Plymouth continued where they left off in the FA Cup by brushing aside Colchester in the Coca-Cola Championship clash at Home Park.

David Norris' sixth goal of the season gave the FA Cup quarter-finalists a deserved half-time advantage and Sylvan Ebanks-Blake won and converted a 59th-minute penalty to double their lead.

And young midfielder Dan Gosling rounded off a superb display from Ian Holloway's side with his first senior goal for the club 67 minutes into the match.

Holloway opted for the same starting line-up which defeated the Championship leaders in the FA Cup fifth round on Saturday and there was no place in the 16 for Barry Hayles, Hasney Aljofree and Mat Doumbe who were available to return after serving suspensions.

Geraint Williams made one enforced change to the Colchester side, with Richard Garcia replacing the suspended Kem Izzet in midfield.

Argyle bossed the early exchanges, with Norris looking threatening down the right and Ebanks-Blake full of running in attack.

And they were in front 11 minutes in when Norris picked up a loose ball up and unleashed an unstoppable right-foot drive from just outside the penalty area which flew into the top-left corner of the net.

The home side were clearly in no mood to rest on their one-goal advantage and Gosling played a neat one-two with Kevin Gallen before forcing a sharp save out of Dean Gerken.

Colchester struggled to get out of their own half and Pilgrims midfielder Lilian Nalis tried his luck from distance, but Gerken was well positioned to make the save.

The visitors finally showed an attacking threat midway through the half and a Jamie Cureton header finally called Plymouth goalkeeper Luke McCormick into action.

Plymouth looked the more likely to score a second goal, but a lack of quality with the final ball ensured they had to settle for a one-goal advantage at the break.

Argyle also had the better of the opening exchanges in the second half, with on-loan Chelsea winger Scott Sinclair a constant menace to the U's defence.

And Ebanks-Blake double their advantage 57 minutes in, after being upended by Wayne Brown - who was possibly fortunate to be shown only a yellow card.

Former Manchester United striker Ebanks-Blake picked himself up to smash an unstoppable penalty past Gerken.

And the home side were almost three goals to the good when Sinclair forced a good save from Gerken and Gosling put the rebound over the crossbar.

But Gosling made no mistake when he was put through on goal and produced a clinical finish to put Colchester out of sight.

Argyle continued to push forward and Sinclair played a neat one-two before firing a shot wastefully over the crossbar and substitute Peter Halmosi also spurned an opportunity to add a fourth goal.

It was a case of damage limitation for Colchester, with Plymouth on top in every department in a spirited performance.

Cureton came close to a consolation goal near the end, but his right-foot finish was narrowly off target.

Teams:

Plymouth McCormick, Connolly, Seip, Timar, Sawyer,Gosling (Halmosi 75), Norris, Nalis, Sinclair,Ebanks-Blake (Fallon 75), Gallen (Summerfield 76).

Subs Not Used: Doumbe, Hodges.

Goals: Norris 12, Ebanks-Blake 59 pen, Gosling 67.

Colchester Gerken, White (Ephraim 63), Mills, Brown, Barker,Garcia (McLeod 71), Watson, Jackson, Duguid, Cureton,Iwelumo (Guy 78).

Subs Not Used: Davison, Baldwin.

Booked: Brown, Ephraim.

Att: 12,895

Ref: R Olivier (W Midlands).