Defender Kevin Keben played 45 minutes and got on the scoresheet as Watford Under-21s trounced Colchester 7-0 at London Colney this afternoon.

The Cameroonian defender signed from Toulouse in the summer but has been sidelined through injury since.

He scored the fifth goal from very close range in a mad first-half that saw Watford take a 5-0 lead before 30 minutes had been played and go into the break with a 6-0 advantage.

Keben is quick and athletic, strong in the air but also looked extremely comfortable on the ball and was happy to carry it out of defence.

He played on the right of a back three today, but could easily be one of two centre-halves and would look at home as a full-back also.

Imran Louza also featured for almost 70 minutes and played well within himself.

The eye-catcher was 16-year-old Mathis Eboue, who scored twice and was a livewire throughout.

The forward, who is the son of former Arsenal player Emmanuel Eboue, recently scored the winner for England in an Under-16 tournament and showed some fine touches and acceleration.

At the back Watford were very solid with and without Keben, who went off as planned at half-time.

James Clarridge was, not for the first time this season, imperious while recent signing Ian Kamga also impressed as the rearguard played so well keeper Jonathan Macaulay did not have to make a save.

The game was every bit as one-sided as the scoreline suggests and had Colchester not decided to get bodies behind the ball after half-time, Watford could quite easily have run up double figures.

The win lifts Watford to eighth in the Premier Development League South Division, and their next game is at home to QPR on Monday (November 4).

Here’s how the game unfolded:

8 – Watford 1 (Eboue) Colchester 0

A clever little touch from Massiah-Edwards sent Lawson clear on left. His low shot was parried, and Eboue tapped in.

16 – Watford 2 (Lawson) Colchester 0

Lawson intercepted an under-hit back-pass, took the ball past Chamberlain and netted from a tight angle.

22 – Watford 3 (Massiah-Edwards) Colchester 0

Keben chipped ball behind the visitors defence for Eames to run onto. He cut the ball back, Massiah-Edwards controlled it and slotted into the corner.

25 – Watford 4 (Lawson) Colchester 0

Watkiss and Coyne played a great one-two, Watkiss got to the by-line, and Lawson beat a defender to his cross to stab the ball past Chamberlain.

28 – Watford 5 (Keben) Colchester 0

The visitors made a mess of clearing a corner, the ball was played out to Watkiss on the left and his cross was bundled in at back post by Keben.

34 - Corner dropped to Massiah-Edwards who, with his back to goal, hooked a shot over his shoulder but wide.

37 - Watkiss let fly from 25 yards but Chamberlain held well.

38 - Coyne drove forward from halfway with options both sides but instead shot from just inside box, which Chamberlain dived to hold.

40 – Watford 6 (Eboue) Colchester 0

A superb pass from Massiah-Edwards released Eboue on the right. He cut inside and had options to pass but instead drilled a low shot into the bottom left corner.

44 – After taking one hefty challenge from behind too many, Massiah-Edwards limped off and was replaced by Buers.

Half-time – Watford 5 Colchester 0

49 – Chamberlain gave the ball directly to Coyne, who could have passed but shot instead and the keeper recovered to save.

52 - Keyes burst away on the left, cut in and released a rising shot that was deflected wide.

56 – A rare sight of goal for Colchester as Green got the better of Kamga, but shot high and wide.

63 – Lawson’s lay off allowed Louza to check just outside the box but then shoot over.

66 - Louza saw his curling 25-yard free-kicked deflected over the bar.

72 - Buers sent over a low cross from the left but Keyes’ shot clipped the post

86 – Watford 7 (Keyes) Colchester 0

Sikiru released Buers, he crossed and Keyes got ahead of his marker to turn the ball into the net.

Watford: Macaulay; Eames (Keyes 60), Watkiss (Garcia-Romero Ferrer 60), Keben (Abbott ht), Clarridge, Kamga, Eboue, Coyne, Lawson, Louza (Sikiru 67), Massiah-Edwards (Buers 44)