Heybridge beaten 8-0 in first friendly.
Chris Porter and Drey Wright have both netted braces as the U's eased to victory against Heybridge Swifts.The U's fielded two different elevens for the game at Scraley Road, and both sides hit four past their Ryman Div One North opponents.
Porter's two, a tap in from Ollie Lee and a twenty yard volley from George Moncur made it 4-0 at the break, before the Wright double, a close range effort from Macauley Bonne and a lob from Sammie Szmodics doubled the score in the second half.
The game started with the U’s controlling possession and moving the ball about well in the middle third of the pitch.
U's First Half - Lewington, Brindley, Eastman, James, Olufemi, Lapslie, Moncur, Lee, Sembie-Ferris, Holman, Porter.
U's First Half - Lewington, Brindley, Eastman, James, Olufemi, Lapslie, Moncur, Lee, Sembie-Ferris, Holman, Porter.
A rare attack from the hosts saw Cameron James clear off the line after Lewington failed to hold a long throw, but it was the U’s who looked the most likely to score.
They didn’t test the Heybridge keeper in the first twenty minutes but that all changed as the half moved on.
On twenty three minutes, Ollie Lee found Dion Sembie-Ferris wide on the right and after his run was halted, Richard Brindley took over the attack.
He drove past a defender before crossing low across the six yard box, giving Chris Porter the simple task of tapping in from close range.
Tom Lapslie went close seven minutes later, but the U’s didn’t have to wait long for their second of the afternoon.
Brindley was again the creator, getting deep into the penalty area before crossing low for Lee to tap in at the far post.
On thirty five minutes, Porter scored his second and the U’s third, when he netting a penalty after Dan Holman was fouled.
A fourth goal for the U’s came six minutes from half time, when a corner was cleared and George Moncur drilled home his first time volley from the edge of the box.
U's Second Half - Parrish, Vincent-Young, Wynter, Kent, Briggs, Edwards, Gilbey, Szmodics, Massey, Wright, Bonne.
Half time saw U’s boss Tony Humes change the entire eleven, but the second half became a carbon copy of the first.
This time round though, it took the U’s less than fifteen minutes to score, with Matt Briggs having already hit the post from a stunning strike from distance.
For the goal, Drey Wright picked the ball up out wide on the right, cuts inside and drilled a left foot shot into the bottom corner from twenty yards out.
On sixty two minutes, Gavin Massey and Matt Briggs combined on the left and the cross from Briggs found Macauley Bonne at the near post.
He was smothered as he attempted to get an effort on target but was quickest to react to the rebound and found the back of the net from just inside the six yard box.
The U’s continued to get forward at every opportunity and Sammie Szmodics was unlucky with a deft shot, which the home keeper tipped round the post.
Szmodics wasn’t to be denied though and a clever chipped through ball from Briggs found the youngster with just the keeper to beat.
With the ball still bouncing from the pass, Szmodics lobbed home to make it seven on seventy seven minutes.
Less than a minute later, it was eight as Wright pounced on a defensive mistake to curl the ball low into the corner of the net.
The remaining twelve minutes were played out in the Heybridge half but the U’s couldn’t add to the scoring.
It finished 8-0 and was a great confidence booster for the U’s forwards.
No real judgement could be made on the defensive side but every player managed their scheduled forty five minutes without incident and the U’s now move onto Tuesday’s game at Brentwood.