New recruit Collins impresses in Colchester United’s pre-season win

Luke Prosser, who netted the U's first goal of their pre-season campaign, at Maldon & Tiptree. Picture: RICHARD BLAXALL (Image: 2018 Pagepix)

Colchester United kicked off their pre-season, ahead of the 2018-19 campaign, with a satisfying win over Maldon & Tiptree on a sultry afternoon at Park Drive.

Club captain Luke Prosser, who signed a new deal this summer, broke the deadlock after 12 minutes when rising high to head home a corner delivered by new recruit Aaron Collins.

And Collins was also the creator of the second goal, charging down the left before squaring for Sammie Szmodics, the U’s leading scorer last season (13 goals), to slot home from close-in on the quarter-hour.

The visitors went 3-0 up on 27 minutes. Collins was tripped in the box, while on an attacking run, and he picked himself up to convert the ensuing penalty.

The Jammers pulled a goal back on the half-hour mark, thanks to Sam Warde’s terrific 25-yard free-kick which gave Dillon Barnes no chance in the U’s goal.

The U’s fielded a completely different team in the second half, and they extended their lead on the hour mark. Mikael Mandron swept home the rebound after keeper Vose had blocked Decarrey Sheriff’s effort.

Sheriff nearly added a fifth in the 71st minute, only for his header to bounce back off the post, and Ryan Gondoh was thwarted by a terrific block with seven minutes remaining.

STARTING XIs

Colchester United first-half: Barnes, Jackson, Clampin, Prosser, Kent, Lapslie, Wright, Senior, Nouble, Szmodics, Collins

Colchester United second-half: Gilmartin, Barnes, Rooney, Eastman, James, Comley, Pell (sub Wright, 79), Gondoh, Sheriff, Dickenson, Mandron

Maldon & Tiptree first-half: Ross, Girdlestone, Chesmain, Warde, Kafelas, Wright, Laurent, Miller, Akinwinde, Barnard, Freeman

Maldon & Tiptree second-half: Vose, Shephard, Gordon, Kazeem, Brown, Kensdale, Quinn, Coleman, Antwerp, Issa, Dardouh