Friendlies Clubs· Season 2026
Colchester United beat Harlow Town 5-0 in a pre-season friendly at The Harlow Arena. Kaion Lisbie, Frankie Terry, Jack Payne (pen), Lennox Emery and Sam Kuffour Jnr scored as Danny Cowley's side made it nine goals in two days without conceding.
Match Videos
Match Analysis
AI SummaryHow it unfolded
Despite the eventual scoreline, Harlow started brightly. Azaria Fordjour forced a save from Colchester's trialist goalkeeper in the fifth minute, and Ferhat Canlier rattled the woodwork from 25 yards two minutes later — a warning sign Colchester quickly assimilated.
The U's took the lead in the 21st minute when Kaion Lisbie slammed home at the far post from Bradley Ihionvien's deep cross. Four minutes later, Frankie Terry side-footed in from close range after Jack Payne's corner into the six-yard box.
Jack Payne made it 3-0 from the penalty spot in the 37th minute after Toby Robinson had fouled Teddy Bishop in the area. Harlow's Canlier had a free-kick spilled by the trialist keeper before half-time, but the hosts could not convert the rebound.
Colchester made wholesale changes on the hour mark, introducing a host of academy players. Lennox Emery curled in an excellent free-kick for the fourth, and Sam Kuffour Jnr headed home from Ronnie Harvey's cross late on to complete the scoring.
The turning point
Harlow's missed chances in the opening seven minutes — Fordjour's shot saved and Canlier's strike against the woodwork — proved decisive. Had the hosts taken one of those early opportunities, the game might have followed a different pattern. Instead, Colchester settled, scored twice in four minutes around the midway point of the first half, and never looked back.
Key performers
Jack Payne was the standout, scoring a penalty, providing the corner for Terry's goal and pulling the strings in midfield. Cowley called him "terrific" and noted his sharpness three weeks into pre-season. Kaion Lisbie opened the scoring with a clinical finish and worked the line well. Lennox Emery capped a lively cameo with a well-struck free-kick.
By the numbers — interpreted
Colchester's 5-0 win, combined with the 4-0 victory over Heybridge Swifts 24 hours earlier, means nine goals scored and none conceded across two pre-season games — a 180-minute shutout. The U's used three trialists (two goalkeepers and a left winger) and fielded an entirely different XI for the final 30 minutes, underlining the squad rotation Cowley is building into this pre-season programme.
What it means
Colchester United continue their pre-season preparations with back-to-back home fixtures: Peterborough United visit the JobServe Community Stadium on Tuesday 21 July (19:45), followed by Charlton Athletic on 28 July (19:45). A trip to Stevenage on 1 August rounds off the schedule before the League Two season begins. Harlow Town, of the Spartan South Midlands League, have one more pre-season fixture before their competitive campaign starts.
Verdict
A professional, no-fuss performance from the League Two side against non-league opposition. Colchester did what was required — no more, no less — and the two-day double-header (nine goals, zero conceded) will have given Cowley useful data on his squad depth. The trialists acquitted themselves adequately, and the academy players who came on in the final half-hour showed they can contribute.
"Two good days for us — a lot of hard work, a lot of good physical returns," Cowley told Col U TV. "The boys did well, nine goals in the two games and none conceded which is always pleasing and all in all, a good day's work for us."
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 19 Jul 2026