Colchester United’s up-and-coming youngsters will gain encouragement from seeing Diaz Wright and Dexter Peter make their senior debuts for the club.

That is the view of U’s under-23 coach Wayne Brown, who believes the duo’s elevation into the first team will spur his academy players on.

Wright, 17, and Peter, 20, both came on as second-half substitutes in Colchester’s 1-0 Checkatrade Trophy Group E defeat at Crawley Town on Tuesday night, to make their professional bows.

Both players have been regulars in Brown’s side in Professional Development League Two this season and the U’s coach says he is delighted to see them make the breakthrough into John McGreal’s squad.

Brown said: “I’m chuffed to bits for them. When you know the individual, you know what he can do and what he’s capable of.

“Diaz can handle the ball and wants the ball and he always makes himself available.

“I’ve known him for a number of years now and I’ve been really impressed by his ability and his attitude.

“Dexter needs to start kicking on, with regard to his pathway into the Football League.

“He wants to play week in, week out with the first team but in order to do that, he first of all has to play week in, week out with the under-23 team.

“To see them play for the first team gives lots of encouragement to the rest of the boys in the under-23 squad who are aspiring to do the same thing.

“You never know how they’re going to react to being in the first-team environment but I’m sure they’ll take great encouragement from being involved.”

McGreal said both Peter and Diaz Wright deserved their opportunity, after they came off the bench at the Checkatrade Stadium.

“It was fantastic for the two young boys who made their debut - they both deserve it,” said McGreal.

“Diaz has been terrific in pre-season – he missed a lot of football last season because of injury but he’s come back and done particularly well.

“I know Dexter from the under-21s and I know how strong he is and he dominated (their forwards) physically.

“He put in a good 30 minutes I think it was so the pair of them will be really pleased with their debuts.

“We’ve lost the game but we’ve got some good boys at the club.

“We know that we can dip into the under-23 squad and use it wisely.”