JAVANI Brown and Paris Cowan-Hall made their first appearances in Colchester United colours as their new side eased to a 2-0 friendly win at Dulwich Hamlet tonight.

Two second-half goals in the space of four minutes from Courtney Senior and Omar Sowunmi gave John McGreal's side victory against their National League South hosts.

There was also another big positive from the evening, with key midfielder Harry Pell playing the final 30 minutes on his return to action following hamstring surgery.

There were a number changes to the U’s squad for their second friendly of the summer.

New attacking duo Brown and Paris Cowan-Hall both featured for the first time, while Harry Pell made a welcome return to match action following his hamstring injury last season.

Michael Fernandes, Ryan Clampin and Louis Dunne dropped out of the squad from the U’s contingent that featured at Bowers and Pitsea along with keeper Bailey Vose, who picked up a knock in the 2-0 win.

Colchester predictably enjoyed the bulk of the possession in the first half but were unable to make a breakthrough, before half-time.

Indeed, they came close to falling behind in the 14th minute when Nyren Clunis embarked on a jinking run before trying his luck with a low shot with the outside of his boot that rattled the outside of the post.

Kane Vincent-Young, who looked lively throughout the first half at left-back with his attacking runs, saw an effort fly just over soon after having burst into the Dulwich area.

And the U’s came even closer to scoring in the 19th minute through Senior, whose excellent 25-yard was effort tipped onto the bar by Dulwich keeper Charlie Grainger.

Senior, a livewire for the U’s, came close again on the half hour when he drove towards the Dulwich area before trying his luck with a low shot that was easily held by Grainger.

Colchester went in at the break level at 0-0 and made two changes at the break, sending on new signing Brown for his debut in place of Hasanally and Barnes for Ross, between the sticks.

They almost broke the deadlock ten minutes after half-time when Vincent-Young beat the offside trap and dummied the keeper but eventually saw his shot on goal blocked by a defender while seconds later, the lively Senior saw his effort flash inches wide of the near post.

Colchester eventually took a 52nd-minute lead through Senior, whose positive run into the area resulted in a shot that was too hot for the keeper to handle.

Senior’s long-range shot was then palmed away for a corner by the keeper who then did well to push away Ben Stevenson’s attempt for a corner, before Colchester doubled their lead from the resultant set-piece, just after the hour mark.

Two of the U’s summer signings combined, with defender Sowunmi stooping to head home from Brown’s corner.

Colchester made eight substitutions immediately after the goal, as boss McGreal looked to further increase his players’ match fitness.

It was almost 3-0 when Brown picked up a pass in the area before drilling just wide of the near post while midway through the second half, Noah Chilvers’ effort was kicked away by the keeper as the U’s pushed for more goals.

Chilvers was unlucky to see a fierce shot from a tight angle clatter the outside of the near post from a tight angle with 12 minutes remaining and Frank Nouble also went close, as Colchester claimed victory.

COLCHESTER UNITED – Ross (sub Brown, 46), James (sub Jackson, 57), Sowunmi (sub Prosser, 61), Eastman (sub Kensdale, 61), Vincent-Young (sub Ager, 61), Lapslie (sub Comley, 61), Stevenson (sub Pell, 61), Hasanally (sub Brown, 46), Gambin (sub Cowan-Hall, 61), Senior (sub Chilvers, 61), Norris (sub Nouble, 61).