Town's U18 side continued their pre-season preparations with a comprehensive 4-1 victory over Colchester United at Playford Road. Midfielder Paul Murphy opened the scoring, Jordan Rhodes netted twice and Jack Ainsley added the fourth.
The Blues scored their first after 33 minutes when Jai Reason deftly chipped a ball over the Colchester defence and Irish striker Paul Murphy sent a looping header over the visitors' keeper.
Murphy almost had a second eight minutes later after good work on the Town left led to an inviting cross being whipped in, but the Republic of Ireland U16 international's attempt from six yards out was somehow saved by the Colchester keeper.
The U's equalised five minutes after the break when an attempted clearance from Paul Watson re-bounded off Jimmy Pirie and into the path of team-mate Adam Bailey-Dennis, who finished well with his left foot, with the Town defence appealing for offside.
The visitors were in the ascendancy and Pirie saw a diving header fly just wide after a good cross from the right.
Two minutes later though, and Town had regained their lead. Good link-up play on the left resulted in Murphy running at the U's defence and being pushed over for a penalty. Jordan Rhodes stepped up and confidently smashed the ball past the diving keeper.
Rhodes scored his second goal two minutes later after Reason had won the ball in midfield and slid the striker in, the former Kesgrave High School pupil making no mistake in finding the bottom corner of the net.
Reason again won the ball in midfield and this time teed-up Murphy who sliced his volley just wide of the post.
Andy Plummer made a good save in the Town goal on 67 after U's striker Fabian Quintyn had been left in far too much space.
Substitute Jack Ainsley got on the scoresheet within minutes of coming on when a clever dink over the defence from Reggie Lambe allowed Ainsley to smash the ball home with his left foot from 12 yards.
With 10 minutes remaining, Colchester's left-winger crossed the ball in, Bailey-Dennis flicked it on for Pirie to volley against the bar and Ainsley to head just over his own bar to safety for a corner.
The last real action of the game was when Craig Calver's corner was hit onto the roof of the U's net by Ainsley.
Tommy Smith looked solid at centre-back and Jai Reason had a strong game in midfield. Jordan Rhodes took his goals well, but American trialist Dallas Moore looked less than comfortable up against better opposition than he did against Southwold on Friday.
Town U18s: Plummer, C Williams, Robinson, Lambe, Watson, Smith (Calver 60), Upson, Reason (Cawley 77), Murphy (Ainsley 69), Rhodes (Murray 77), Tooms (D Moore 46). Att: 40. Ref: E Goodman.
Report by James Ager.
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