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

It was a meeting of the bottom two teams and the match began in warm sunshine, but the second half was then played throughout in torrential rain.

It was a quiet opening to game until midway through the half when Ryan Lowe was booked for a high challenge on Davis.

The first real action of the game came from James Collins when his shot was deflected behind for a corner.

Indeed it was James Collins who gave Watford the lead after 26 minutes, latching onto a free-kick forward, turning and shooting home left footed.

He was in with a chance again soon after but unable to turn on the ball but Max Delfyer did fire it wide.

From a corner, Gene Kennedy's scooped effort hit the bar.

Then just before the break, Tobi Adeyemo's effort was blocked by the home keeper's legs after the ball was cut back from the right.

However, Watford doubled their lead after 43 minutes.

A ball was fed down the right and full-back Jordan Fankwe drove the shot into the net.

After a player was blocked in the midfield area, Marley Marshall Miranda was booked.

Now the rain drove down and on 56 minutes Bradley Ihionvien set up Lowe, whose low drive was saved.

After Watford’s shot from the left was deflected into the side netting, Matt Yates' corner from the left was cleared, Redgrave retrieved turned and chased down the right to win another corner.

Under pressure from this keeper, Macaulay did well to touch clear.

After he appeared fouled in the box, Ihionvien was booked for dissent after no foul was given.

As the visitors tried to break, it saw Lion Bello booked for a foul.

On 74 minutes a Lowe corner nearly went straight into the net, but the Watford keeper just about it clawed away.

A foul by Fankwe then saw Lowe's resulting free-kick smashed into his face and go away for a corner, from which Yates drove his shot wide. 

Ihionvien went in on Jak Grieves but escaped punishment but was sent off minutes later when he chased in on Macaulay and after the pair collided, he unluckily then got a second yellow card.

In the fifth minute of stoppage time, substitute Kai Redgrave made a tremendous run down the right and drove his shot into the roof of the net but it was too little, too late for the U's.

Teams – Colchester United: Trialist, Kacy Parish (sub Kai Redgrave), Frankie Edwards, Matt Yates, Lion Bello, Marley Marshall Miranda, Oscar Thorn (sub Jamie Arnold), Gene Kennedy, Ryan Lowe, Kaan Bennett and Bradley Ihionvien. Subs (not used): Harrison Chamberlain, Max Jolliffe, T’aizo Marcel Dilaver.