Kevin Bru’s goal just before half-time has given Town a 1-0 half-time lead in their pre-season friendly at Colchester United.

Trialists Giles Coke and Larsen Touré started for the Blues with only Cole Skuse not making the trip due to a minor niggle.

Goalmouth action was rare in the opening spell and it wasn’t until the 13th minute that either side threatened, Bru picking up a loose ball midway inside the Colchester half and hitting a 25-yard effort which was too close to U’s keeper Elliot Parish.

Town, again in last season's orange away kit, came close to taking the lead in the 21st minute after a superb interchange of passes on the right. Pitman dummied, Ambrose then played the ball to the striker, who fed former Colchester man Sears, whose shot was blocked by Parish. The loose ball deflected out to Jonny Parr, but the Norwegian shot into the side-netting when he should have opened the scoring.

George Moncur shot wide for the home side, then on 23 skipper Chris Porter battled his way beyond Tommy Smith but the advancing Dean Gerken - also back at his old club - dived at his feet to block.

The U’s threatened again on 29, Moncur hitting a low shot from distance which Gerken could only parry. Porter was first to the rebound but couldn’t find the target as Smith closed down.

Just after the half hour trialist Touré, who had started wide on the right, made way for Dylan Connolly, the Guinean international having made one or two feisty challenges and a couple of strong runs, but had been caught in possession on a number of occasions.

On 36 Pitman looped a header over from a Coke freekick, then four minutes later Drey Wright, son of former Blue Jermaine Wright, shot over from distance.

The Blues took the lead right on the stroke of half-time. Ambrose, who is training with Town as he looks to win a new deal, exchanged passes with Sears on the left, the former Colchester man cut the ball back beyond Pitman but perfectly for Bru, who smashed a right-foot shot past Parish and into the net. The referee’s whistle blew moments after the restart.

Bru’s goal was very much the highlight of an evenly-contested, typical pre-season first half of few chances at either end.

Colchester: Parish, Brindley, Wynter, Eastman, Vincent-Young, Edwards, Gilbey, Moncur, Wright, Porter, Massey. Subs: Walker, Olufemi, Kent, James, Lapslie, Curtis, Sembie-Ferris, Bonne, Holman.

Town: Gerken, Chambers, Berra, Smith, Parr, Coke, Bru, Touré (Connolly 31), Ambrose, Sears, Pitman. Subs: Maitland-Niles, Bishop, Murphy, McGoldrick, Fraser, Crowe, Tabb, Yorwerth, Emmanuel, Kenlock, Henshall, McDonnell, Stewart, Benyu. Att: 4,647 (Town: 2,372).

Photo: Action Images

bluefeast added 20:43 - Jul 28 Blimey this report is kind ,we were disjointed and seemed leggy to me
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ipswichtillidie added 20:45 - Jul 28 More away fans than home! Can't remember ever seeing that before!
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bluefeast added 20:49 - Jul 28 To me with the new signings ,youth team players in the squad we look like work in progress. Different style of play , but chambers cannot be part of things at right back , i really like the man ,the attitude ,the captain etc ,just not as a right back. Its wrong so wrong
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bluefeast added 20:49 - Jul 28 2nd half started ,no changes from us as yet.
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bluefeast added 20:51 - Jul 28 sorry McG on for Sears
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bluefeast added 20:57 - Jul 28 1-1 now
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itfchorry added 20:58 - Jul 28 IpswichtilIdie - What about when we played Wimbledon at Selhurst Park - They were all protesting against a move to Milton Keynes and had only about 20 fans in the ground and we had more than a couple of thousand !! Think we won 1-0
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bluefeast added 21:00 - Jul 28 we are having a real shocker , coke flat footed ,we miss skuse big time. We need right back ,holding mid and play our bloody best 11 as opposed to tialists ffs. errrrrr.
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floridaboy added 21:05 - Jul 28 We really need to stop dropping points from a winning position Sorry forgot, it's only a friendly!
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ipswichtillidie added 21:08 - Jul 28 Good call Horry. You don't offern see it thou without circumstances attached. Ie friendly like tonight.
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bluefeast added 21:11 - Jul 28 2.1 McG penalty
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ipswichtillidie added 21:15 - Jul 28 Horry I'm assuming that's you from the sports bar nr warren st? Trying to forget that day!
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elalaer9 added 21:19 - Jul 28 Is there a dictionary available for what 'ipswichtilidie' is actually saying?
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bluefeast added 21:23 - Jul 28 lol elalaer
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ipswichtillidie added 21:26 - Jul 28 In translation .. Horry being quite a unique name I was assuming that I've met this guy. He owns a bar nr warren street. I'm trying to forget the day because 200/300 town fans went there for the 2nd leg of the playoff. Great atmosphere thou despite the result.
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bluefeast added 21:31 - Jul 28 2-2 now ,we look half the team that played col u last season. Gilbey looking like the best player on the pitch ,central mid for col u .makes runs into the box and has scored 2. Sign him up. Just what we need. By the way ,Coke has been absolutely awful ,what is mm even thinking of shopping at that level and putting on a trialist in favour of a full squad member.
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bluefeast added 21:34 - Jul 28 dear oh dear we are 3-2 down now. MM when will you place modern ideas to a 1st 11 as opposed to playing trialists and basically demotivating your current squad ,tonights performance has been a real shocker. Chambers ,coke , smith ,absolute shockers
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runningout added 21:35 - Jul 28 oh heck...
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bluefeast added 21:36 - Jul 28 Col u look like the championship side , if this is only about fitness then we are knackered already. leggy disjointed ,players not making runs for each other ,chambers and coke look like div 1 players. Im worried by this ,2000 odd of us here ,sort out the fightback and midfield areas or we are in for a hiding at brentford ,who just dominated stokes first 11 for 90 minutes and beat them.

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bluefeast added 21:37 - Jul 28 all over. SHOWER , don't let any other article tell you otherwise.
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bluefeast added 21:39 - Jul 28 Ps right under MMs nose was a proper midfieldd player by the name of gilbey. He's 21 he ran the show and us ragged ,plus scored 2 by making late runs into the box and finishing very well
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The_Messiah added 21:39 - Jul 28 Great updates bluefeast. Thanks mate.
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The_Messiah added 21:39 - Jul 28 Great updates bluefeast. Thanks mate.
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gibbo added 21:41 - Jul 28 Can I have a guess at MM press conference ! No new transfer activities and it was a good workout
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ipswichtillidie added 21:43 - Jul 28 Is this a bluefest or a blubfest
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