REPORT BY BRIAN WALLER
After a great start to the Youth Alliance League Cup group matches, the U's U18s fell to defeat after a disappointing display.

In what was a generally poor game, neither side really tested the respective keepers.

Town did however start brightly putting a lot of pressure on the Colchester defence in the opening minutes.

Lloyd Macklin went past U's left back Adam Bailey-Dennis and sent over a cross which Jamie Taylor headed over the bar.

As Colchester responded, Russell Malton took the ball on and fed the ball behind the defence for Fabian Quintyn to run onto.

He took the ball wide of the keeper but then went to ground, but penalty shouts were waved away.

The visitors were continuing to look the brighter side and when Ryan Amass had to lash the ball away for a corner, it was the Robins who then took the lead.

The ball was sent in from the left, keeper Jack Smelt went up and may have got a touch, but it fell invitingly for BEN TOZER on the back post to put the shot away (8 mins).

Straight from the restart Colchester threatened, but Malton's effort was straight at the keeper.

The pace of Macklin then left Bailey-Dennis struggling for pace and his driven in cross saw Callum Kennedy feed back to the centre, from where Jake Hyde shot well wide.

The U's then won a free on the left fringe of the box. Josh Oakley laid it back for Sam Corcoran who sent the ball goalwards, Malton flicked at it, but the ball went over the bar.

After the break, it was again Swindon starting the better but when Quintyn appeared to be getting clear, Tom Evans got back well to dispossess him.

The troublesome Macklin breaking on the right was brought to ground by Bailey-Dennis who earned himself a yellow card for his troubles.

From the resulting Evans free kick, Kurt Hammond headed wide.

After a tangle on half way, Wright and Morrison were spoken to after the home side won a free kick. Then there was a nasty incident when the ball came over, Amass swung a boot, missed the ball but all he ended up doing was to accidentally kick Evans - a very painful blow.

Such was the impact that he had to be carried off, and was unable to return again.

Having made all three subs, the visitors soldiered on to the end of the game with just the ten men. Unfortunately the close to the match was devoid of an incident of real note.

The only things that happened were that Quintyn was caught from behind, the ball was booted away and another booking ensued for goal scorer Tozer, probably for the following verbals. However, Swindon grabbed the win with a comfortable close to the match.

Colchester: Jack Smelt, Nathan Speed, Ryan Amass, James Hammond, Adam Bailey-Dennis, Triallist, Josh Oakley, Sam Corcoran, Alex O`Leary, Russell Malton and Fabian Quintyn

Used subs: Jamie Wright, Mitchell Nelson and Bradley Fleming and unused sub: Kyelan Marvell

Other results in the group were - Gillingham 3 Yeovil 1, Oxford United 2 Leyton Orient 1 and Southend United 2 Bristol Rovers 1.

The table now reads, all teams with one match to play - Gillingham top 16 points (+11), Swindon Town 12 (+2), Bristol Rovers 9 (nil), Southend United 8 (+1), Colchester United 8 (nil), Oxford United 7 (-2), Leyton Orient 7 (-3) and Yeovil Town 1 (-9).

A Colchester win away at Yeovil next week will see them through.

A draw could be enough, with the other fixtures on the day being Bristol Rovers v Gillingham, Oxford United v Southend United and Swindon Town v Leyton Orient.

There is even a chance if Colchester lose, and results go our way in other games, that we may progress. The best sixth place in the groups 2 and 3, get a qualification.

With the teams in the other qualify group behind us on points at present, with the current sixth place side only having 5 points and a -5 goal difference, our hopes must be high.