COLCHESTER UNITED 4

COVENTRY CITY 2

Under-23 Professional Development League Two

A BRACE from Courtney Senior helped Colchester United's under-23s come from behind to beat Coventry City, at Florence Park.

The U's youngsters bounced back from a heavy defeat at Crystal Palace to get back to winning ways by beating the Sky Blues.

Wayne Brown's side fell behind after 14 minutes when Jordan Ponticelli nodded home at the back post from Dion Kelly Evans' right-wing cross.

But two minutes later, Senior equalised with a left-foot strike from the edge of the box.

Senior and Louis Dunne had already seen shots blocked by Coventry keeper Liam O'Brien and Colchester took the lead just before the half hour when Decarrey Sheriff fired in from the edge of the box.

Callum Sturgess made a crucial block to divert Ben Stevenson's effort over the bar later in the half, as the U's went in at the break ahead.

Colchester went close again straight after the interval when Charley Edge's free-kick was brilliantly tipped over by the Coventry keeper.

But the U's extended their lead through Senior, who slid his shot just inside the keeper's left-hand post after being set up by Tarryn Allarakhia.

The U's went close again when O'Brien tipped Louis Dunne's first-time strike over after Edge had headed a marvellous cross-field pass into his path.

Edge hit the top of the bar with a free-kick before Coventry pulled a goal back after Bilal Sayoud netted with a low left- foot cross-shot.

But Colchester wrapped up their victory when their two substitutes combined, with Tariq Issa drilling home from Eoin McKeown's pass.

COLCHESTER UNITED: Barnes, Brown, Jeffries, Will Wright, Sturgess, Allarakhia, Diaz Wright, Edge, Dunne, Senior, Sheriff. Substitutes: McKeown, Issa, Kensdale, Wilks.