Former Braintree Town loanee Sammie Szmodics enjoyed a fruitful return to Cressing Road as Colchester United made it five wins out of five in pre-season with a 3-0 win this afternoon.

Szmodics, who made three appearances on loan at the Iron in the 2015-16 season, made it four goals in five pre-season games with a fine brace in the U’s friendly triumph over their National League South hosts, with Louis Dunne also netting.

Colchester lined up with a 3-4-1-2 formation, with new signing Cole Kpekawa making his first start as a permanent U’s player as a left-sided centre-back.

There was another chance to impress for youngsters Diaz Wright and Tariq Issa, while Szmodics captained the U’s side.

New signing Mikael Mandron was on the bench for Colchester, after joining them from League One side Wigan Athletic last Friday.

The game started at a high tempo and Braintree, preparing for life in National League South came close to scoring after 14 minutes when Billy Crook curled a 25-yard free-kick just over the bar, after former U’s player Ben Wyatt had been fouled.

But Colchester forced the first meaningful save of the contest when Iron keeper Nathan McDonald was forced to block Denny Johnstone’s effort at his near post, after Ryan Jackson had escaped to the byline and picked him out.

Szmodics’ deflected effort flew just over for Colchester midway through the first half before the visitors took a 26th minute lead.

Johnstone’s pressing midway inside the Braintree half resulted in a misunderstanding in the hosts’ defence and Szmodics nipped into lift the ball over McDonald from close range.

It was almost 2-0 barely a minute later when McDonald saved smartly at his near post from Lewis Kinsella, as Colchester began to turn the screw.

As the pace of the game dropped, Crook’s effort flew straight into U’s keeper Dillon Barnes’ arms eight minutes before half-time while at the other end, Wright’s low effort flashed wide for the U’s.

And although Mark Okoye’s run ended in a shot easily saved by Barnes just before half-time, Colchester went in ahead at the break.

The U’s made three changes at half-time, with Dunne, James and Drey Wright on for Kinsella, Johnstone and Kpekawa.

Tommy O’Sullivan curled a free-kick over early in the second half before new signing Mandron made his first appearance in a U’s shirt, after coming on for Issa on the hour mark.

Colchester doubled their lead soon after through Szmodics, who controlled before finishing smartly from around 12 yards after being picked out well by Drey Wright.

McDonald did well to race off his line and deny Wright in the area before Colchester made a further four outfield substitutions with 20 minutes remaining, as the rain came down.

Mandron’s deflected effort flew over for a corner with 16 minutes remaining while McDonald did well to palm over Kane Vincent-Young's fierce effort, as the U's went in search of further goals.

They got one with eight minutes remaining through left wing-back Dunne, who converted from close range after a Drey Wright pass had been laid into his path.

McDonald denied Mandron late on, as Colchester claimed a deserved victory.

Colchester United: Barnes, Jackson (sub Vincent-Young, 60), Eastman, Wynter (sub Kent, 70), Kpekawa (sub James, 46), Kinsella (sub Dunne, 46), O’Sullivan (sub Lapslie, 70), Diaz Wright (sub Slater, 70), Issa (sub Mandron, 60), Szmodics (sub Murray, 70), Johnstone (sub Drey Wright).