COLCHESTER UNITED 2

MK DONS 0

FA Youth Cup fourth round

COLCHESTER United's under-18s have booked a home meeting with Reading in the fifth round of the FA Youth Cup after beating MK Dons, writes Brian Waller.

Goals from Sam Cornish and Callum Jones sealed the U's passage in the competition, on a chilly night at the Weston Homes Community Stadium.

After looking at one stage as if they might be going out in round one of this season's competition, Chris Llewellyn's side march on in the competition.

Colchester never really looked back after taking a fourth-minute lead through Cornish, who drove into the net from Jones' cross.

Ollie Sims and Callum Anderson both went close for the U's after that while at the other end, Liam Sole fired just wide for the visitors.

Colchester went close again when Jones' angled drive was parried away by keeper Alfie Jones following a counter-attack, as Colchester went in at the break ahead.

The first effort of the second half came from the away team but Brad Bell's was pushed away by U's keeper Harry Seaden and scrambled clear for a corner.

At the other end, Dean Ager twice fired wide of the far post and after Sole had come close to levelling for the Dons, Colchester duly doubled their lead just before the hour mark.

U's substitute Andre Hasanally instantly proved his worth as he took Howard's pass and delivered a low cross for Jones to convert.

Colchester came very close to scoring a third goal when George Keys' curling effort flew just wide of the far post.

MK Dons almost reduced the deficit when Seaden made a superb save to push away David Kasumu's effort.

But the U's almost sealed their win late on when Chilvers' free-kick deflected off the wall and hit a post, as the hosts progressed.

Colchester will now host Reading, who equalised late on and then beat Charlton Athletic 4-3 after extra-time in a tie where both teams ended up with nine players.

Colchester United: Seaden, Howard, Cracknell, Kensdale, Keys, Anderson (sub Hasanally, 56), Cornish, Ager (sub Mudd, 90), Chilvers, Jones, Sims. Substitutes (not used): Michaels, Stone, Maughn.