Brentwood 1 Colchester United 2

ANDY Bond’s bad luck with pre-season injuries continued as he hobbled off early on with a knee problem, during this afternoon’s victory at Brentwood.

Colchester United midfielder Bond, who had suffered a sickening facial injury during last summer’s build-up, lasted just nine minutes at Brentwood before sustaining the injury.

It is the first real injury blow that U’s boss John Ward has had to contend with, in an otherwise relatively smooth pre-season to date.

Last summer, Bond collided with his own keeper, Mark Cousins, during a pre-season game against Ipswich, which left him needing dental surgery and meaning that he missed the start of the season.

It is hoped that the ex-Barrow man will make a quicker recovery from this most recent setback.

The U’s had beaten Maldon & Tiptree 2-1 on Friday night, thanks to goals from Freddie Sears and Drey Wright, with Mitchell Das replying for the hosts.

This afternoon, though, the U’s had to come from behind against Brentwood.

John-Joe O’Toole headed home a quickfire equaliser, before Freddie Ladapo bagged what proved to be the winner before half-time, following a good run by Magnus Okuonghae.

U’s squad: Cousins, White, Okuonghae, Bender, Coker, Bean, O’Toole, Bond (sub Olufemi 9, sub Ramm 60), Wordsworth (sub James-Lewis, 72), Ladapo, Henderson