CHAY Cooper scored twice as Colchester United's under-23s beat Charlton Athletic 3-1 this afternoon, writes BRIAN WALLER.

Samson Tovide was also on target, as Richard Hall's side came from behind to claim victory in their latest Professional Development League Two match.

The likes of Miles Welch-Hayes, Camron Gbadebo and Frankie Terry all featured for Colchester.

An early 30-yard effort by Aaron Henry went just wide before the home team fell behind after 18 minutes.

After the ball got away from U's keeper, Wassim Aouacharia put the loose ball into net.

However Colchester were soon back on level terms, seven minutes later.

Tovide broke in on the left and although he went down under the challenge, Cooper was behind him and curled a low shot into the far corner of the net

Visiting keeper Nathan Harvey then got himself into a muddle retrieving a back pass and in doing so pulled down Tovide and was booked.

Cooper duly beat the keeper to his right to score and give Colchester the lead after 33 minutes.

Further problems hit Charlton as they tried to play the ball out of defence.

Colchester pressed them and won the ball and Sam Cornish slipped in Tovide to put away his left-foot effort, six minutes before the break.

The U's went in at the break with a two-goal cushion and held out well after that, as they saw out victory in the second half.

Collins made a superb save high to his right from Tyreece Campbell and made more good saves to deny the visitors' substitutes, as Colchester claimed victory.

Colchester United under-23s: Collins, Gbadebo, Martins, Cornish, Welch-Hayes, Terry, Cooper, Lowe, Thomas, Tovide, Marshall-Miranda. Subs: Tedaldi, Parish, Bennett, Ihionvien, Drakes-Thomas.