COLCHESTER United's under-18s fell to a 3-1 defeat at Queens Park Rangers in their latest Professional Development League match, writes BRIAN WALLER.
Elliott Ward's side were beaten at the TSG Elite Training and Performance Centre, in Hounslow, West London.
When the sides met at Florence Park in Tiptree a week or so before Christmas, the game ended in a 2-2 draw as the bottom two sides met.
QPR looked in control of the game and went ahead on 11 minutes through Youseff Yahyaoul, who latched onto a loose ball and drilling a shot low and hard past Colchester goalkeeper Harrison Chamberlain and into the bottom right corner to break the deadlock.
And winger Jake Coomes doubled the hosts' lead on 22 minutes when he scored from the rebound, after Fraser Neill’s effort had hit the crossbar.
Victory at Heston ✅
— QPR Academy (@QPRAcademy) March 2, 2024
Youssef Yahyaoui, Jake Coomes and Rico Kennedy giving the U18s a 3-1 win 🙌 https://t.co/E58iuLIczh pic.twitter.com/GLeUQSlree
But the U’s were back in it three minutes later as they scored with a superb free-kick by Alex Kokoshi which flew into the bottom left-hand corner.
QPR's trialist missed a good chance on the stroke of half-time when he screwed just wide from close range, after Neill's long-range effort had been blocked.
Colchester had a great chance to equalise just after the hour mark when Kai Martin skimmed a tap-in wide from seven yards.
At 2-1, the game remained very close until Rico Kennedy nodded home in the final minute after good work by fellow substitutes Tyler Young and Ridwan Hassan, to seal the home side's win.
Colchester U18: Harrison Chamberlain, Alamin Kosoko, Frankie Edwards, Bailey Berry, Makaya James, Ronnie Harvey, Rashaad Douglas, Max Jolliffe, Jamie Arnold, Kai Martin, Alex Kokoshi. Subs: Jack Sexton, Ryan Mumbo, Donte Frank, Owen Moore, Leo Makata.
QPR U18: La Trell Jones, Charlie Street, Luka Rajodevic, Fraser Neill, Jaiden Putman, Kemoko Keita-Turay, Jake Coomes, Emmerson Sutton, Youssef Yahyaoul, Ma’kel Bogle-Campbell, Ramy Bouhiaoui. Subs: Rico Kennedy, Callum Loades, Lorenzo Strachan, Tyler Young, Ridwan Hassan.
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