Town fell to a 2-1 defeat to La Liga Osasuna in their first friendly in front of fans under new manager Gary O’Neil at Colchester’s JobServe Community Stadium, Chuba Akpom netting for the Blues.

New signings Emersonn and Abdul Fatawu started for the first time in Town shirts with Alex Palmer in goal, Harry Clarke at right-back, Leif Davis at left-back and skipper Dara O’Shea and Jacob Greaves the centre-halves.

Cameron Humphreys was in the centre of midfield alongside Marcelino Nunez with Fatawu on the right, Anis Mehmeti in the centre and Jack Clarke on the left ahead of them. Emersonn was up front.

Fatawu won an early free-kick on the right from which the Blues weren’t far away from going in front. Nunez whipped the ball over, Harry Clarke rose highest but was unable to get a significant touch on the ball.

But in the fifth minute, the visitors took the lead via their first attack. Anai cut the ball back from the right, skipper Kike Barja hit a shot across Palmer, which the keeper did well to stop, but Auria was on hand to stroke the loose ball into the net.

On 17 Iker Munoz was booked for a foul on Fatawu, then soon after O’Shea - who went the whole of last season without a yellow card but was sent off in Saturday’s friendly - joined him for pulling back Barja.

As the game passed the 20-minute mark, Nunez flashed a shot across the face of goal from the left.

In the 23rd minute, the Chilean hit a shot from the edge but Munoz slid in to divert over the bar for a corner.

The hydration break was booed in the now traditional manner, then on 32 Moncayola met a bouncing ball on the edge of the area and Palmer did well to save to his left.

The keeper was forced to make another save within a minute, his poor kick out surrendering possession not far outside the area but he atoned for his error by diving low to his left to save Raul’s low shot.

On 35, Fatawu, who had been Town’s brightest player in attack, cut in from the right before hitting a well-struck effort across the face and not too far wide.

A minute before the break, referee Bobby Madley showed Anai a yellow card for a foul on Davis.

That was the last action of a half in which the visitors had had the better of it and might have been further ahead but for Palmer’s saves.

At the other end, the best Blues chances were the early free-kick which Clarke was unable to get a connection on and Fatawu’s shot across the face.

But overall the La Liga side had been on top with new Town striker Emersonn not having got much change from the visitors’ backline.

The Brazilian and Fatawu made way at the break, Wes Burns and Chuba Akpom taking over.

Three minutes after the restart, Burns volleyed across the face of goal but no teammate was on hand to add a final touch.

In the 50th minute, Jack Clarke tricked his way in from the left and sent a low ball across to Akpom, who slid in but his effort was blocked.

Three minutes later, the Blues levelled in spectacular style. O’Shea played a superb ball over the top from halfway on the right to Akpom, who hooked the ball goalwards with the outside of his right foot and Osasuna sub keeper Aitor Fernandez could only bundle into his net.

At the second-half hydration break, again booed, the Blues made nine changes. Kayne van Oevelen came on in goal, Darnell Furlong, skippering, at right-back and Ben Johnson at left-back.

Corbin Mthunzi and Cedric Kipre were the centre-halves with 18-year-old Charlie Compton and the holding midfielder ahead of them, behind a four of, from the right, Burns, Chieo Ogbene, Sindre Walle Egeli and Kasey McAteer, with Akpom continuing as the striker.

Goalscorer Akpom made way on 76 for George Hirst, the last of the Blues’ substitutes, then four minutes later Abel Bretones was booked for a foul on Burns.

Osasuna retook the lead in the 82nd minute via a superb Raul Moro strike. A corner from the left was swept to beyond the edge of the area where the one-time Lazio and Barcelona trainee took a touch before smashing into the roof of the net to Van Oevelen’s left.

Aside from a late Blues corner that came to nothing, that was the last significant action of the match.

The second half had been fairly standard pre-season fare with few chances but plenty of stoppages and substitutions.

Town had had one opportunity before Akpom’s excellent goal, while the visitors’ impressive winner was their only real shot on goal.

Having fielded teams which will be a long way from the one which lines up on the opening day against Sunderland - new additions Issa Diop, Kjell Scherpen and Daizen Maeda are yet to play a part in a friendly - manager O’Neil will have seen the exercise as a matter of getting minutes in players’ legs rather than anything else.

The Blues are back in action again on Saturday when they travel to play twice in the same day away against Oxford and Wycombe.

Town: Palmer (Van Oevelen 63), H Clarke (Furlong 63), O’Shea (c) (Mthunzi 63), Greaves (Kipre 63), Davis (Johnson 63), Humphreys (Compton 63), Nunez (Ogbene 63), Fatawu (Burns 46), Mehmeti (Walle Egeli 63), J Clarke (McAteer 63), Emersonn (Akpom 46 (Hirst 76)). Unused: Williamson.

Osasuna first half: Herrera, Benito, Moncayola, Munoz, Raul, Barja (c), Catena, Arguibide, Auria, Anai, Santos.

Osasuna second half: A Fernandez, Benito, Herrando, Torro, Ruben Garcia, Gómez, Moro, Bretones, Mauro, Osambela, Bonel. Att: 4,681 (Osasuna 201).

Photo: Matchday Images