Bishop’s Stortford 2 Colchester United 3

Second-half goals from Jack Curtis, Dan Holman and Macauley Bonne sealed a victory for Colchester United at Bishop’s Stortford this afternoon.

This was the U’s third pre-season friendly of the summer, following wins at Heybridge Swifts (8-0) and Brentwood Town (4-0).

And Tony Humes’ men were made to fight hard for this win, conceding their first goals of pre-season in the process.

The U’s fielded Dutch triallist, Sherwin Grot, for the first half of Saturday’s encounter, and the 24-year-old squandered the best two chances of the half for the visitors.

Grot was through on goal after just four minutes, only for keeper Tom Lovelock to save at close range, and the striker was also thwarted by the Stortford custodian on the half-hour mark, having been set up by fellow triallist, Olly Lee.

By that time, the hosts had taken the lead via a superb finish by Sheldon Sellears on 16 minutes.

Sellears beat Chris Lewington all ends up with a sublime finish, his lob flying over the U’s keeper and cannoning in off the far upright.

In addition to Grot’s missed brace, the U’s had other first-half chances, especially early on.

Macauley Bonne had a fifth minute shot blocked at point blank range, midfielder Lee dragged a shot wide on nine minutes, and Lee then tested Lovelock with a 20-yarder in the 25th minute, which the home keeper stopped.

Tom Lapslie, operating just in front of the back four, was close to grabbing an equaliser in the 39th minute, but his long-range striker was tipped over the bar by the agile Lovelock.

However, Bishop’s Stortford could have added to their lead before the break, with centre forward, Elliott Buchanan, guilty of some poor finishing, most notably when heading wide from Sellears’ cross inside the six-yard box.

It was all change in the second period, both in terms of the personnel and the score-line.

The U’s introduced substitutes at regular intervals, and were soon amongst the goals, with both of the half-time substitutes on target.

First, young midfielder Curtis smashed home a glorious equaliser in the 51st minute, his cleanly-struck shot flying in via the woodwork.

Two minutes later and fellow substitute Holman netted an equally impressive goal. The ex-Braintree Town marksman skipped past keeper Lovelock before seeing his lofted shot drop into an unguarded net.

Front-runner Bonne put the U’s 3-1 up in the 67th minute, tucking home from close range.

The hosts reduced the deficit just 60 seconds later, with defender Kenzer Lee heading home from a free-kick routine.

U’s boss Humes gave a run-out to another triallist, striker Tomi Adeloye, for the last 20 minutes.

Squad

Colchester: Lewington, Vincent-Young (sub Massey, 67), Kent (sub Eastman, 57), Wynter (sub Gilbey, 71), Olufemi (sub, James, 71), Lapslie (sub Edwards, 60), Lee (sub Moncur, 60), Lawrence (sub Curtis, 46), Sembie-Ferris (sub Wright, 32, sub Harrison, 82)), Grot (sub Holman, 46), Bonne (sub Adeloye, 71).