greenidge, Dallison, Kazeem, Marshall Miranda, Tchamadeu, Cooper, Chilvers, Iandolo, Hopper, Ihionvien.