Sanchez Watt bags brace as Colchester United cruise to big away win

Colchester United cruised to an impressive win at Carlisle United this afternoon, bolstered by a brace of goals from Sanchez Watt, to make 13 points gained from a possible 18 in their last six games.

Fresh from his first goal of the season the previous Saturday against Gillingham, the impressive Watt scored a beauty in the 16th minute to break the deadlock.

There seemed to be no danger when Watt controlled Marcus Bean’s pass, but he left his marker trailing in his wake before drilling an angled low drive past keeper Greg Fleming and into the bottom corner of the net.

Carlisle took just two minutes to find a leveller. James Berrett delivered a free-kick into the six-yard box, where Magnus Okuonghae could only divert the ball into his own net, with home striker Lee Miller in close attendance.

Against the run of the play, the U’s restored their lead in the second minute of stoppage time at the end of the first half.

Brian Wilson’s throw, nudged on by Morrison, caused mayhem in the Cumbrians’ penalty area. Berrett hesitated and Watt nipped in to round keeper Fleming and slot into an unguarded net for his second goal.

The U’s weathered the Carlisle storm at the start of the second half, before coasting home to another three points.

Marcus Bean headed home the third, from Luke Garbutt’s 68th minute free-kick, before Dominic Vose’s goal-bound angled drive was diverted home by defender Max Ehmer five minutes later.

Ehmer bagged a late consolation goal for the hosts, bundling home the rebound after Sam Walker had spilled a free-kick by Tom Lawrence.

So all in all, this was a vey satisfactory afternoon for Joe Dunne’s men.

U’s boss Dunne, unsurprisingly after the previous weekend’s impressive 3-0 home win over Gillingham, named an unchanged side.

Jabo Ibhere and Ryan Dickson were both on the bench, after missing the Gills clash through injury, as was Alex Gilbey after sitting out last Saturday through illness.

But it was Carlisle who settled the quicker and they threatened after just four minutes. Tom Lawrence twisted and turned, inside the penalty area, before unleashing a stinging low drive that Sam Walker did well to parry at his near post.

Six minutes later and Walker, playing the final game of his current loan stay from Chelsea, was in the action again, catching a fiercely struck 20-yarder from midfielder Prince Buaben.

But it was the U’s who broke the deadlock, with their very first attack of the game, thanks to Watt’s magnificent solo effort on 16 minutes.

However, Carlisle were level just two minutes later, Okuonghae prodding Berrett’s free-kick into his own net.

It was no more than the Cumbians deserved, for their bright start. They continued to dictate, and skipper Matty Robson skied a shot over the bar from Lawrence’s excellent lay-off in the 27th minute, after Dominic Vose had lost possession on the flank.

Lawrence, on loan from Manchester United, was the best player on the park during the first half and the youngster let fly with a rasping shot, from the edge of the box, which Walker did well to pluck out of the air.

The Cumbrians kept pressing, and Walker did well to arch back and finger-tip David Amoo’s goal-bound header over the bar from Berrett’s 41st minute corner.

A minute later and the U’s at least mounted an attack. Vose was chopped down, in full flow, and Luke Garbutt swung the ensuing free-kick a couple of feet wide of the near post.

Out of the blue, the U’s restored their lead in the second minute of first-half stoppage time, Watt benefiting from hesitancy in the Carlisle defence to slide the ball into an empty net for his second goal of the game.

The visitors were on the back foot and protecting their lead, during the early stages of the second half, and Walker again impressed when deflecting Amoo’s long range strike over his bar just before the hour mark.

But the U’s earned some breathing space, thanks to Bean heading home Garbutt’s 68th minute free kick to make it 3-1.

And they sealed the points with a quickfire fourth on 73 minutes, Vose’s shot appearing to be helped over the line by Ehmar for an own goal.

Squads

CARLISLE: Fleming, Chimbonda, Meppen-Walter, Ehmer, Robson, Berrett, Potts (sub Drennan, 73), Buaben, Amoo, Lawrence, Miller. Unused subs: Brass, Noble, Symington, Brough, Guy, Drennan, Dempsey.

COLCHESTER: Walker, Wilson, Okuonghae, Eastman, Garbutt, Wright (sub Gilbey, 46), Bean, Eastmond, Vose, Morrison (sub Ibehre, 70), Watt (sub Dickson, 82). Unused subs: Cousins, Sears, Olufemi, Bonne.

Referee: Chris Sarginson (Staffs)

Attendance: 3,688