Darren Bent scored twice, as a strong Sunderland side overcame Colchester 2-0 at the Stadium of Light.
The opener came on 19 minutes. Bolo Zenden sent down an long ball which Colchester keeper Mark Cousins came off line to deal with, before realising that he had misjudged the flight of the ball. Bent got there first to head over the hapless stopper and into the empty net.
It did not get any better Cousins, who was guilty of another howler eight minutes before half-time.
This time the goalkeeper spilled Zenden's low free-kick, and Bent was on hand to side-foot the ball into the net from close range.
Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet showed his opposite number how to do it, when he smartly turned Anthony Wordsworth's header on to the bar on 43 minutes.
Colchester were more impressive in the second half, and striker Kayode Odejayi forced a save from Mignolet with a 49th-minute header.
The Belgian then made an even better save to deny David Perkins moments later, but despite some good moments late on, the Essex side were unable to break down the Premier League defence.