ADRIAN Akande’s hat-trick was not enough to prevent Colchester United under-21s from falling to a 6-4 defeat in a crazy encounter at Wigan Athletic this afternoon, writes BRIAN WALLER.
The U’s started well in the Professional Development League clash at Christopher Park and forced two early corners.
It was from another such set piece that Colchester went ahead, on 14 minutes.
Ronnie Harvey delivered a corner for Alfie Newby to head home, at the back post.
Almost at once the U's were in again, but Wigan keeper Matteo Spinnelli was saving well.
However, the Latics levelled on 24 minutes.
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When possession was lost just outside the box, the home team capitalised as a player was slipped in to score and make it 1-1.
Then from a free-kick from the left, an effort from a Latics player in the centre appeared to hit the left-hand post before being cleared for a corner.
A poor U's clearance was then so nearly costly but when the shot went in from the edge of the box, the visitors goalkeeper made a fine save down to his left.
Just after the half hour mark there was a couple of good blocks by away defenders in the box but at the other end, Colchester broke down the right, resulting in a cross and a good block almost on the goal line by a Wigan defender.
🗞️ Chris Brown's side to face Colchester. pic.twitter.com/jzdmrEUo6g
— Kingdom Wigan Athletic Academy (@Latics_Academy) September 15, 2026
After surviving a home corner, the U's broke well on the right and from the shot the home keeper made a really good save.
But Colchester regained their lead on 41 minutes through Akande, who scored with a spectacular volley following a cross from the right.
A great run down by Lennox Emery was missed by a team-mate arriving in the centre, as the U’s went in at the break ahead.
Wigan got back on level terms four minutes after the interval.
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Right-back Harrison Rimmer burst down the right and from his cross, the player arriving from the left scored.
After a neat interchange of Wigan passes the U's keeper was down to save before the hosts then took the lead for the first time in the match on 58 minutes when their right-back got away to put away the chance.
However, Colchester were level again six minutes later when a shot from the left was pulled just inside the keeper’s right hand post by Akande, for 3-3.
And with 18 minutes remaining, the U’s led again when Akande came in from the right and shot into the far corner of the net with his left foot, to complete his hat-trick.
But it was 4-4 after 74 minutes. After an interchange of passes following a ball in from the right, a shot was slipped to the right of the U's keeper.
And Wigan went ahead with five minutes remaining when an attempted back pass was seized upon and eventually headed home.
And the hosts sealed their win when Rimmer sent a set piece deep to the far post and it was headed in, after a free-kick awarded for a rather dubious-looking foul in the hosts’ half was moved forward around 10 yards from where it should have been taken.
Colchester went close late on when Harvey’s 30-yard free-kick was superbly saved by Spinnelli and the visitors then put a great chance wide but the U’s were beaten.
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