Norwich Union 0 Colchester 5

Friendly

Norwich Union 0 Colchester 5

Colchester completed their pre-season programme with a comfortable victory over Norwich Union.

A few late call offs meant that Colchester set off with the bear eleven, but their superiority against their hosts was soon apparent.

Colchester included youngsters Will Devitt and Joe Rich whom acquitted themselves superbly.

The Essex sides first goal came after some wonderful individual skill by Craig Warriner, who unleashed a reverse stick shot past the home keeper.

Colchester's dominance was shown as won penalty corner after penalty corner, but Matt Low's radar was a bit askew as he failed to find the target.

Finally Low had a corner strike on charge which the keeper could only deflect to Warriner who scored his second before half time.

Colchester ended the half well on top and were looking for a second half performance that would set them in good stead for the first league fixture next week.

Colchester had a scare early in the second half, which only stirred to wake them up.

An early sin bin for one of the home side meant that Colchester had a man advantage which they soon used well.

Wayne Masters slapped a corner strike to the back post for Simon Collins to deflect home.

Colchester defended well and never looked back as they went about finishing off the game.

Low, still not firing on all cylinders, finally got on the score sheet with a bobbling effort from yet another short corner.

Colchester rounded off the scoring when a misplaced pass out of the home defence only found Warriner just outside the 25 and he drove at the heart of the defence to fire a shot beneath the advancing keeper to round off his hat-trick.

Colchester will be in good heart when they take to the league next week at home to Bourne.