Two goals in each half defeat Wakering.
Colchester United recorded a comfortable Essex Senior Cup victory at Burroughs Park over a hard working Great Wakering Rovers side on Tuesday night.
The U’s flew out of the blocks in the early stages. Within the opening ninety seconds, Tosin Olufemi had an effort cleared off the line and Macauley Bonne struck an upright. Soon after, Rovers defender Carl Read headed clear after Freddie Ladapo’s attempt looked destined for the top corner.
After that bright start, the U’s continued to probe. Tom Eastman fired over, while Ryan Dickson’s cross had Rovers keeper Dale Brightly anxiously backpedalling and ultimately relieved to see it drop over the bar.
The home side had a chance of their own, but Mark Cousins fielded Dave Collins free kick expertly. At the other end, Brightly made a fantastic save low to his right to deny Bonne.
Just after the half hour mark, Colchester opened the scoring. Olufemi beat Brightly with a neat finish after the visitors had broken from deep.
Before the home side could regroup, their troubles deepened. Bonne fired a crisp strike beyond Brightly with the Rovers rearguard all at sea.
Colchester started the second period much the same way they had the first. The busy Brightly was once again called upon to save from Mason Spence and Sammie Szmodics.
Then Ladapo perhaps should have done better, pulling his effort wide after latching onto a mistake from Nick Skelton.
Nevertheless, soon the game would be out of the Essex Senior Leaguer's reach.
Spence crossed from the right and Lapado made it 3-0 with a neat side foot from close range. Ladapo almost added to his account but Brightly saved with his feet.
Mark Cousins had been largely untroubled in the U’s goal. However, he was called upon to fist clear from Sammy Knott, and then to make a breathtaking save to thwart Joe Skeels as Brave Rovers refused to throw in the towel.
In the burning embers, Connor Hubble crossed for Bonne to head home Colchester’s fourth. Then after Brightly had rebuffed Ladapo’s deflected effort, Rovers had the final chance of the evening when Skelton headed over following a corner on the right.
Great Wakering Rovers: Brightly, Pugsley, Read, Collins (Radley), Sparrow, Skelton, Skeels, Smith (Hall), Paterson (Trenkel), Knott, Baldwin
Subs not used: Kent, Hawkins
Colchester United: Cousins, Olufemi (Simmons), Sanderson, Eastman (O’Donoghue), Dickson (Clarke), Szmodics, Curtis, Hubble, Ladapo, Spence, Bonne
Substitutes: Phillips, Rogers
Olufemi (32) Bonne (37, 87) Ladapo (73)Goals: