DELIGHTED Danny Cowley praised his 'clinical' Colchester United team after they thrashed Swindon Town 4-0, at the JobServe Community Stadium.

Two goals from Samson Tovide, a Jack Payne strike and Harry Smith's own goal gave the U's a big victory over the struggling Robins in League Two, with all of the goals coming in a scintillating first-half display by the U's.

The win continued Colchester's improved form and head coach Cowley was a happy man.

READ MORE: Match report after electric Colchester thrash sorry Swindon

Cowley said: “We’re six unbeaten and we’re growing to become a good team, which is good.

“When we become a good team, we put two halves together and we get real control in that second half and we win the game six or seven.

“But we’re not that team at the moment, we’re a team that is moving in the right direction."

Colchester were 4-0 up after just 38 minutes and might easily have had more goals before the break, such was the quality of their attacking play.

(Image: STEVE BRADING)

Swindon came into the game more in the second half after a triple change at the break by Ian Holloway, but the U's were comfortable winners.

"I thought we were really clinical, on the transition," continued Cowley.

“We pressed it well, we turned it over really well and we were really ruthless.

“That’s what good teams do and that’s what good players do.

"I was really pleased that we got good value for our counter attacks.

"We got the platform for the first goal, which was a really well worked set piece.

READ MORE: Colchester United 4 Swindon Town 0 - as it happened

"Everybody was doing their jobs and that freed up Ellis (Iandolo) at the back post.

"Ellis won a really good header; I think he's claiming it but I'm not sure he's going to get it!

"For the second goal, we do brilliantly to pinch it and then Jack is so calm to find Sams, who had a lovely finish.

"It was a really good goal for the third.

“We felt that the way that Swindon play with the three number nines, they ask a lot of questions of you because they’re very aggressive with the way they set their team up but we felt if we could absorb their direct play in particular, if we could make the first pass they got quite big and we could play through them and we did that really well, in that moment.

(Image: STEVE BRADING)

"I thought Owura did great just to make that decision and execution at the speed that he travels with the ball - he did brilliant to get into the position and then get his head up and find the pass for Sams, who had a great finish."

Cowley said the big win was 'payback' for the Colchester supporters who lapped up their side's fine home victory, the biggest in the league since April 2023.

He added: "We definitely owe the fans because I think so often this season, they've stayed with us when maybe we've had injuries and things haven't gone quite so well or here, where we haven't been able to find the first goal.

"It was definitely payback for them and I'm so pleased that they enjoyed the evening."