CLACTON 5

COLCHESTER II 1

East Men’s League division four south-east

CLACTON made it three wins on the bounce with a dominant display.

Russell Measor got the ball rolling with another sweet nutmeg of the visiting keeper for his third goal of the season.

Ten minutes later, Matt Bird popped up to double the Seasiders’ lead.

The second half came to life when Colchester took advantage of a gift from the Clacton defence.

It left sweeper-keeper Michael Hook stranded in what was otherwise an awesome display of man-marking and patient defending, to earn himself the man-of-the-match award.

In front of him, Stephen Moriarty and Kieron Parkes dominated in midfield, pulling the strings and linking up well with Henry Smith.

Shane Walker was as threatening as ever with his mazy runs, causing mayhem around the circle.

The game was settled when Clacton turned on the style with 15 minutes to go, scoring three in four minutes as they got their two-touch flowing hockey just right.

Bird completed a hat-trick that, on another day, would have earned him the man-of-the-match award.

In addition to working hard, he produced assists and earned short corner.

It was the same for Daniel Pritchard, who was solid in defence and kept up his goal-a-game ratio with a sweetly-struck short corner.

Measor nearly got the goal of season when skipper Carl Parkes picked out his 30-yard run but his deflected shot nestled in the side-netting.

Robert Hawes went close down the left as he drove into the circle - only to be fouled as he was preparing to shoot, earning his side another short corner.

Next up the Seasiders travel to top-of-the-table Wapping, in a match that will show whether they can challenge for the top two spots during the final run-in.