 On 19 January 2010, Bender signed his first professional contract until the summer of 2012.On 12 June 2012, Bender signed a 12-month extension with Colchester following a season plagued by injury, including his high-profile head injury while on loan at Accrington Stanley and a hamstring tear in February 2012.On 30 August 2011 Bender joined Football League Two club Accrington Stanley on a season-long loan deal.