FORMER Ipswich Town keeper Andy Marshall played 45 minutes for Colchester United, during Saturday’s 3-0 win at Maldon & Tiptree in a pre-season friendly.

However, Marshall is only helping out the U’s, while first choice keeper Ben Williams is injured, and so is unlikely to be offered a contract.

The experienced Marshall, who was released by Aston Villa at the end of last season, made 65 appearances for Town after signing on a free transfer from Norwich City in the summer of 2001. He had played more than 200 games for the Canaries.

Two first-half goals from Ian Henderson, and a close-range effort from David Perkins early in the second half, secured another comfortable pre-season victory for John Ward’s men on Saturday.

Following on from their 2-0 win at Dover, and the 5-0 success at Heybridge Swifts in midweek, the U’s have now rattled up 10 goals without conceding in their first three friendlies.

Commenting on the presence of Marshall between the sticks - the 35-year-old played the second 45 minutes - Ward said: “He (Marshall) has come in purely to help us out.

“We have Ben Williams who is not fit at the moment and I didn’t want Mark Cousins to have to be playing and training every day.

“Andy was available and local to us, and we have had him to come in and help us out until we get Ben fit.

“There is no promise of contracts, but he will benefit from training with us.

“I am not looking to bring him in as a third keeper, but it helps us out,” added Ward.

Meanwhile, the U’s have offered contracts to two of their three summer triallists.

Ben Coker, who was plyign his trade at Bury Town last season, and former Southampton midfielder Lloyd James, have both been offered deals, although ex-Southend front-runner James Walker has left without being offered a contract.

Henderson broke the deadlock after 22 minutes at Maldon & Tiptree, converting Coker’s cross, and he doubled the lead just six minutes later with a header after good build-up from Steven Gillespie and Perkins.

Perkins himself notched the third from close-in on 47 minutes, from Anthony Wordsworth’s low delivery.

Summer signing Andy Bond did not feature due to a sore shin, picked up at Heybridge on Wednesday night.

COLCHESTER UNITED teams:

First-half: Cousins, Maybury, Heath, Baldwin, White, Henderson, Perkins, Izzet, Coke, Platt, Gillespie.

Second-half: Marshall, Wilson, Okuonghae, Reid, Tierney, Izzet (sub Corcoran, 60), Perkins (sub Vincent, 60), James, Wordsworth, Gillespie (sub Hackney, 60), Platt (sub Odejayi, 60)