Mersea Island came looking for revenge for the heavy league defeat they suffered at the hands of Sudbury just before Christmas.

With both sides making changes – Sudbury having a number of players unavailable and Mersea welcoming back several who did not figure in the game a month earlier – it was no real surprise that they achieved their objective.

But Saturday's game was a Suffolk Cup quarter-final, and although Sudbury were disappointed with defeat, it's one coach John Cowling can live with as promotion remains the objective.

Cowling had a number of young players in his side, and was looking for performances from them, and he had no complaints. One of the younger players, 17-year-old Barney Goodchild, was named man-of-the-match on his home debut.

The game, predictably, was decided up front, with Mersea's immense pack – measurably stronger than in December, and the foundation of their London League 4NE success so far this season – laying the platform for their four tries.

Sudbury, considerably outweighed and hit hard up front by unavailability, at times had difficulty holding their own against the league leaders, particularly in the second half, much of which they spent on the back foot.

Mersea backed up this forward power with a swarming defence, rarely allowing Sudbury time to get their threequarter line moving. Not until the closing minutes, when the game was out of sight, did Sudbury look like threatening the Mersea line.

The first half was fairly even, but after the break Mersea gradually asserted control, keeping Sudbury largely in their own half, and taking advantage of some poor tackling by the home side.

Makeshift Sudbury defended well at times, with some excellent kicking for position, and put together some promising handling moves. But they made mistakes, and their experienced opponents made sure these were costly.

Mersea went ahead after 20 minutes when, following a drive and maul, Sudbury stopped, expecting a penalty from the resulting ruck.

Brendan Cook played to the whistle, picked up, and went over from close range for an easy five points. John Williams converted.

Five minutes later, after a good passage of play by Sudbury, Mersea were penalised on their 22 and Matthew Wooderson made no mistake with his kick. After that neither side looked like picking up further points before the interval.

Sudbury gifted Mersea their second try in the 56th minute when some poor tackling let Chris Adair in. Williams converted.

Two minutes later Mersea were penalised for offside and Wooderson landed his second penalty, but home optimism proved short-lived.

Gradually Mersea tightened their grip, and when Sudbury missed their tackles again in the 56th minute Daryl Walters ended a 40-metre move with a try, Williams converting.

The final try, in the 70th minute, resulted from Mersea's excellent defence. Sudbury had possession, but were driven back into the corner, Cook going over from the almost inevitable scrum and Williams again hitting the target.

Sudbury: J Lorking; Evans, Mills, Bolton, Stephens, Harries, Wooderson; Lucia, Kelling, Pears, Rix, Lockwood, Goodchild, Whybrow, R Lorking. Replacements: Mayers, Murray, Burton.

The game was moved from Moorsfield, which had been covered by an inch of water on Friday, to an adjacent pitch at Great Cornard Upper School, which was in perfect condition.