Everton Under-21s got back to winning ways in style on Tuesday evening as they beat Colchester United 7-2 in the Premier League Cup.  

There were no signs of a hangover from Saturday’s disappointing 1-0 defeat to Birmingham City as the young Blues ran riot at Haig Avenue to pick up their first win in the competition this season.  

Everton started in a ferocious manner and stormed into a 4-0 lead before half-time thanks to goals from Tom Cannon, Katia Kouyate and Mackenzie Hunt.  

Kouyate and Cannon added to their tallies after half-time while Isaac Price rounded off what was an excellent performance from Tait’s side.  

It didn’t take long for the Toffees to find their groove when good aggressive pressing from Liam Higgins and Price forced a loose pass straight into the path of Cannon deep inside the Colchester half.    

The in-form forward never looked in doubt as he drove into the box before slotting into the bottom right corner of Ted Collins’ net to put the Blues ahead inside the opening minute.   

Everton’s early momentum continued, and the visitors were visibly struggling to match the pace being set by the home side.   

Tait’s men doubled their advantage in the 17th minute when Kouyate drove with purpose down the right flank before cutting inside and firing a low shot through the legs of Collins to grab his first goal of the season for the Under-21s.   

Everton remained an ever-present threat to the Colchester goal, with Cannon nearly grabbing his second and the Blues' third just minutes later.   

Sam Coughlan played a defence-splitting pass towards Cannon who let the ball roll past his body brilliantly before firing a vicious shot low and hard, this time though Collins was equal to it, getting down to make a good save.   

The Toffees did grab their third, though, just before the half-hour mark and key man Cannon was heavily involved again.

He hit a curled goal-bound shot from distance that was parried into the path of Mackenzie Hunt who followed in to tap the ball home.   

Hunt nearly extended Everton’s advantage further soon after when hit a beautiful dipping strike that whisked just milometers over the bar.   

The visiting side rarely troubled the Everton box, however, Zak Leban was forced into his first save of the night as the game approached the halfway point.   

A gap opened up for Colchester’s Ryan Clampin who struck a low shot from distance, the effort may have been drifting just wide but Leban had to be sure and got a good hand on the shot to tip it out for a corner.   

Everton grabbed another in first-half stoppage time when Halid Djankpata pressed brilliantly inside the Colchester box to nick the ball and quickly square it to Kouyate who doubled his tally for the evening.   

The second period started at a steadier pace as the visitors chased a consolation goal while Everton eased their foot off the gas.   

Everton’s first chance of the half fell to Price five minutes after half-time when he struck a shot from outside the box that travelled down the middle of the goal and into the goalkeeper’s arms.   

Colchester enjoyed their first spell of sustained pressure after but failed to convert the same into any meaningful chances on goal.   

Higgins was replaced by Isaac Heath early into the second half as the former continued to have his minutes managed following his return from injury.   

Just before the hour, a break in play for a free-kick on the edge of the Colchester box allowed Luke Butterfield and goalkeeper Jack Barrett to join the fray in place of Djankpata and Leban.   

Cannon struck that subsequent free kick sweetly but the same just dashed past the wrong side of the post.   

Although it was an improved performance from Colchester in the second half, Everton continued to look more threatening, and as the game entered the final 15 minutes, they made it five.   

Hunt sprinted onto a great ball over the top of the Colchester defence before driving a superb low cross that was dummied by Price in the box and then driven home by Kouyate to grab his hat-trick.  

The visitors did grab a consolation goal through substitute Kai Redgrave with a little over seven minutes remaining after the Everton defence failed to clear a cross into the box.   

Tait’s side responded almost immediately when Cannon beat the offside trap and showed excellent composure to side foot his shot into the back of the net.   

Price got in on the act minutes later to make it seven after the Blues again found Cannon free inside the box, the forward selflessly avoided a shot and instead cut it back to the Everton midfielder who was unmarked on the edge of the six-yard box.   

Jaiden Drakes-Thomas gave the visitors another in stoppage time with a wonderful dipping strike from distance, but it did little to take the shine off a fine performance from the home side.