It was not the first time in his football career that Harry Kewell has found himself on the wrong end of a 3-0 scoreline at half-time.

But unlike the Champions League final of 2005 when Liverpool came back to eventually beat AC Milan in a glorious finale at Istanbul, there was to be no happy ending for the Crawley Town manager this time around.

Admittedly, Colchester United’s second 45 minutes did not quite match up to their electric first-half display.

Perhaps that was due to the U’s taking their foot off the pedal a little, a common occurrence when any team is so fully in control in a match.

Or maybe it was because Crawley improved after half-time, changing to a more attacking formation and making a double substitution at the break.

The visitors did have their chances and had Sam Walker not saved Mark Randall’s penalty early in the second half, things may have been a little different.

But in truth, the U’s were still too good for the Reds, in keeping with many of their other dominant displays under John McGreal at the Weston Homes Community Stadium.

It really is a case of home, sweet home for Colchester.

Since McGreal took over just before the start of the 2016-17 season, the U’s have hit the net an impressive 52 times in the 26 home league games they have played, at a rate of two goals a match.

Few other teams in any of the top four divisions in English football can match that record and Colchester are now nine home league games unbeaten, at the Community Stadium.

The good news is that the U’s have another game at their fortress tomorrow night when lowly Chesterfield come to town.

It may sound a little strange given Colchester’s current mid-table position in the table but it is important that they do not underestimate the Spireites.

In his Gazette column last week, U’s keeper Walker says one of the key ingredients of their fine home form has been that they never take their opponents lightly.

That attitude has so far proved profitable for Colchester under McGreal; another home victory could well be on the cards should they adopt a similar outlook tomorrow night.