Albion cruised through to the second round of the League Cup tonight – despite making 11 team changes.

The Seagulls beat Colchester 4-0 at the Amex with all the goals coming in the final half-hour.

They dominated throughout but had to wait until the 64th minute to go ahead as skipper for the night Sam Baldock curled into the top corner.

Jamie Murphy added the second six minutes later and it became three goals in ten minutes when Elvis Manu netted.

The Argus:

Sam Baldock curls the opener

Murphy skipped through the wreckage of the defence to guide home his second in the 86th minute.

Kazenga LuaLua also shone as a goal-maker in the second period.

Albion did not have too many clear chances in the first half although debutant Ollie Norwood curled narrowly wide.

They stepped up a gear in the second period and a sublime first touch from LuaLua, to take down a crossfield pass, helped him set up Baldock for the breakthrough.

LuaLua was at it again as he went on a run through the middle and timed his pass perfectly for Murphy, who got in behind the defence and clipped a super finish over the keeper’s dive.

Manu slid home his first goal for the club from Baldock’s low cross after Norwood had sent him away down the left.

The Argus:

Elvis Manu makes it three

And, as the chances continued to come, Murphy wrapped up the scoring with a left-foot finish. All that was missing for LuaLua was a goal – but he curled narrowly wide late on.

Albion did not need to make any substitutions and were watched from just behind the subs’ bench by Dale Stephens, who missed the game after taking a knock in training.

The Argus:

Sam Adekugbe, Rob Hunt and Ben White all made debuts in defence, Rohan Ince looked comfortable at centre-back and Niki Maenpaa enjoyed an untroubled home debut behind them.

Albion (4-4-2): Maenpaa; Hunt, White, Ince, Adekugbe; Murphy, Holla, Norwood, LuaLua; Baldock, Manu. Subs not used: Ankergren, Bruno, Bong, Dunk, Knockaert, Sidwell, Murray.

Goals: Baldock 64, Murphy 70, 86, Manu 74.

Yellow card: Norwood (56) foul).

Colchester (3-5-1-1): Barnes; Wynter, Prosser, Kent; Vincent-Young, Loft, Lapslie (Dunne 74), Szmodics (Bonne 71), Dickenson; Guthrie (Slater 74); Johnstone. Subs not used: Bransgrove, Porter, Kinsella, Sembie-Ferris.

Yellow card: Kent (45) foul, Loft (60) foul.

Referee: James Linington (Newport, IoW).

Attendance: 6,895 (261 away)