Matt Ward and Tete Yengi netted as Town’s U23s comfortably beat Colchester United 2-0 at Portman Road, the Blues ending the game with 10 men after Myles Kenlock was sent off for two bookable offences.
Kenlock was the only senior player lining up for the Blues at left-back, while ex-Town keeper Dean Gerken was between the sticks for the U’s.
Town almost went ahead in the second minute when a long Albie Armin ball down the middle diverted only just wide by some hesitant Colchester defending.
And from the resultant corner on the left, the Blues went in front. The U’s had several opportunities to clear before the ball fell to Matt Ward, who slammed in from close range.
In the seventh minute Zanda Siziba profited from an error by Marley Miranda and struck a shot which flew just over the bar.
Two minutes later, Kenlock picked up his first booking for a foul on Samson Tovide as the striker burst through the middle, although the full-back had merely appeared to outmuscle the U’s forward. Keeper Antoni Bort confidently palmed Colchester skipper Chay Cooper’s free-kick away to safety.
The Blues, with Adem Atay in the dugout alongside Bryan Klug with Kieron Dyer watching from the directors’ box, immediately broke up the other end and Gerken rushed rashly out of his goal. Ward looked to lift the ball over the stranded keeper but scuffed to a defender.
On the quarter hour, Ward exchanged passes with lone striker Yengi on the edge of the box but his shot struck a defender.
Town continued to dominate and on 19 Siziba shot over the bar, then two minutes later Chirewa also went too high from the edge of the box.
Just before the half hour, Blues skipper Elkan Baggott required treatment after falling awkwardly after Tovide backed into him on halfway. The Indonesian U19 international looked groggy and was eventually taken off on the stretcher cart and Bailey Clements took over at the heart of the defence.
The Blues had been well on top and in the 35th minute they doubled their lead, Australian Yengi taking a touch before curling a left-foot shot beyond Gerken from the edge of the area to the right.
Three minutes before half-time, Junior Tchamadeu scuffed Colchester’s first shot of the game through to Bort. The Blues got in a mess as they looked to play it out and Miranda was presented with a good opportunity but shot over.
As the half moved into its final scheduled minute, Yengi fed Kenlock breaking into the area on the left and Gerken did well to get down at his near post to save. Kenlock blazed the rebound over from a very tight angle.
In injury time, after a flowing Town move which had started on the left, Ward shot over having cut in from the right.
The Blues thoroughly deserved their lead at the break having dominated from the off. They could, and probably should, have been further in front.
Edwin Agbaje under-hit an early second half shot which was blocked by a defender, then on 50 Chirewa struck a low effort only just past Gerken’s left post.
In the 52nd minute Agbaje was booked for a foul after being dispossessed when overplaying on the right not far outside the area. From the free-kick, Cooper almost caught out Bort with a shot rather than cross which hit the top of the angle of bar and post.
Chirewa curled wide from the edge of the area on 67 with the Blues continuing to look for their third goal, although without testing Gerken, with Bort a virtual spectator at the other end.
Two minutes later, Town swapped Chirewa and Ward for Ben Morris and Tom Hughes, playing his first game after 16 months out due to injury. Yengi moved to wide right with Morris playing down the middle.
In the 74th minute the Australian played in Morris but the striker took too long over his shot and it was blocked.
The changes made little difference to the Blues’ performance with Hughes showing few signs of his long period out.
Armin headed over from a Cameron Humphreys corner, before Matt Healy replaced Agbaje.
Town were reduced to 10 men in the 82nd minute when Kenlock clashed with Tovide on the touchline. Both players were booked but with the Blues’ left-back having already been yellow-carded in the first half he was shown a red. Humphreys moved to left-back with Hughes moving into a deeper central role.
On 84 Morris curled a shot past the angle of bar and post, then at the other end Cooper cut in from the right and hit an effort over from a tight angle.
Yengi almost made it 3-0 in injury time, smashing a shot against the bar with Morris just unable to get to the rebound. In the final moments, Gene Kennedy shot over for the visitors.
Town were thoroughly worth the three points having dominated from start until Kenlock’s dismissal, passing around confidently and slickly and with Siziba, Chirewa and Ward always looking dangerous in and around the box.
Kenlock’s first yellow card looked a little harsh, while the second was for a needless confrontation at a time when the game was already won.
The dismissal won’t prevent the Londoner from playing a part in either the FA Cup or Papa John’s Trophy - he is only eligible for the cups having been left out of the League One squad - over the next week.
Town: Bort, Agbaje (Healy 78), Kenlock, Alexander, Armin, Baggott (c) (Clements 31), Ward (Morris 69), Humphreys, Yengi, Chirewa (Hughes 69), Siziba. Unused: Ridd.
Colchester: Gerken, Tchamadeu, Miranda, Cracknell, Terry, Thomas (Stagg 75), Kennedy, McCoulsky (Kazeem 61), Tovide, Cooper (c), Clampin. Unused: Tedaldi, Beadle, Lowe.