Town got their pre-season fixtures programme under way with a 2-0 victory over National League Southend behind closed doors at Playford Road on Saturday.
In a game of two 30-minute halves, Sindre Walle Egeli and Chieo Ogbene were on target with both sides giving minutes to their full squads over the course of the match.
Town returned to training a week ago under new boss Gary O’Neil, while the Shrimpers, who now have former Blues midfielder Kieron Dyer in charge, were back a week earlier as their season starts the weekend prior to the Blues’ Premier League campaign.
The squad is at Playford Road this week before they travel to La Manga for a training camp from Monday 20th July to Friday 24th July with another behind-closed-doors friendly against local lower league opposition at the end.
Their first pre-season friendly open to fans is the game against La Liga side CA Osasuna at the JobServe Community Stadium, Colchester on Wednesday 29th July (KO 7.45pm).
Elsewhere, released Blues forward Conor Chaplin is reportedly close to joining League One Leicester City.