COLCHESTER United's under-18s registered their first win of the season after beating Birmingham City 4-2, writes BRIAN WALLER.

They were victorious at Florence Park, in their latest Professional Development League Two game.

Jake Hutchinson's flicked header was saved by Blues keeper Aaron Clayton early on while at the other end, U's keeper Ted Collins denied Oumar Traore's fierce drive.

Kyle Hurst then pulled his shot wide of the near post and then shot wide, before Colchester deservedly took a 22nd-minute lead through Diogo Freitas-Gouveia who rounded the keeper and slid a shot into the net, following Sam Cornish's pass.

And the U’s doubled their lead eight minutes later when Hutchinson lifted a shot over keeper Clayton, from Freitas-Gouveia's cross.

But Birmingham struck back 11 minutes before the break when Josh Dugmore whose angled shot flew into the far corner of the net.

And the visitors almost equalised when Amari Miller cut in from the right and unleashed a left-foot shot which Collins blocked, with Traore scooping the follow-up effort over the bar.

However, Colchester made it 3-1 two minutes into first-half stoppage-time when one of their two trialists coolly beat keeper Clayton from Harvey Sayer's long searching ball.

The U's came close to adding a fourth through Hutchinson, whose effort was cleared off the line by Craig.

Birmingham almost scored themselves when Traore's header smacked against the bar, from Remi Walker's free-kick.

But Colchester made it 4-1 on the hour mark, with another well-worked goal.

Hutchinson's clever pass in behind the defence saw Freitas-Gouveia break clear and beat the City keeper low to his left, just inside the near post.

The U's nearly netted a fifth with four minutes to go when Donell Thomas's shot came back off a post.

And although Traore grabbed a second goal for Birmingham in stoppage-time after dispossessing Marley Marshall-Miranda, it was Colchester's day.

U's U18: Collins, Trialist A, Kennedy, Terry (sub Parish, 56), Sayer (sub Stagg, 63), Freitas-Gouveia, Cornish, Miranda-Marshall, Thomas, Trialist B, Hutchinson.

Subs (not used): Redfearn, Brown, Redgrave.