Harrogate’s play-off push continues to gather momentum after they claimed a seventh win in 10 games – 3-0 against struggling Colchester.

Goals from Mark Beck, Will Smith and Josh McPake earned Town a comfortable victory.

The result meant the U’s have now failed to score on the road for 10 hours and 35 minutes – a seven-match barren run that represents their worst sequence since becoming a Football League side in 1988.

Harrogate went in front after just 31 seconds when Beck curled the ball into Colchester goalkeeper Shamal George’s bottom-right corner from 10 yards after being picked out in the penalty area by Lloyd Kerry.

Smith doubled the hosts’ advantage in first-half stoppage time when the ball broke to him after Ryan Fallowfield had lofted a high ball into the box.

The former Barnsley defender demonstrated the composure of a striker, carrying the ball towards goal before prodding it past an advancing George from seven yards.

Colchester captain Tommy Smith scrambled an early second-half effort against a post, but McPake settled matters before the hour mark when he shot across goal from 10 yards after being picked out down the left channel by George Thomson.