An inexperienced Colchester United side were beaten 2-1 at Essex neighbours Southend United in a behind-closed-doors friendly this afternoon.

Substitute Frankie Kent scored the U’s consolation with a powerful header, after Lee Barnard and Will Atkinson had put the Shrimpers two goals ahead.

The likes of Sean Clohessy, Tom Eastman and Freddie Sears all appeared as second-half substitutes for Colchester, who made 11 changes after 70 minutes.

Dunne said: “I was really pleased with the day’s proceedings.

“We moved the players onto playing 70 minutes for the first time in pre-season and it was a really good workout for us.

“The team we started with was pretty young, against what was virtually Southend’s first team."

Colchester United (starting XI): Walker, Olufemi, Okuonghae, Thompson, O’Donoghue, David Wright, Moncur, Massey, Drey Wright, Szmodics, Bonne.

For more on this story and all of the latest Colchester United news, see Wednesday's Daily Gazette.