Colchester United maintained their fine start to the League Two season with a comprehensive win over Cambridge United, at the JobServe Community Stadium.

First-half goals from Sammie Szmodics and Frank Nouble put the U's in charge at half-time.

And substitute Courtney Senior wrapped up their win with ten minutes to go, to make it a disappointing return for former U's boss and Cambridge manager, Joe Dunne.

John McGreal made two changes to his starting line-up for their game against Cambridge.

Skipper Luke Prosser returned after suspension and Brandon Comley was also back, with Tom Eastman and Diaz Wright the players to make way.

Colchester started well and Szmodics controlled on the edge of the area before firing wide early on.

Harry Pell’s deflected low 25-yard strike sailed inches past the far post soon after.

But Cambridge almost went ahead in the 13th minute when keeper Dillon Barnes did well to push away George Maris’s low 25-yard free-kick and from the resultant corner, Brennan Dickenson hacked Greg Taylor’s header off the line.

Colchester made the breakthrough midway the first half when Szmodics clinically slotted past Forde from close range after Norris had helped on a ball into the Cambridge area.

Pell fired well wide of the far post after being fed by Jackson on the right edge of the area, as Colchester looked for more goals.

And after Barnes had made a fine stop from point-blank range to deny Ibehre, the hosts doubled their lead ten minutes before the break.

Nouble latched onto Norris’s flick and raced down the right and burst into the area before drilling powerfully past Forde and in, for his first Colchester goal.

Cambridge still threatened and David Amoo fired straight at Barnes at his near post after twisting and turning in the area.

But Colchester went in two goals ahead at the break and were indebted to Dickenson early in the second half when he saved Taylor’s header off the line.

However, the U’s threatened more goals, with Nouble’s weak effort straight at Forde after Norris had flicked on Dickenson’s corner and Szmodics’ deflected shot sailing just wide after Nouble had done very well to set him up.

Forde spilled Norris’s long-range free-kick before Colchester wrapped up their win with ten minutes remaining through substitute Courtney Senior, who got the better of George Taft just inside the visitors' half before advancing towards goal and slotting past Forde.