U21s Win at Colchester
Monday, 22nd Dec 2014 21:19 by James Ager

Town's U21 side held on for a 3-2 victory over Colchester United at the Weston Homes Community Stadium on Monday night. Goals from Cameron Stewart, Conor Sammon and Alex Henshall put the Blues into a commanding position before Sammy Szmodics and Cole Kpekawa hit back for the Essex side.

The U's started well and Dion Sembie-Ferris should have given them an early lead, but he scuffed his effort wide after good work from Szmodics on the right.

Town took a 20th minute lead when Conor Sammon's knockdown fell kindly for Stewart to take a touch before firing a low drive past keeper Chris Lewington from the edge of the box.

Lewington then produced a good save to claw Henshall's shot away from the top corner after more good hold up play from Sammon before Kpekawa lifted over at the other end from close range after Town had failed to clear a corner.

Michael Crowe kept the scores level as the half hour approached when he parried Anthony Jeffrey's shot away from danger after the Essex side had caught Town on the break.

As the game entered first half stoppage time Sammon doubled the lead for Mark Kennedy's side. Henshall broke through some challenges in midfield before hitting a swerving effort which was parried by Lewington into the path of the on-loan Derby man who had a simple tap-in.

Town extended their advantage on 54 when a good move saw Victor Guldbrandsen play in Henshall on the left and he hit a low drive across Lewington and into the bottom far corner of the net.

Crowe twice denied Tom Lapslie within a matter of seconds just after the hour with two fine reflex saves, but he was powerless to prevent the dangerous Szmodics pulling a goal back on 64 with a low shot from the edge of the box.

Szmodics lifted the ball over Crowe but also the bar soon after, while at the other end Josh Emmanuel blasted into the side-netting from a tight angle after Guldbrandsen's deflected shot had been kept out by Lewington.

Kpekawa completed the scoring with three minutes remaining with the goal of the game. He struck the ball left-footed from 35 yards into the top corner with Crowe unable to get anywhere near saving it.

Town saw out the remaining few minutes, although may count themselves slightly lucky to have collected all three points with the U's creating more goal scoring opportunities.

Ben Wyatt impressed at left-back and both Sammon and Henshall looked dangerous going forward in front of watching first-team boss Mick McCarthy and his assistant Terry Connor.

U21s: Crowe, Emmanuel, Wyatt, Guldbrandsen, Sowunmi, Robinson, Stewart, Clarke, Sammon, Bajner, Henshall (McQueen 90). Unused: McDermid, Ellis, Ramadan, Benyu.

Photo: Action Images

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