44 mins Charman shot 1-0

Half time: U's 0 Magpies 1

48 mins Issa shot 1-1

66 mins Charman shot 2-1

Full time: U's 1 Magpies 2

Newcastle U23s beat their Colchester counterparts at a chilly Weston Homes Community Stadium on Monday night thanks to a Luke Charman brace.

A goal in each half from the number nine settled the tie as Peter Beardsley's side reached the halfway point in their Premier League Cup group stage games.

This was United's third game of six and the opening two were high-scoring affairs; a 3-4 home defeat by Burnley and a 6-3 victory over Swansea City.

The home side got off to a bright start and Kurtis Guthrie tested 'keeper Nathan Harker in the third minute with Courtney Senior firing just soon after.

Charman was the first to have an effort disallowed in the tenth minute for use of the hand after being put in by Callum Roberts.

Two more disallowed goals came after half an hour for offside and handball again - the officials getting all three decisions correct but Colchester then went close with Louis Dunne blocked by Gillesphey and Senior's shot saved at the near post by Harker.

Charley Edge's 41st minute free kick then cannoned off the United crossbar, but it was the visitors who took the lead as the interval approached.

Charman's first came a minute before the break when he latched onto a fine through ball by Callum Roberts and slotted past Dillon Barnes and in off the post.

The U's equalised three minutes into the second half when Tariq Issa's low shot from distance squirmed through Harker at his near post.

But United got their winner in the 66th minute when Yasin Ben El-Mhanni played in Roberts, and although the chance looked like it had gone Charman timed his run and side-footed the loose ball past the 'keeper.

Substitute Mackenzie Heaney had a run and shot that hit the post with a minute remaining and Harker made a vital save to deny Diaz Wright an equaliser as the young Magpies held on to secure all three points.

Next up in this competition is an away game against Burnley in January, to be played at the Edgeley Park home of Stockport County. Work that one out.

The 32 team tournament begins with a group stage consisting of eight groups of four, each team playing the other three teams in their group home and away.

Eight group winners and eight runners-up will then progress to the knockout stages.

Niall MacKenzie