Comfortable win in pre-season opener.
An assured display saw the U's record a comfortable 6-0 victory in their first pre-season friendly fixture of the new campaign.
Three players grabbed two goals each as Ian Henderson, Freddie Sears and Tosin Olufemi grabbed the goals for John Ward's side.
Throughout the game, the U's showed frequent glimpses of what they're trying to achieve this season and Henderson and Sears in particular looked like they could strike up a useful understanding this season.
It was a good start to the pre-season build-up and a week in Holland now awaits the lads.
The U's named a strong first half side, which included triallist Merrick James-Lewis in midfield. Freddie Sears and Ian Henderson interchanged at the top of the team and they were to prove key men during the first half.
However, it was Heybridge who showed first, former U's trainee Russell Malton broke through and forced a good stop out of keeper Mark Cousins.
That save proved crucial eight minutes later as the U's went in front. Andy Bond shot from the edge of the box, but the keeper could only parry it to Ian Henderson who dinked home.
Three minutes later and it was 2-0. Sears skipped past his full back and stepped up a cross to the far post, where Henderson was on hand to acrobatically volley home past the helpless goalkeeper.
The U's were rampant at this point and as the half hour mark approached, they grabbed a couple more.
Henderson was again at the heart of it, as he smacked a shot against the crossbar. Sears' first follow up was well blocked by the keeper but it went back to the former West Ham man whose shot deflected over the keeper.
The U's summer signing made it four not long afterwards, slipping as he shot but it did enough to lift it over the Swifts shot stopper and into the net.
The chances kept coming as Duguid, Henderson and Rose all had efforts either blocked or saved, with Rose's fierce shot on the angle well saved.
It was all change at the break for the U's, and it turned out to be a quieter affair in terms of clear cut chances on goal.
Ryan Melaugh's time on the pitch was to last just five minutes as he fell on his shoulder and, after his previous problems with that part of his body, the U's were to take no risks.
Heybridge missed a golden chance midway through the half as a follow up from Pentney's save was blasted well over, but the U's made it 5-0 with fifteen to go.
Hamilton had had a long range effort just before, but a fine through ball from Gilbey saw Olufemi dart in from the wing to slide home under the keeper.
The U's had grown into the half and Olufemi doubled his and the second half tally by stepping onto another rebound with a tidy finish to make it six.
It was a good day's work for John Ward's men as pre-season started with a positive outing.