COLCHESTER UNITED 0

BOLTON WANDERERS 2

Under-23 Professional Development League Two

COLCHESTER United's under-23s fell to defeat against Bolton Wanderers at Florence Park, this afternoon, writes BRIAN WALLER.

It was a game of missed chances and good saves which saw Bolton substitute Luca Navarro bag both of Bolton's second-half goals.

There were early chances for Colchester and the best of these saw the home team building well.

Aaron Barnes linked with Diaz Wright on the right and when the ball was contested in the centre by Dean Ager, it rebounded to George Brown on the left who went wide of the keeper but then saw his shot saved by that same player.

Ager and Brown then combined again on the left, but the latter, after holding off the attentions of right-back Harry Brockbank, was turning well an curling an effort in which was held by the keeper up to his left.

When the away side responded Marcus Wood on a good run from the midfield put Dominic Politic away but there was a good block on the shot by defender Barnes.

Youssouf N’Diaye then linked with Victor Fundi, but the former was denied by a very good save by keeper Bailey Vose down to his right.

From the resulting corner, the towering header in was by Brockbank was cleared off the line by the head of Paul Rooney.

As the first half came to a close neat inter play by the U’s saw Noah Chilvers coming in from the right, but he saw his low left shot go just wide of the far post. At the interval, Diaz Wright was replaced by Ollie Sims and Navarro was on for N’Diaye.

The hosts started the second half well as Ager set up Tariq Issa whose effort was blocked for a corner and then from a Barnes throw in, Rooney played the ball to Ager then onto Issa, but keeper James Aspinall made a good save down to his right.

However against the run of play, Wanderers took the lead just before the hour when a ball came in from the right and Navarro's low shot beat keeper Vose down to his left.

As Bolton looked for a second goal, Wood put Olawale Tanimowo clear into the box, but he was superbly tackled by the backtracking Rooney.

Ager was denied by excellent save by keeper Aspinall, but the U’s midfielder was immediately replaced by Sam Warde.

After a Cameron James pass saw Sims fouled by Liam Edwards, it was Warde with the free kick in, this flicked off a head and went to James arriving on the back post, but the shot by him across goal was then going wide of the far post.

The U’s then had a miraculous escape as a pass to Warde saw him caught in possession by Wood who raced clear but he somehow hit the keeper’s left hand post.

From the ensuing play, James cleared one effort off the line and the follow up was fired over the bar. However the visitors did then get a second goal with eight games remaining as Joe Pritchard got the ball in from the right to find team- mate Navarro who again beat Vose low to his left.

Bolton nearly got a third before the end but when Pritchard sent Wood away and Vose saved down to his left but the visitors were victorious.

Colchester United under-23s: Bailey Vose, Aaron Barnes, Paul Rooney, Cameron James, Ryan Clampin, Noah Chilvers, Tariq Issa, Diaz Wright, Ryan Gondoh, George Brown, Dean Ager. Substitutes: Ollie Sims, Sam Warde, Chandler Hallett, David Agboola.