By Adam Hookway

Tonbridge Juddians had too much quality for National League 2 East new boys Colchester, scoring seven tries on their way to a 48-26 win on Saturday.

It took a while for both teams to get going on the 3G pitch, but the Essex hosts opened the scoring with a well-worked try and conversion after 15 minutes.

Tonbridge hit back immediately with Curtis Barnes showing a clean pair of heels and Sam Evans adding the extras.

TJs were not able to dominate in any phase but their speed of thought, sleight of hand and, at times raw power, saw them cross for three more tries from George Merrick and Curtis Barnes, with Evans converting one, for a first-half bonus point.

Colchester stemmed the flow with a converted score of their own on 34 minutes and came out firing from the restart - lax TJ defending allowing them in for a third try.

Judds needed to pull away again and up stepped Barnes to find space down the left to cross with Evans topping up the score. They were giving away too many penalties, though, and on the hour Ryan Munnelly received a yellow card and the visitors were a man light.

Colchester struck soon afterwards for their fourth try and the bonus point, but with TJs restored to full strength Connor Lloyd found room to score with Evans adding the conversion and a penalty soon followed.

They were not finished there, either. Tom Kendrick came off the bench to create space on the right and as the defenders closed in he kicked through to regather and score in the corner, with Evans converting to make it a second successive maximum points game.

Tonbridge are in derby action on Saturday at home to Sevenoaks.