COLCHESTER United assistant head coach Scott Marshall admits conceding five goals at home to Tottenham Hotspur’s youngsters in the EFL Trophy was ‘not acceptable’.
A much-changed U’s side were thumped 5-0 by a rampant Spurs under-21 side, in their EFL Trophy Group D opener at the JobServe Community Stadium.
Jamie Donley and Jude Soonsup-Bell both scored twice for the visitors and Will Lankshear was also on target, with Spurs hitting the net four times in a rampant 20-minute second-half spell against Ben Garner's side.
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Marshall said: “I think we were still in the game at half-time and started the second half OK and went at them but then they got two or three chances around the box and were really clinical.
“The scoreline ran away from us a little bit in that spell.
“For some of the senior lads coming on, I think they were a wee bit shell-shocked by it.
“They were trying to come on in a game and make a bit of a difference but the game ran away from us.
“It was disappointing we didn’t get one goal.
“We had a couple of moments around their box with the ball flashing across, maybe the wrong pass at the wrong moment.
“We had a few corners which we expected to do better at but still, you lose five goals and it’s not acceptable.”
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Colchester made 11 changes to their starting line-up for the Spurs under-21 game.
They handed first-ever U’s starts to Ronny Nelson, Donell Thomas and Jay Mingi, while Tom Smith, Matt Jay and Harry Beadle started for the first time this season, for Colchester.
“We want to push our players on and test their levels and see where they’re at,” said former Arsenal defender Marshall.
“I know speaking to their (Spurs) staff, they’re excited about this group and we certainly saw a little bit of that tonight.
“We’ve got to dust ourselves down and say these are the levels that we’ve got to compete with, to get our foot in the game as a whole.
“There are plenty of things in there where the lads will look at each other and look at themselves and hopefully dig in and say these are the standards we want to aspire to and improve on.
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“We’re training every day and we’re not far off repeating pattens – we’re trying to remain consistent in terms of how we set up and play the game.
“It’s not like it (the 11 changes) was a big shock to what was going on.
“We prepared for the game as we would normally in terms of analysing the opposition.
“Maybe it’s a little bit of a wake-up call, in terms of the world of football but our lads are pretty grounded; they’re good lads and it’s just a shame they didn’t perform at their maximum.
“I think it’ll be a learning (curve) for quite a number.
“We were hoping for one or two to really stake a claim and put a bit of pressure on the starting XI for the weekend, but that wasn’t there.”
Marshall was pleased to see midfielder Jay Mingi play 60 minutes, as he continues to build up his fitness following his arrival on deadline day, while striker Tom Hopper, who skippered the U’s side, played his first game since August 15, after injury.
Marshall added: “The positive thing was Jay Mingi getting some good minutes that he needs.
“He had a decent hour and Hops came back and got an hour as well.
“They’re positive things that we’ll take but there’s little else, to be honest.”
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