BRADLEY Wright-Phillips’ first two goals of the 2011/12 season made it three wins out of three for Charlton as they defeated Colchester 2-0.

His pair of strikes in the first half at the Weston Homes Community Stadium set Chris Powell’s side well on their way to continue their perfect start to the campaign.

And in addition to seeing out the score for the remaining hour-plus of the contest, plenty of further chances were created to extend their lead in what ended up as the club’s first ever league win away to the Us.

After a tepid first ten minutes, the visitors created the first real chance from a corner which was cleared poorly and into the path of Johnnie Jackson, whose low volley had to be cleared off the line by Michael Rose.

But an error from Rose three minutes later allowed Wright-Phillips to pounce, one-two with Scott Wagstaff and bury the opener past Mark Cousins in goal.

United went on an immediate hunt for an equaliser, but from a corner Ian Henderson was unable to find the target.

Wagstaff fired inches wide after taking down a Rhoys Wiggins cross on the quarter-hour mark while Brian Wilson and Kayode Odejayi had efforts thwarted at the other end, before the lead was doubled on 28 minutes.

A rare forward surge by centre-back Michael Morrison preceded a good delivery from Jackson on the left, and a headed flick back from Hayes landed perfectly for Wright-Phillips to collect his second from close range.

Absolutely buzzing with their performance and their recent form in general, the away side almost made it three with ten minutes remaining before half-time, this time Hayes almost getting in on the action with a clever touch from Wiggin’s cross which needed a full-stretch push from Cousins to avoid being lobbed.

Wilson saw another attempt from distance deflected away for a Colchester corner, from which Anthony Wordsworth picked out defender Magnus Okuonghae whose header required tipping over by Elliot.

We could easily have seen a hat-trick five minutes after the interval when Wright-Phillips broke free of his marker to latch onto Stephens’ ball, but Cousins did well to block his shot with his legs.

Morrison displayed his defensive prowess in addition to his forward runs to cut out a dangerous game of head tennis inside the Charlton box before a shot at goal could be attempted on 57 minutes.

And Wright-Phillips again hunted for the treble on the hour mark, first with a lob attempt from Jackson’s headed assist which couldn’t get past Cousins, then moments later blasting a low drive wide of the upright.

An Addicks corner on 65 looked like it may cause trouble when Morrison nodded Stephens’ delivery across to Jackson, but the skipper was unable to fashion a crack at goal and instead teed the returning Stephens up to fire into row Z.

With 15 minutes left and Charlton doing a decent job of seeing off the threat of their opponents, they again threatened to kill the game off with Jackson poaching a touch on Wiggin’s strike from the left, but again was unable to beat Cousins.

Just five minutes stood between the Reds and a third straight win when sub Jason Euell almost scored his first competitive Charlton goal in over five years but for another great block by Cousins.

Danny Green, kept out of the starting XI by a combination of suspension and Wagstaff’s early form, finally made his league bow for the final four minutes in place of Wright-Phillips to end the striker’s hopes of a first Charlton hat-trick since Deon Burton against Norwich in May 2009.

Charlton: Elliot, Solly, Morrison, Taylor, Wiggins, Wagstaff, Hollands, Stephens (Hughes 78), Jackson, Hayes (Euell 78), Wright-Phillips (Green 86). Subs not used: Sullivan, Doherty. Att: 5094