Colchester’s run of high-scoring wins continued with a bonus point victory against league strugglers Woodford at Mill Road. Despite running in eight tries there was a distinct feeling of dissatisfaction at the final whistle - a sign of the high standards they are now setting themselves.

Colchester allowed Woodford too much ball, particularly in a messy late spell when the visitors scored two consolation tries. They cannot afford to show that profligacy in their next match, at runaway league leaders North Walsham.

“To put 50 on a team and still be frustrated I believe is the mark of a great team,” said head coach Ben Scully. “We set our own bar regardless of opposition and we’re always trying to better ourselves.

“Probably our frustration comes from the fact that we know we had more in the tank”.

Double try-scorer James Crozier was deservedly named sponsors’ man of the match while the coaches’ award went to hooker Sam Butler, whose stature grows with every match.

Playing with a blustery wind, Colchester were ahead inside two minutes. Winning a scrum from a wonky Woodford line-out, Oly Pickett went over, David Higgins converting.

From an attacking 5 metre scrum, the front row was to the fore as Colchester mauled over for the second, Harrison Pickett touching down. Higgins converted and added a penalty soon after.

Fly-half Thomas Redfern kicked a penalty for Woodford but Colchester re-established control with the try of the match.

The ball was turned over deep in Colchester territory, Oli and Harrison Pickett, Brett Cutbush and Butler all got a touch before Crozier pinned back his ears to run in from close to half-way. Higgins converted for a 24-3 half-time lead.

Freddie Skovly’s arrival off the bench sparked a huge Viking roar from his 10 pals who had flown in from Norway for the occasion.

The ball went through plenty of hands for George Liversidge’s bonus point try. Higgins’ conversion was his 13th successive kick on target, another tidy return.

Butler scored Colchester’s fifth from a line-out drive, and Crozier got his second, taking a lovely reverse pass from Cutbush.

Jona Crisp fed Jamie Miller for try number seven, while prop James Mitchell forced his way over for his obligatory weekly try.

The match deteriorated late on. Both sides were reduced to 14 - Woodford hooker Will Prior was sin-binned for a dangerous tackle and Nick Flexman followed for a late hit.

Uncontested scrums added to the scrappiness, Woodford adapting better with tries by Redfern and replacement Ben Owen.

Colchester stay second, 19 points behind promotion-certainties North Walsham, and Scully thinks the two-week break before the summit meeting in Norfolk could be a mixed blessing.

“We lose a bit of momentum but we can have a really focussed two weeks, and maybe we’ve got a few things to think about specifically for Walsham.”

Spookily all three teams playing this weekend - the first, second and third XVs - all scored 55 points. What are the chances?