Colchester's hot-shots taught their Doncaster counterparts a big lesson in finishing as they took full advantage of almost everything that came their way.
Under the cosh for the first 15 minutes, the U's suddenly hit their newly-promoted League One rivals with three goals in a blistering first-half 11-minute spell to move back up into second spot in the table.
Leading scorer Craig Fagan, plus Gavin Johnson and young Greg Halford, did the first-half damage.
Joe Keith polished off the job with the fourth goal midway through the second half after John Doolan had pulled one back for the visitors just before half-time.
U's keeper Aidan Davison made a number of exciting saves to keep the rejuvenated Rovers shooters at bay.
Layer Road boss Phil Parkinson pulled out a couple of surprises by including teenage utility man John White and Millwall loanee striker Ben May in the side in place of Jamie Cade and Wayne Andrews, who were relegated to the substitutes' bench.
It took the U's just 16 minutes to make their mark as the lightning-fast Fagan cashed in on an attempted headed back pass by Rovers captain Steve Foster.
Johnson made no mistake on 22 minutes as he raced into the penalty box to slide a crisp shot past the startled Warrington to put the U's two-up after May had headed a Keith cross into his path.
Five minutes later it was 3-0. The elusive Fagan sent over a deep cross beyond the far post where the tall May once again headed the ball down into the six-yard box for Halford - who started the original move - to gleefully hook the ball into the net.
Doncaster grabbed a small foothold back into the game on the stroke of half-time.
Doolan robbed U's skipper Wayne Brown 30 yards out before running on to crash an unstoppable consolation goal past the impressive Davison, who minutes earlier had brilliantly tipped over a long-range shot from Leo Fortune-West.
The U's killed off any lingering hopes Rovers had of salvaging anything from the match as Keith struck the fourth goal.
Published Monday August 30, 2004
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