THREE of Colchester United's summer signings were on target as they eased to a 3-0 friendly win at National League South outfit Wealdstone tonight.

Goals from Paris Cowan-Hall, Michael Fernandes and Luke Gambin gave the U's victory, helping them make it four wins out of four in pre-season.

The last time Colchester played at Wealdstone’s Grosvenor Vale ground, when they ran out emphatic 6-2 winners in the FA Cup in 2015, the game was close to be called off following torrential rain before kick-off.

The contrast could not have been greater on this occasion, with much of this pre-season game played out in the hot evening sunshine.

Colchester dictated the early play in the humid conditions, against their National League South opponents.

And they went ahead in the 15th minute through new signing Cowan-Hall, who converted from close range after Wealdstone goalkeeper Theo Richardson had denied Jevani Brown following Frank Nouble’s pass.

But Wealdstone, whose starting line-up featured former U’s midfielder Billy Clifford, grew into the game and almost equalised just after the half hour through Jacob Mendy Mendy, who saw his fine shot pushed away well by U’s keeper Dean Gerken for a corner.

And the hosts went close to a leveller five minutes before the break when Danny Green advanced towards goal before seeing his long-range effort flash just past the post for a corner.

Skipper Jerome Okimo headed wide from close range from the resultant set-piece and although the U’s went in ahead at the interval, they by no means had things their own way in the opening 45 minutes.

Colchester made a single change at the break, bringing on teenager Andre Hasanally in a left-sided attacking role for goalscorer Cowan-Hall.

The U's dominated possession at the start of the second half and came close to doubling their lead seven minutes after the break through Brown, who fired just wide at the far post following Harry Pell's deep cross.

Courtney Senior's 25-yard shot flew straight into Richardson's arms soon after before Kane Vincent-Young's fierce effort from the edge of the area clattered the crossbar following Nouble's lay-off.

The U's hit the woodwork again seconds later through Brown, who should have scored having been presented with an open goal after Richardson had only pushed Vincent-Young's effort into his path, before the U's made ten changes on the hour mark.

And the visitors went further ahead five minutes later through Fernandes, who raced onto Gambin's pass and strolled past the keeper before coolly slotting home.

Hasanally, who looked lively throughout the second half, fired a shot just over after controlling well in the box.

But Colchester made it 3-0 with 12 minutes to go through Gambin, whose low 25-yard strike from Ben Stevenson's short lay-off squirmed through keeper Richardson's arms and crept into the net.

It rounded off another productive pre-season test for Colchester, who host neighbours Ipswich Town in their next friendly on Friday night.

COLCHESTER UNITED: Gerken (sub Ross, 60), James (sub Chilvers, 60), Eastman (sub Sowunmi, 60), Prosser (sub Kensdale, 60), Vincent-Young (sub Ager, 60), Pell (sub Lapslie, 60), Comley (sub Stevenson, 60), Cowan-Hall (sub Hasanally, 46), Brown (sub Fernandes, 60), Senior (sub Gambin, 60), Nouble (sub Norris, 60).