A young Town XI drew 1-1 at Coggeshall Town in a pre-season friendly on Friday evening. Ben Morris opened the scoring for Town but the Essex side, who introduced pop star Olly Murs during the second half, equalised through Nnamdi Nwachuku.
Town fielded Joe Robinson, who has returned to the club following a recent trial spell at Bromley, at left-back and young England U17 striker Morris started up front. Alongside Murs, Coggeshall named former Blues schoolboy Henry Okosi on their bench.
The hosts started well in front of a large crowd and they came within inches of taking the lead early on. Nwachuku cut in from the left and hit a powerful effort which Town keeper Jacob Marsden partly blocked which allowed Robinson to get back and hook the ball off the line.
However, the Blues, with new U21s coach Gerard Nash in the dugout, took the lead midway through the half with their first real chance of the game. Kundai Benyu drove at the home side's defence and eventually the ball fell back to him again and his low cross was turned in by Morris from close range.
Ten minutes later Marsden got down well at his near post to keep Tom Kemp's fierce drive out, and soon after the stopper was grateful to see Nwachuku's equally powerful effort cannon off his crossbar and over.
Both sides came close to scoring within minutes of the half-time whistle; Monty Patterson's low cross was blazed over by Conor McKendry and then Kemp struck the woodwork for the home side, who could count themselves unfortunate to not at least be level at the interval.
Marsden again did well to keep Town's lead intact moments after the restart when he spread himself at the feet of Jordan Palmer, who was bearing down on goal.
Morris again looked lively for Town and he came close to netting his second, but his attempted lob over the advancing Matt Walker was kept out.
The flow of the second half was disrupted with various substitutions taking place, and the biggest cheer of the night was saved for Murs' arrival on 65 minutes.
The one-time X Factor runner-up was clearly delighted when his side levelled the scores six minutes after he entered the fray. The impressive Nwachuku, who troubled the Town backline throughout, hit a 25-yard effort which crept just inside Marsden's far post.
Although Town had more of the ball they failed to create any more clear-cut goalscoring opportunities and a draw was probably a fair result overall.
Benyu caught the eye in midfield and McKendry showed some impressive trickery, but neither could find their way through a stubborn Coggeshall defence.
Town XI: Marsden, Fowler, Robinson, Benyu (Webber 80), Cole (Salaudeen 48), C Smith, McKendry, Downes, Morris (Meldrum 65), Nydam, Patterson (Daniels 80). Unused: Wright.