COLCHESTER United head coach John McGreal says young duo Noah Chilvers and Ollie Kensdale are flourishing during their loan spells at Bath City.

Chilvers signed for the National League South side on October 18, joining his team-mate at Twerton Park.

Both are looking to get as many games under their belts as possible and Chilvers was among the scorers as Bath won 3-1 at Dulwich Hamlet on Saturday.

McGreal says the pair are performing to a "really good level", according to reports from the Somerset side.

“It’s been really good for them to get the men’s football they need at this time," said the U's boss, whose side have an FA Cup first-round encounter at home to Coventry City on Saturday.

“It’s a 28-day loan and it’s to get as many games as they can into them.

"Then we’ll review it after that.

“We’ve had reports from Bath already and the two are performing to a really good level.

“They’re playing in Conference South and you have to give Bath credit because they play the right way.

“They’ve gone into a good team where they know they’ll play a lot of football.

“It does help that they’re together there.

“Bath’s a fair way away but when you have two boys from a similar area there who know each other inside out, having trained together in the first team, it does help."

Chilvers made his U's debut in March, coming on as a late substitute for Sammie Szmodics in the U's 3-0 win against Newport County at the JobServe Community Stadium.

His first start came in the Leasing.com Trophy match at Gillingham at the beginning of September and he also started against Spurs' under-21s in the same competition in October.

He also scored the winning penalty at Selhurst Park that knocked Crystal Palace out of the Carabao Cup.

Kensdale started last season's matches against Cambridge United, in the Leasing.com Trophy, and Exeter, before being a substitute in the U's 4-0 defeat at Carlisle United.

His only first-team action this season came in the Leasing.com Trophy victory at Gillingham on September 3.

Now McGreal expects both players to come back and be stronger for their experiences at Bath.

“I’ve got targets to hit with under-21s playing in the first team," he added.

“They’ve been able to get the Leasing.com Trophy games and been in and around it on the bench and training with the first team every day.

“The big thing is that they’ve really improved and we don’t want to stagnate their careers at the football club, because they’re going to be big players here.

“They’re still young boys but Ollie is a young centre-half and not many have been able to get game time at his age and young Noah is only 18, too.

“He’s made a bit of a name for himself and a lot of people know about him after the Crystal Palace game."