Frank Nouble struck twice and Jack Marriott once as Town beat Colchester United 3-0 at the Weston Homes Community Stadium. All the goals came in the second half after a lacklustre first period from the Blues.
Town, wearing their new orange away kit for the first time, started with ex-Colchester man Dean Gerken in goal, Elliott Hewitt at right-back, Tyrone Mings on the left and Luke Chambers and Christophe Berra at the centre of the defence.
In central midfield, another ex-U’s man Anthony Wordsworth began the game alongside Luke Hyam with Alex Henshall on the left and Paul Anderson on the right. Daryl Murphy was partnered by Frank Nouble up front.
Missing was Stephen Hunt, who is still suffering with his calf problem, Ted Bishop, who has a minor knock, and David McGoldrick, who is not yet ready for a return to match action as he continues his rehab after his knee injuries.
Hungarian trialist Bálint Bajner was amongst the substitutes.
Colchester included ex-Blue Darren Ambrose, who is on trial, while Tom Eastman started and David Wright was on the bench along with Drey Wright, the son of Jermaine Wright.
Freddie Sears hit a third-minute freekick just over Gerken’s cross bar after Wordsworth had fouled Alex Gilbey just outside the box. A minute later Gilbey spectacularly volleyed high and wide after an Ambrose cross had deflected out to him.
The home side continued to have the better of the early chances, Dan Holman, a recent signing from Braintree, hitting a sixth minute strike just wide.
Anderson ought to have put the Blues in front on nine when Hyam broke quickly following a U’s corner. The midfielder fed Nouble, who crossed to the far post where a diving Anderson headed wide from close range.
Neither side particularly threatened as the game moved beyond the 20-minute mark, but with Colchester looking more of a danger than the Blues until Wordsworth flicked a Henshall cross from the left just wide.
The U’s had a golden change to go in front in the 26th minute when Ambrose crossed low from the left but neither Sears nor Dominic Vose could get a touch on the edge of the six-yard box.
Five minutes before the whistle, Henshall lashed over from distance after a clever bit of skill from Nouble had raised a rare round of applause from the large Town following behind the goal.
It had been a disappointing half from the Blues with Colchester having had the better of it overall. Both sides missed their one decent opportunity but it was the U’s - with Ambrose having sent in a couple of dangerous crosses - who had threatened more regularly with Town unable to make their greater quality show.
Having switched their entire XI in their previous friendlies, the Blues made only one change at half-time, keeper Gerken making way for recent signing Bartosz Bialkowski.
Henshall hit a left-foot an early shot just wide of the far post with Anderson not close enough to add an additional touch.
On 52 Mings struck a shot which hit one of his own players and flew wide following a Henshall corner, then the Blues full-back was sent away on the left by Murphy but failed to beat the keeper with his cross.
The Blues had looked much better since the break and in the 55th minute they went in front. Murphy just kept Mings’s ball down the left, although the home defenders felt otherwise, and cut it back to Nouble, who took a touch before slamming into the net.
Two minutes later, Nouble made it 2-0. Anderson sent over a superb right-wing cross to the far post and the striker powered a header into the roof of the net.
Soon afterwards, Murphy made way for Hungarian trialist Bálint Bajner, who immediately created an opportunity for Nouble to complete his hat-trick with a low ball from the right, but the former West Ham man shot wide from the edge of the box.
Having done well before the break, Colchester failed to show anything in the second half until Ambrose forced Bialkowski to make a superb reaction save from a strike just before the hour mark. Moments later the former Blue made way for Drey Wright.
Town, who had already brought on Cole Skuse and Paul Taylor for Hyam and Anderson, switched Hewitt, Wordsworth, Chambers, Henshall and goalscorer Nouble for Freddie Veseli, Jay Tabb, Tommy Smith, Cameron Stewart and Jack Marriott for the final 20 minutes.
Tabb almost immediately went close to scoring a header but couldn’t quite get enough on Taylor’s cross from the right. At the other end, McAuley Bonne ought to have pulled one back for the home side but shot across the face of goal.
On 77 Marriott made it 3-0 with an excellent solo goal. The 19-year-old brought the ball forward a few yards and cut inside before smashing a powerful low right-foot drive beyond the keeper and into the net for his second goal of pre-season.
As the game moved into its final 10 minutes Bialkowski was dispossessed by Bonne to the right of his goal and was fortunate that the Colchester striker shot across the face of goal and wide.
With four minutes remaining Marriott thought he’d scored a second when he stabbed home after Berra’s header from Tabb’s corner had struck a post, but the linesman was flagging. At the other end Gavin Massey shot over from distance.
Town were much better after the break and dominated virtually from the first whistle. Nouble and Marriott took their goals confidently and the Blues deserved the win, although the home side will feel the scoreline was a touch harsh on them after they had been on top before the break.
Town: Gerken (Bialkowski 46), Hewitt (Veseli 70), Mings (Parr 65), Hyam (Skuse 65), Chambers (Smith 70), Berra, Anderson (Taylor 65), Wordsworth (Tabb 70), Murphy (Bajner 58), Nouble (Marriott 70), Henshall (Stewart 70). Subs: Clarke, McQueen, Wyatt.
Colchester: Lewington, Gordon, Eastmond, Ambrose, Gilbey, Holman, Sears, Eastman, Clohessy, Vose, Kent. Subs: Walker, D Wright, Okuonghae, Thompson, Bonne, Olufemi, D Wright, Massey, Moncur, Szmodics, O'Donohue, Sembi-Ferris. Att: 3,519 (Town: 1,566). Referee: P Miller.