COLCHESTER United’s under-21s have finished fourth in the Professional Development League Two after ending a productive season on a winning note.

The U’s youngsters completed their campaign with an impressive 1-0 triumph over their Queens Park Rangers counterparts, at Loftus Road.

John McGreal’s side have finished the season with 51 points and fellow U’s academy coach Steve Ball says it has been a good campaign.

Ball said: “It’s been a great year for the group to be up there and challenging.”

A Colchester side featuring the likes of Drey Wright, Dion Sembie-Ferris and Tosin Olufemi started well at Rangers, with Michael O’Donoghue and Femi Akinwande both going close inside the opening ten minutes.

And the U’s took the lead in the 11th minute through Akinwande, who scored from the spot after he had been tripped in the area to win a penalty.

Colchester went in at half-time ahead and although Michael Petrasso, Harly Wise and Ryan Manning all went close for Rangers, they could not find a way past keeper Dillon Barnes.

Indeed, the U’s almost doubled their margin of victory with six minutes remaining when Chris Regis’s goalbound shot was blocked on the line, as Colchester’s youngsters finished a productive campaign in positive style.

Meanwhile, U’s coach Ball says he has told Louis Dunne not to be too disappointed at seeing his first-ever senior start cut short.

The talented teenager made his full debut for Colchester in their 3-0 defeat against Burton Albion last weekend but was taken off at half-time and replaced by George Moncur.

Ball said: “I told Louis not to be too disappointed to be taken off at half-time, which had already been relayed to him.

“He will be a quality player for Colchester United in the next few years.

“He has real ability and he’s a very talented boy with the right attitude to do well.”

COLCHESTER UNITED UNDER-21: Barnes, Olufemi, James, Pollard, O'Donoghue, Harrison, Curtis, Sembie-Ferris, Edge, Wright, Akinwande. Substitutes: Phillips, Partridge, Regis, Syrett, Wilson.