Acle United Ladies travelled to basement side Colchester Town and returned home with all three points after a convincing 6-2 victory.

With a full squad of 16 making the trip Acle started the better of the two sides and took the lead in the 10th minute.

Holden split the home defence with a through ball for Todd to run onto and easily beat the keeper.

Colchester levelled just five minutes later when a pass back was under-hit and Box intercepted and slotted the ball past Hooper.

Acle continued to push forward and regained the lead after 30 minutes. Mungham-Gray played to Todd on the right flank whose pass to Birchall was converted into the top corner.

With play mainly taking place in the Colchester half, the visitors went further ahead with four minutes remaining in the first half. Rowland was fouled around 35 yards from goal and a quickly taken free-kick by Scully found an unmarked Birchall who scored her second of the game.

Both teams had half chances in the early stages of the second half but it was Acle who extended their lead on 54 minutes. Todd picked up a loose ball, beat two defenders and slotted past the keeper.

With a full bench of substitutes to choose from the visitors rotated their players at regular intervals and Kindred forced the home keeper into a good save, denying the Acle player a first goal for the club.

With 25 minutes remaining, the visitors scored a fifth goal when Rowland sent a pin-point free-kick to Pasque whose header left the home keeper stranded.

The hosts pulled a goal back five minutes later after sloppy defending but right on full-time Birchall raced through to complete her hat-trick and while being congratulated the final whistl sounded.

Acle Ladies: J Hooper, O Mungham-Grey, J Copeman, C Shields, K Pasque, B Scully, C Flatt, L Bullard, G Birchall, L Holden, M Todd. Subs: C Fullbrook, L Bailey, A Rowland, B Knights, K Kindred.

It is back to FA Cup action for the Ladies on Sunday when they travel to Peterborough Northern Star in the third qualifying round of the Women’s FA Cup (2pm).

After a week off due to the Anglian Combination Representative game, the men’s first team return to league action with a derby at Blofield United (2.30pm).