Colchester United made it two wins out of two in pre-season after strolling to a comfortable 5-0 win in their friendly at National League new boys Braintree Town tonight.

Frank Nouble gave the U's a first-half lead, before further strikes from Mikael Mandron (2), Sammie Szmodics and Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe wrapped up their victory in the second half, at Cressing Road.

Colchester dominated possession in the first half and it did not take them long to get into their stride.

They took a tenth-minute lead through Nouble, who finished well inside the penalty area after Ryan Gondoh had put Braintree goalkeeper Nathan McDonald and defender Joe Ellul under pressure in their own box.

Colchester were lively on and off the ball throughout the first half, forcing their hosts to concede a number of free-kicks in their own territory often through badly-time challenges.

The flair of the likes of Brennan Dickenson and Courtney Senior stood out for Colchester and as half-time approached, the visitors really got into their stride and began to pepper the home goal.

The U’s almost doubled their lead seven minutes before the break through youngster Ollie Kensdale, who dived to headed Dickenson’s fierce cross over from close range.

Nouble’s spectacular diving header from Gondoh’s accurate cross flew straight at McDonald soon after, following a well-worked move.

And just before the interval, Senior collected possession 25 yards from goal and passed two Braintree players before drilling a low shot just wide as Colchester went in ahead at half-time.

John McGreal made four changes for the second half, bringing on Mandron, Szmodics, Tom Eastman and Tom Lapslie for Nouble, Gondoh, Kensdale and Wright.

And it did not take them too long to double their lead.

After Dickenson had broken down the Braintree left, he drilled in a low cross for Mandron to finish clinically past McDonald.

Ryan Jackson side-footed into the side netting for Colchester soon after and it was soon 3-0 when Szmodics confidently slotted home first time, from Tom Eastman’s long pass.

The U’s made a further six changes on the hour mark, giving more of their squad game time ahead of the big kick-off.

Ogedi-Uzokwe had an effort saved by McDonald but the former Maldon and Tiptree striker found the net with 20 minutes remaining, thumping home off the underside of the crossbar after being picked out by Szmodics in the area.

Szmodics drilled a shot into the side netting and Ogedi-Uzokwe fired wide with only McDonald to beat, as the chances kept coming for Colchester.

The U's wrapped up victory in the 87th minute through Mandron, who finished at the second time of asking from close range after his initial effort from Aaron Barnes' short delivery had rattled the woodwork.

COLCHESTER UNITED: D Barnes (sub Ross, 61), Prosser (sub James, 61), Kent (sub Rooney, 61), Kensdale (sub Eastman, 46), Jackson (sub A Barnes, 61), Comley (sub Ogedi-Uzokwe, 61), Wright (sub Lapslie, 46), Dickenson (sub Clampin, 61), Gondoh (sub Szmodics, 46), Senior (sub Collins, 55), Nouble (sub Mandron, 46).

Braintree Town: McDonald, Bettache, Wyatt, Ellul, Hill, Clark, Durojaiye, Crook, Grant, Barrington, Frimpong.

Substitutes: Muleba, Allen, Patterson, Rapai, Thompson, Barker, Adeyemi, Mensah, Curtis.