CHELMSFORD headed into the final home game of the opening half of the season confident of continuing their good form against a visiting team yet to register a point.
The game opened up as a cagey affair, with nerves getting to the home side.
It was perhaps the pressure of following every other team in the league in taking three points from Wisbech that got to Chelmsford in the opening exchanges.
Some early strikes found an opposition keeper in fine form when dealing with anything in the air. It was not until the 25th minute that the deadlock was broken.
Tom Fanger's first appearance in the first team for more than two seasons was welcomed when he scored from a penalty corner.
Having been in prolific form for the second XI all season from set-pieces, he carried this over soon after to double his tally and Chelmsford's lead.
Half-time arrived and although the game was close, Wisbech had created almost nothing in front of goal. With a bit more composure, Chelmsford knew the game was there for the taking.
Harry Rayner took the lead to three from the penalty spot, while returning player-coach Dillet Gilkes got the first open-play goal during his brief cameo to take the scores to 4-0.
With Chelmsford finding easy ways to score, Wisbech began to lose their composure. Some agricultural tackles followed, and while there were a flurry of green cards, nobody spent any time off the pitch.
The fifth goal came from Matt Lewis, scoring his first of the season for the side, slotting home from close range through the keeper's legs.
Tom Woollatt got the sixth with a deflection at the back post, while Alex Rumbold nailed the seventh into the bottom corner past a motionless defence.
The eighth was the fiercest of the lot, with Sam Rayner having time and space to rifle a bullet of a shot into the roof of the net off his reverse.
A convincing win for Chelmsford, although the 8-0 scoreline could have been much greater if the team had performed in the first half like they did in the second.
Chelmsford are only four points off the leaders and have one more outdoor game before the winter break, away to Felixstowe, in two weeks' time.
Next week Chelmsford take up indoor action.
