COLCHESTER United's under-21s lost 2-1 at home to Millwall in their latest Professional Development League Two game, writes BRIAN WALLER.

In a very entertaining match at Park Drive in Maldon, it was a third home defeat for the U’s youngsters in four games.

Despite the defeat, they had played really well and were denied on numerous times by saves from the Millwall keeper Joe Wright.

In the first minute, a long ball forward saw Bradley Ihionvien, who travelled with the U's first-team squad to Leyton Orient last weekend, lob the keeper but his effort went wide.

Then the home team took the lead after five minutes as Lion Bello broke strongly down the left and from his driven in cross the ball went in off the visitors’ left back Nino Adom-Malaki for an own goal.

The away team were seen level four minutes later when Frankie Hvid headed home powerfully from a right wing corner.

Bello and Ryan Lowe linked well on the left and from the cross in, the ball was scrambled behind for a corner.

The home side threatened again as Lowe's shot was blocked and the follow up by Ihionvien was just wide.

Ihionvien and Kaan Bennett linked well on the left and the former’s driven cross went across the goal face with no one able to get on the end of it.

Aidomo Emakhu then made a great burst into the box but was well tackled by Bello and then he quickly saw the trialist keeper save his shot.

Bennett then tried his luck on 27 minutes which was superbly tipped onto the bar and over it by the keeper.

Thomas sent Bennett clear but under pressure from a defender and an advancing keeper, he slid his shot just wide of the left hand post.

In a superb home attack Thorn went down the right and set up Bennett who was denied by the keeper once more.

Millwall went close from a back post header by Nana Boateng and half time arrived and it was all square at 1-1.

On 50 minutes a Bello cross was scrambled from the goalmouth then the home keeper was bravely out at the feet Emakhu.

After great build up play down the right, Chinwike Okoli’s driven in ball smacked against the outside of the keeper's left hand post.

Thomas then set up Bennett who was again denied by a Wright save, who tipped it away.

Bennett was then booked for a foul before a stray pass in the midfield allowed the Lions to take a 69th-minute lead as Tom Leahy advanced and drove his shot into the net. Colchester almost rescued a draw a minute from time when Ihionvien's lay-off saw Thorn's shot tipped over by the keeper but the U's were beaten.

Teams – Colchester United: Trialist, Benedict Bioletti, Frankie Edwards, Matt Yates, Lion Bello (sub Kacy Parish, 73), Oscar Thorn, Ryan Lowe, Gene Kennedy, Kaan Bennett, Donell Thomas, Bradley Ihionvien.