U's Ease Through

Hornchurch hit for eight.

The U's have comfortably made it through to the next round of the Essex Senior Cup, beating Hornchurch 8-0.

A lightning start saw them scoring three times in the opening twelve minutes and it was over as a contest from then on.

Drey Wright got the first on seven minutes, netting from the spot after a handball in the box.

Then two goals in the space of sixty seconds made it 3-0, with Dion Sembie-Ferris and Jack Curtis both scoring from close range.

In the second half, the U's added five further goals, with Bonne scoring a hat-trick, Wright getting his second and Witherspoon adding an own goal.

The young U’s started the game firmly on the front foot and it wasn’t long before they got behind the Hornchurch defence.

Jack Curtis played the ball through to Drey Wright but the keeper was off his line quick and got to the ball first.

That early chance came in the second minute and three later, it should have been 1-0 to the U’s.

After Tom Lapslie’s long range shot was saved, Wright crossed and Macauley Bonne hit the keeper with his close range header.

The goal did come on seven minutes though, as a Hornchurch defender misjudged a cross and handled to prevent Wright getting free.

It was Wright who stepped up and confidently sent the keeper the wrong way to open the scoring from the spot.

Five minutes later, and the U’s were three goals to the good.

First, a corner was given back to Curtis and his low cross found Dion Sembie-Ferris sliding in to put it in from a yard out.

Then Macauley Bonne went on a run down the left, pulled the ball back to Curtis who had the simple task of sidefooting home.

The U’s had a bit of a breather in terms of creating chances but it was they who had the next effort on goal in the twenty second minute.

Tom Lapslie loitered around the edge of the box at a corner and was denied by a sharp save from Mott in the Hornchurch goal.

The visitors had their first shot at goal a minute later, with Dillon Barnes saving easily above his head from Poku’s effort.

They then had a shot blocked, by their own player, but they failed to trouble Barnes any further in the first half.

The only other notable action was an horrific challenge on Wright by Thompson, who was lucky to escape with just a yellow card having made no effort to play the ball.

The second half started with Toby Joseph heading over for the visitors but after that, it was pretty much one way traffic.

On fifty two minutes, Frankie Kent drove forward, found Curtis, who in turn put in Bonne, who drilled low into the bottom corner for 4-0.

Wright had a shot saved, before creating the fifth goal with a run and pass to Sembie-Ferris who crossed for Chris Regis.

His volley was superbly saved by Mott but the ball smashed into the face of right back Witherspoon and into the net.

Kent was replaced by Jacob Partridge on sixty two minutes, Curtis went off for Kieran Bailey on sixty five and a three minutes later, the U’s increased their lead to six.

Bailey latched onto a Bonne pass, chipped through to Wright, who crashes home from the angle.

Charley Edge was the third change, coming on for Joe Edwards on seventy but the changes didn’t halt the U’s progress.

Bonne powered home a header from a Sembie-Ferris cross to make it seven and then completed his hat-trick with a rebound effort after Wright was denied by the keeper.

Right at the death, Hornchurch striker George Purcell somehow scooped the ball over from five yards out, when it looked easier to score.

A comprehensive victory was no more than the U’s deserved, for a professional and clinical performance against their non-league opposition.

at the Saver rate!Buy your tickets nowColchester United take on high-flying Coventry in their next home game as they look to push up the table.

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