COLCHESTER United's under-18s beat Coventry City 4-2 at Florence Park to move up to second in the Southern Division Professional Development League Two table, writes BRIAN WALLER.

Kaan Bennett's lobbed effort dropped inches past the far post early on for the U's and Bradley Ihionvien also went close with a shot that went just wide of the far post.

Colchester's early pressure told after seven minutes when Kacy Parish netted from Isaac Evans' pass after some neat passing around the edge of the box.

Ryan Lowe's free-kick was tipped over by the Coventry keeper and after the visitors had gone close with an effort that flew over the bar, the U's had soon doubled their lead.

From a left wing corner, Bennett powered his header into the net after 16 minutes to make it 2-0.

Bennett had an effort ruled out for offside and soon after Lowe's superb delivery hit the bar and when it came down, the follow-up looked to have hit the upright.

Ihionvien's effort went wide while at the end, U's keeper Jaime Tedaldi did well to push a free-kick over the bar as the hosts went in at the break ahead.

Coventry got themselves back in the game, two minutes after the break.

A ball down the middle caused hesitation in the Colchester defence and the City centre forward nipped in to drive a shot home.

But it took the U's only a minute to respond.

Ihionvien was brought down in the area to win a penalty which Lowe netted, to restore the hosts' two-goal advantage.

But Coventry refused to lie down and pulled another goal back just before the hour mark.

Isaac Evans put a hand on the back of the City striker and when he went down in the box, the referee gave another penalty which was converted.

Tedaldi saved well down low to right with two minutes plus stoppage time to go before Colchester finally wrapped up their win.

The ball was fed out to the right from where Ihionvien came back inside onto his favoured left foot and buried a shot into the far corner of the net, as the U's claimed victory.

U's U18: Jaime Tedaldi, Benedict Bioletti, Bradley Chakawa, Frankie Terry, Isaac Evans (sub Matt Yates, 68), Kai Redgrave (sub Sean Brown, 74), Kacy Parish, Jaiden Drakes-Thomas, Ryan Lowe, Bradley Ihionvien, Kaan Bennett.