Jack Doherty scored his first goal for the Town U21s but Mark Kennedy’s men fell to a disappointing 3-1 defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion at Portman Road.
The Blues again included Irish trialist Eoin Wearen, a former West Ham central defender or midfielder, who we understand was previously targeted by Town when a schoolboy.
New addition Stephen Hunt started on the left of midfield, while veteran striker Alan Lee was in the Blues line-up at Portman Road for the first time since rejoining the club.
Summer signing Jack Doherty, playing up front alongside Lee, hit an early 20-yard strike along the sodden turf to Brighton keeper Christian Walton.
On seven, trialist Wearen, playing alongside first-year scholar Matt Clarke at the centre of the defence, headed over from an Anthony Wordsworth right-wing corner.
Frederic Veseli, playing at right midfield, charged down a Walton kick in the 14th minute, but the ball flew well wide of the Albion keeper’s goal.
On 20 Doherty slipped at the vital moment having been found in space in the area by Hunt after Lee had nodded back Elliott Hewitt’s cross from the right.
Brighton went ahead with their first shot in the 24th minute. George Barker brought the ball in from the left before hitting a low shot into the right corner of Scott Loach’s net with the keeper motionless.
Veseli shot wide for the Blues, then on 28 goalscorer Barker picked up the game’s first booking for a foul on Wordsworth.
A minute later, Lee nodded Veseli’s cross down to Hunt, who shot over when he might well have done better.
Barker volleyed Dickenson’s cross from the right wide in the 33rd minute with the visitors looking the more threatening side.
Loach saved well from Shamir Goodwin after the Brighton striker had been gifted the ball just outside the Town area, then Amir Berkane scuffed into the first defender after Wordsworth had played him the ball from a freekick in a promising position just outside the area.
Town almost got back on terms in the 41st minute when Hunt sent in a deep freekick from the right and Wordsworth met it a yard or so out at the far post. The midfielder seemed certain to score but somehow Walton blocked.
It had been a rather lacklustre half from the Blues. Despite having had most of the ball, the visitors had created most of the opportunities and deserved their lead at the break.
Charles Harris struck the second half’s first shot into the sidenetting of Loach’s goal before Seagulls’ skipper Lewis Dunk was booked for a foul on Mark Timlin, who was at left-back for the Blues. On 49 Wordsworth had his name taken for a foul on Harris.
Town got back on terms in the 53rd minute. Hunt crossed from the left, Dunk got a toe to it but Doherty following up slammed in his first goal in a Town shirt from 10 yards.
Parity lasted less than a minute. Albion went straight up the other end and Solomon March cut the ball back from the right to Goodwin, who hit a shot across Loach and into the net.
The Seagulls made it 3-1 on 58 when Goodwin twisted and turned his way past Berkane on the edge of the box before hitting a shot to Loach’s right and into the net for his second of the game.
With a fine rain by now falling steadily, Brighton came close to a fourth in the 64th minute when Loach did well to save from Dickenson down to his right.
The Blues ought to have pulled a goal back a minute later when Hunt ran on to Lee’s flick but Robin Deen just got a toe in as the Town winger looked to flick the ball past Walton.
Cory Galvin replaced Berkane for the final 23 minutes, Veseli moving into the centre of midfield to allow the Irish U17 international to play on the right, then with nine minutes remaining Byron Lawrence took over from Doherty.
The former Waterford United man, more usually a left winger, grew in confidence in the unfamiliar role after scoring his goal.
Lee headed Lawrence’s cross from the left wide with five minutes of scheduled time remaining, then Dunk looped the ball on to the roof of the net after Dickenson had done well to find him with a cross from the right shortly before the end.
Amongst a handful of scouts watching from the stands was Colchester boss Joe Dunne, perhaps weighing up a loan return for Wordsworth, who like Hewitt and Veseli amongst others should have made a greater impact on the game.
Hunt did better than most, despite his lack of fitness, while Lee enjoyed a good battle with Brighton's Dunk throughout and won more than his fair share in the air.
But overall it was another disappointing performance from the U21s, who are still without a win this season. Given the experience in the side, they ought to have beaten a more youthful Brighton team.
Elsewhere, a Town U17 side beat Southend in a friendly at Ipswich Wanderers, Irish U17 international Cemal Ramadan scoring both goals.
U21s: Loach, Hewitt, Wearen, Clarke, Timlin, Veseli, Berkane (Galvin 67), Wordsworth, Hunt, Doherty (Lawrence 81), Lee (Adekunle 90). Unused: Marsden, Robinson.
Brighton: Walton, Chicksen, Rea, Dunk, Deen, Asmundsson, Harris, March, Goodwin, Dickenson, Barker. Unused: Smith, Muitt, Barnett, Benham, Davis. Referee: Carl Pearse.