A host of ex-Ipswich Town stars made their Colchester United debuts last night - with Alan Judge and Freddie Sears both finding the net.
The U's beat Billericay 3-0 in their first pre-season friendly, all three goals coming in a second half where Judge, Sears, ex-Town captain Luke Chambers and Cole Skuse all saw their first minutes in a Colchester shirt.
Sears, of course, is now in his second spell with the U's, having played for Colchester between January 2012 and January 2015 before departing for Portman Road.
It was Judge who opened the scoring on 65 minutes.
Chambers found Ryan Clampin with a long diagonal before the ball was rolled back to Judge, who cut inside and hit an unstoppable right foot shot into the bottom corner.
It was almost two a few minutes later, and this time Judge turned provider as his ball in was volleyed goalwards by youngster Gene Kennedy.
Despite the good contact, the keeper advanced and made himself big, taking the ball square in the face to prevent a U’s second.
Then, with the U's 2-0 up after a strike from a triallist and well in command, Sears got in on the goals with four minutes left, sweeping home after a good move down the right.
Colchester played two different teams in each half, with multiple former Town players in action.
Dean Gerken, Frank Nouble and Tom Eastman all played in the first stanza, with Tommy Smith lining up alongside Chambers, Skuse, Sears and Judge in the second.
Colchester host the Blues in two pre-season matches, both on the same night, on Tuesday, July 27. The first match kicks off at 5.30pm, followed by a 7.45pm clash.
Town played their second pre-season game at Bury Town last night, losing on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
U's first half XI: Gerken, Trialist, Wiredu, Nouble, Chilvers, Eastman, Tchamadeu, Poku, Coxe, Cracknell, Stagg.
U's second half XI: George, Trialist, Kennedy, Clampin, Chambers, Smith, Welch-Hayes, Hannant, Skuse, Judge, Sears.
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