Colchester United new boy Kemal Izzet is staking an early claim to make his Football League debut with the U's.

The 20-year-old Charlton Athletic midfielder, brother of Leicester City's Turkish international Muzzy, marked his U's reserve team baptism with a dazzling display in Monday's 2-1 home win over Essex rivals Southend.

Delighted Layer Road boss Steve Whitton said: "It's a little too early to pitch Kemal into first-team football, but he certainly gave us a lot to think about in his performance against Southend.

"The boy really had a go and also put a lot of tackles in. He was very eager to impress and in the end we had to take him off because he had run himself to a standstill."

Izzet, on loan to the end of the season, will have another chance to impress in the next U's reserve team game away to Leyton Orient this afternoon (Wednesday).

Chris Keeble and Keith Scott scored the goals in Monday's win. It was Scott's first goal since his pre-transfer deadline day signing from Reading.

The U's also included midfield triallist Richard Kennedy from Brentford. Meanwhile, U's boss Whitton is worried Saturday's Second Division home clash with struggling Luton Town could now be in doubt because of the state of the Layer Road pitch.

He said on Tuesday: "On reflection it probably wasn't a wise move playing Southend yesterday. The pitch is very soft and has cut up really badly. It is in a bit of a state.

"Although it was great of Ipswich Town to loan us their old covers, sadly they haven't helped all that much. The water is just lying about everywhere."

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.