Colchester United’s down-to-earth boss, John McGreal, insists that it is “just a start for us,” despite Tuesday night’s sensational 6-0 demolition of Crewe Alexandra.

East Anglian Daily Times: Luke Norris, who bagged a first-half brace at Cheltenham Town in a 3-1 win. Picture: STEVE WALLERLuke Norris, who bagged a first-half brace at Cheltenham Town in a 3-1 win. Picture: STEVE WALLER (Image: � Copyright Stephen Waller)

McGreal is refusing to get carried away, even though his clinical U’s side recorded the Essex club’s biggest home league victory for 22 years, since a 7-1 thumping of Lincoln City at Layer Road on November 30, 1996.

The goalscorers that day, against the Imps, were John Taylor (2), Paul Abrahams, Steve Whitton, Tony Adcock and Chris Fry (2).

Likewise, the goals were shared around on Tuesday night, with Frankie Kent, Brennan Dickenson (2), Ryan Jackson, Luke Norris and Tom Lapslie all on target.

The U’s are third in the table, and with another home game to look forward to this Saturday, against Northampton Town, who were beaten at lowly Morecambe on Tuesday night.

McGreal, though, wants to keep his players focussed on the job in hand, rather than dwell on their six-goal star performance against the Railwaymen.

“It’s a start for us. We are just four games in, and nothing is won in August,” insisted McGreal. “We are not even out of August yet, but we have put ourselves in a healthy position.

“I think the players were helped by pre-season. We did our business early and the experience definitely helps.

“We did not have the best home form last season, while the year before we won four or five more at home.

“We’ve put out a bit of a statement tonight (Tuesday). There was tons of energy in the performance.

“The finishing was lethal, the boys were clinical. We have not been able to put teams to the sword here, that was especially the case last season. But this was a great performance.”

Meanwhile, Crewe’s beleaguered players will reimburse the cost of the tickets purchased by the 153 fans who travelled to the Community Stadium on Tuesday night.

Manager David Artell insisted: “The players will put their hands in their pockets, without a shadow of a doubt, because the fans deserve credit for coming all of this way and they don’t deserve that.”