MK DONS RES 2 COLCHESTER UNITED RES 1

Daniel Powell scored twice as a young MK Dons reserve side came from behind to beat Colchester United on Thursday night.

Powell, 17, scored two fine individual goals late in the game after the Dons had fallen behind to Jeremiah Olosunya's 70th-minute opener at Newport Pagnell Town's Willen Road home.

It was a well-deserved victory for the young Dons, who dominated for long periods - particularly in the second half.

Liam Kelly and trialist Leslie Thompson were in particularly impressive form in the Dons midfield, while Powell's pace and power were too much for the U's to deal with after the break.

In the first half, the visitors had many of the better chances to take the lead, Olosunya blazing over from close range before Kurt Fox was forced into a flying save shortly afterwards.

But Reis Ashraf produced the best effort of the half on 17 minutes, spotting goalkeeper Jack Smelt off his line and rattling the goal frame from well out on the right.

Daniel Powell was on target twice for the Reserves against Colchester.

Dons completely took over in the second half, forcing the visitors back towards their own goal constantly as Thompson gave them no end of problems down the right.

Kelly pleaded for handball on 55 minutes having hammered a shot goalwards from inside the area but his appeals were waved away, and the Scotland Under 18 international again went close with a long-range shot shortly afterwards.

The Dons were hit with a classic sucker punch with 20 minutes to go as Colchester capitalised on a rare attack.

Olosunya's control in the box was spot on as the ball came in from the left, and he spun to his right to hammer a left-footed shot across Fox and inside the far post.

Stung by the injustice of having fallen behind, the Dons responded quickly as Ashraf's clever flick put Powell in the clear, and the young forward strode through on goal before tucking comfortably past Smelt.

Powell's confidence grew 10-fold and his winner was a goal typical of the big striker's capabilities.

Picking the ball up 35 yards from goal, Powell weaved, forced and powered his way past four challenges into the box, before curling a delightful left-footed finish into the left corner of the net.

It was a strike fit to win the game and, to Powell's delight, it did.

Next up for the reserves is Grays Athletic at Willen Road on Monday night.

Dons: Fox, King, Thorne, Flanagan, Chicksen (Farden 88), Thompson, Shuter (M. Powell 77), Kelly, D. Powell, Delderfield (Koffi 72), Ashraf.

Subs not used: Heald, Dowling.

Goals: D. Powell 76, 84.