Colchester United’s under-18s were on the wrong end of a heavy 7-2 home defeat at the hands of Crystal Palace, in their latest Professional Development League Two match.

Coach Wayne Brown has had to deal with an extensive injury list of late and it showed, with the U’s starting line-up featuring just one second-year trainee.

A number of under-16 players either started or were on the bench and inexperience told, with errors proving costly.

Colchester almost took an early lead through Ross Debrick’s powerful free-kick, which was well blocked in the goalmouth.

Palace went straight on the attack and Corie Andrews pounced on Josh Pollard’s poor back-pass and rounded keeper Callum Robinson, before slotting in.

Robinson made a superb save to deny Andrews a second goal soon after.

But Colchester were rocked when Michael Phillips bagged a rapid eight-minute hat-trick, to put the Eagles in full control.

Phillips doubled the visitors’ lead after 25 minutes and scored twice more in quick succession soon after, to give Palace a convincing lead.

The U’s defence was shell-shocked and they conceded a fifth goal when Corie Andrews converted in first-half injury-time.

To their credit, Colchester kept going and they pulled a goal back five minutes after the break through Louis Dunne, who converted after Brown’s header had been saved.

Buoyed by their goal, the U’s went in search of a second and pulled another goal back midway through the second half.

After Joe Linley had delivered an excellent cross from the right, Callum Harrison scored at the far post with a shot that went in off a post.

It left Colchester dreaming of an unlikely comeback.

But any hopes of a revival were dashed with 20 minutes remaining when Will Hoare drove in from the edge of the box, for 6-2.

Colchester continued to plug away but Andre Coker scored in stoppage-time, to wrap up a comprehensive win for Palace.

COLCHESTER UNITED: Robinson, Linley, Pollard, Stephens, Debrick, Brown, Harrison, James, Cosegrave, Oti, Dunne. Substitutes: Downey, Clampin, Syrett, Atkin, Wilson.