COLCHESTER United's under-18s suffered another heavy defeat in Professional Development League Two after being thumped 7-0 by Millwall at Florence Park, writes BRIAN WALLER.

Defensive errors once again proved the U's downfall, with almost all of the damage done after half-time for a team made up of a mixture of under-16 and under-18 players along with three trialists.

Colchester dominated the opening quarter of an hour, with Jake Hutchinson twice going close.

But Millwall went ahead after 16 minutes through Reuben Duncan, who converted Sam Skeffington's pass after Jayden Davis's shot had not held by keeper Callum Coulter.

Colchester almost equalised just before half-time when Harvey Sayer's effort flew just wide of the near post, after he had been picked out by Hutchinson.

The U's only trailed by a single goal at the break but their hopes of a recovery were dashed in the early part of the second half.

Millwall doubled their lead two minutes after half-time through Abdul Abdulmalik, who claimed the goal after his cross deflected in off substitute George Wind's head.

Chibulke Ezennolim's curling effort shaved the outside of a post for Millwall and Coulter both denied Duncan and Sean O'Brien before the visitors added to their lead just before the hour.

Abdulmalik got the better of Luke Massingham in the box and he slipped his shot just inside Coulter’s right hand post.

Coulter saved from Abdulmalik and Besart Topalloj rattled a post but Colchester fell further behind midway through the second half when Ben Mitchell converted from the spot, after a clumsy foul in the box.

Coulter did well to save O’Brien's effort before more poor defensive play cost the U's dearly again when Wind's attempted back-pass to Coulter flew in for an own goal.

Millwall made it 6-0 with six minutes remaining through substitute Sam Edozie despite Coulter's best attempts to keep it out.

And the Lions wrapped up their win in the final minute when Reuben Duncan headed in Jayden Davis's corner.

COLCHESTER UNITED U18: Coulter, Anderson, Cracknell, Massingham, Kazeem (sub Fouche), Patiino, Petitt (sub Wind), Marshall, Cornish, Sayer (sub Stagg), Hutchinson. Subs (not used): Collins, Gray.