by BRIAN WALLER

UNDER-23

COLCHESTER UNITED 1

WATFORD 4

IN the first competitive match at Florence Park for over 11 weeks, the U’s, after a very good first-half display, ended up well-beaten by PDL2 leaders Watford.

Colchester began the match well.

Dean Ager, holding the ball up, despite being fouled, laid it off to Ollie Sims, who, in turn, was fouled by Isaac Success to win a free-kick on the right edge of the box.

The delivery by Andre Hasanally saw a header by Matt Weaire go well over the bar.

Another delivery in by Hasanally was cleared from the edge of the box, before some good link-up play by Marley Marshall-Miranda, Ager and Sims.

Then, when the ball was fed to the right, the cross in by Billy Cracknell saw Watford get the ball away.

However, with Hasanally chasing out for it, he was blatantly pushed in the back by the Watford keeper but the referee just gave the U’s a corner.

As the visitors threatened for the first time, keeper Callum Coulter was down to his left to save the left-foot effort by Sam Dalby.

However, minutes later, Colchester took the lead.

Good work by Ager down the right saw Jamie Vila at the near post lay the ball off for Ben Allen to score from close range.

A foul on Vila saw a poor delivery in by Ager from the free-kick but then the away side equalised.

A long ball forward was just too high for Weaire to cut out with his head and although the initial shot by Dalby was blocked, the follow up was diverted away for a corner.

This was taken short and the hosts were undone as Isaac Success got the ball across the box and the ball went in off Billy Cracknell for an own goal.

Marley-Miranda was caught by a late challenge from Dalby before a pass by Tom Dele-Bashiru fed Success but he dragged his shot well wide of the far left-hand post.

Another purposeful U’s attack saw Cracknell, Sim and Ager combine, before the latter was fouled on the right edge of the box.

The resulting free-kick by Harvey Sayer around the wall saw keeper Pontus Dahlberg save really well, across to his right.

It was to be a very good spell for the home team, who were unlucky not to take the lead again as a ricochet ran kindly for Ager to run onto.

He powered in a shot but keeper Dahlberg produced another good save to his right.

However, the Hornets then took the lead when Success’ cross in from the left took a deflection off a U’s defender.

As keeper Coulter was lured to come for it, Joseph Hungbo nipped in for it, went wide of the keeper and scored - despite the fact he was off balance, falling and from a wide angle.

A Weaire ball down the line found Vila and it saw him cross in to find Ager, who was again denied by the Watford keeper.

However, breaking from the resulting corner, the U’s did well to block the shot by Jayden Bennetts.

Trailing 2-1 at the break, the home team replaced Allen with Sammie McLeod and a quick goal by the away team effectively killed off the match.

Cameron Green was allowed to make a run down the left and, from his cross, it was Sam Dalby who was glancing his header to the left of keeper Coulter.

It was a much quicker Watford side who were dominating now and creating all the chances, with Hungbo firing his effort wide of the left-hand post.

Sayer did play a good ball down the line for Vila but he was quickly closed down by right-back Jamal Balogun.

A change saw the visitors bring on Ryan Cassidy for Domingos Quina and, after a superb burst down the right by Sims, a pull on him by Green saw the yellow card given to the visitors' left-back.

A break by Bennetts saw him pass to Dalby and an effort blocked, before Success’ free-kick from the left was well-saved by Coulter.

Bennett shot over the bar before a pass slid through to Dalby saw him miss-hit his shot which was going wide.

Although Cassidy tried to reach and knock it back in, he failed to reach the ball.

A further home change saw Tariq Issa on for Ager, before a very dangerous ball in was cleared from the goalmouth by Weaire.

As the visitors continued on top, Dalby flashed a shot wide before Watford scored a fourth goal.

Ryan Cassidy shifted the ball a bit to his right before drilling a shot into the home net.

Immediately, Callum Anderson was on for Sims and there was one final chance for the away side.

Kane Crichlow found Bashiru but he prodded his shot wide.

U's: Callum Coulter, Billy Cracknell, Matt Weaire, Ollie Kensdale, Harvey Sayer, Marley Marshall-Miranda, Ollie Sims, Dean Ager, Andre Hasanally, Ben Allen and Jamie Vila with used subs: Sammie McLeod, Tariq Issa and Callum Anderson.

Unused subs: Ted Collins and Jamal Campbell-Ryce.