Colchester match report - sorry its so late (part 1)

COLCHESTER UNITED MATCH REPORT

By popular request of a very few.

So… another three points for the Super Reds and fairly well deserved on balance. I don’t want to rub it in that my own prediction was a 2-1 win, but just worth a reminder!

I suppose I’d better mention the traffic situation, as I’m guessing that most Reds fans travelled by the lethal A14 down to Colchester, If you didn’t, regard yourself as indeed blessed. The death toll of the accident at Newmarket was recorded as two at the latest and I’m guessing that many of you folk saw the carnage of the lorry and cars. It is simply amongst the most dangerous roads in the country, fooling drivers into treating it as a motorway, but then having very poor filter lanes, where most accidents happen because of differential speeds and even having a pedestrian crossing at one point. If a person caused that many deaths, he would be locked up for life.

Anyway, the turn out of 600 plus Reds fans indicates that most made it ok in time for kick-off. You have to take into account the very poor East Anglian weather with a blustery northerly wind lashing driving rain across the pitch most of the morning and on a few occasions during the game. That the players of both teams were able to master these conditions says a great deal for the quality of players on show. It could have destroyed the game, but, in the event, it was still excellent fare and worth the nineteen pounds to stand, but see below.

Referee for the day was Graham ‘Three Card Trick’ Poll, who, I thought had a very sound game with no controversial moments. He got good applause when warming up around the pitch and there was good humour from some Colchester fans, who had brought yellow cards with the number 3 on them, brandished in great numbers when the beleaguered official venture anywhere near. Following his first yellow for a Colchester player, the Reds fans response was, ‘Are you counting, referee? To which Poll showed one inoffensive finger – all amusing stuff, really.

To the match – first half:

We played the eleven who played at Hull and you have to say how much the positive attitude was there from the start, Colgan playing following his broken nose and Kay after a knock. Remember the bad old days of Chris Lumsdon never being bothered to be fit enough to get himself of the physio’s table? Different mind set now and an encouraging symptom of players who are saying, ‘Don’t you dare take my first team place off me. I’ll run through a brick wall before being dropped, or injured.’ And that attitude showed on the pitch in virtually every player. It takes sound man management in relation to challenging circumstances to produce that attitude and mutual loyalty is a big factor in that also – so well done the management and the lads.

This report is adversely affected, however, by the appalling view for visiting fans, which was commented on by at least one of the afternoon’s chants. At times, at our end, you couldn’t see where a shot or cross had done and, at the far end, it was sometimes just very hard for my failing eyesight to see. Sorry if any detail isn’t quite right.

I thought both sides started with the intention of making it an open game and it was of great pleasure that Ritchie did not adopt the four full backs and two centre backs model of last year’s encounter, which was so disappointing. After Colchester had shown some early attacking intent, we pushed forwards and enjoyed a sustained spell of almost half an hour in which several chances were created and Davison had to make a number of saves. I thought that we played really good, quick, sharp and incisive football during this time, the quality of the crossing from widish positions being particularly good. There was McIndoe’s shot which Davison couldn’t hold and palmed over for a corner – good to have a winger who is also willing to shoot. There was a header over by Hayes. There was a good move by Richards, who manoeuvred himself into a shooting position wide right and hit his shot into the side-netting (so I’m told – we could see this!) with Howard and Hayes appealing for the pull back which would almost certainly have brought a goal. There were two headers by Richards, one over and one which he knocked down very well to produce a sprawling save from Davison. Another good manoeuvre by Richards was followed by a chip, which ruffled the netting above the bar. There were several corners, some of which were poor, but, bearing in mind our appalling record of corners last year, I thought there was a little improvement, especially from Devaney and McIndoe. Hayes almost used the following wind with a route one goal, getting the first touch on to Colgan’s kick, but flicking it wide. It would have been a fluke had it gone in, in truth. In contrast, Colchester’s only efforts were a curler from distance by Cureton, which had Colgan groping fresh air, but sailed just wide. Another very pleasing aspect of our game was the way we closed Colchester down quickly all over the pitch, but particularly in midfield, where Togwell and Howard snapped away and tackled generally well, apart from the mis-tmed one which cost Togwell a booking. After half an hour, Colchester started to assert themselves more and Kevin Watson in particular came to notice, bossing their midfield and being involved in almost all there best moves. This corresponded with the time when Devaney and McIndoe swapped wings. I could see the sense in switching them in the hope that one of them might get the opening goal, but, in the event, it meant we weren’t playing with the same width to stretch their defence, nor the same penetration down the flanks. Colchester started to create spaces around the box and their running off the ball improved, although it should be said that our defence looked strong. When Izzet found himself on a one-to-one with Colgan, the keeper did incredibly well to come hairing off his line and time his sprawling save at the midfielder’s feet to perfection. I hadn’t noticed last season how mobile Colgan is around his area – he’s really quite quick on his feet and this particular save showed this strength of his game. Only four minutes to half time and Colchester go and score. It seemed to me from the far end that there was a well-worked move down the Colchester left with a cross which went across to their right, having not been cleared by Kay and Reid. Cureton got the ball near the goal line and returned it into the centre, where Reid and Kay had not re-composed themselves and Halford planted an emphatic header past Colgan. I could see it all going pear-shape at this point, with Colchester’s game lifted and our heads dropping, but don’t doubt the resolve and commitment of this Super Reds side. Although we couldn’t get the goal back before half time, we had a damn good go.

 

RE: Colchester match report - part 2

Second half:

We pushed on and started brightly and I am not sure that we fully exploited, nor realised the fact that Colchester seemed ‘caught cold’ for the first five/ten minutes. It was noticeable that the wingers started to assert themselves again. The midfield also started to flow again with good passing along the floor. Playing against the wind, it was essential to do it this way and the Reds clearly had thought about the weather conditions in contrast to having the following wind of the first half. On 57 minutes, McIndoe got the ball wide left and produced super skill to trick his way past the full-back, following this skill with a top-quality cross to find Richards at the far post and ‘bang’, it was 1-1 with another emphatic header via the underside of the crossbar. Great celebrations. What was really encouraging is that we had not allowed our heads to drop, but had kept playing to our strengths, producing that bit of extra skill when it mattered to crack the defence and level things. In contrast now, in spite of the fact that Kevin Watson continued to catch the eye in bossing the Colchester midfield, the Us had decided that a ‘shoot on sight’ policy would work with the following wind. This led to some truly hilarious efforts from several of their players and showers of rust descending on the Oakwell faithful whenever another wayward thirty yarder hit the stand roof. We then attacked again and my misty eyesight seemed to see one attack break down and the ball come out to Howard, just outside the area. He manoeuvred right, then left, found a space opening in front of him, took a couple of strides forward and blasted the ball into the left side of the goal. Redfearn of old? Well, it certainly brought back those memories, but Howard is a different style of player in most respects. Huge celebrations from the Oakwell 600 and we played down the remaining minutes, including three added minutes without undue scares, other than a bizarre corner gifted to Colchester by a generous Mr Poll. Final whistle greeted by great celebrations in the ‘chicken run’ and the Super Reds up to eighth in the league which was supposed to kill us.

 

RE: Colchester match report - part 3

Player analyses:

Colgan 7: very safe. His best save was the one-on-one with Izzet, but he seemed really quick around his box all afternoon and caught everything safely. Seems to have worked out responsibilities well with the defence in front of him. No causes for alarm, but the less tested of the two keepers on the day.

Hassell 7: solid performance from Bobby. Defended well. I can’t recall his giving the ball away at all. Got forward when he could (not needed to much) and passed well up the wing, especially to Devaney.

Reid 7: battled well against first Garcia and later Iwelumo. Captained the side well also, giving his orders and berating players when it might have seemed unimportant. A quite simply appalling attempt at a direct free kick in the first half, which showered more rust on to us. Why didn’t McIndoe take it?

Kay 8: another super battling performance from a player out to prove that we don’t need to bring in other defenders. If that was his claim, in this game he staked the claim superbly. Combative fairly in the battles in the air and on the floor with the strikers. He also produced a sublime piece of skill in the second half when breaking from defence and looking more like an accomplished midfielder. As good as I have seen him play – very focussed and committed with a good degree of skill to match. A hall mark today was the way he read the game so well, often anticipating the Colchester pass and breaking on to the ball well before it reached its intended Colchester target. He did this time and again.

Heckingbottom 7: One or two oddities in his distribution at times. It takes time for a new player to embed into a team for several reasons. He seems to be picking up the sense of belonging and commitment of the other players. Very confusing haircut. Looks like Davy Crockett, if you can go back that far. Solid enough.

Devaney 7: pretty good. Steady in the first half, playing neat football with an emphasis on keeping possession, rather than taking on the full back. Got more direct in second half and got in some good crosses. Always available for a pass and timed his runs well. I would like to see him try the occasional shot when cutting inside, but will accept a string of quality crosses as a reasonable alternative.

Togwell 7: we must remember that he is still yet young. He has the makings of an excellent footballer and his touch-passing play, especially with Howard, Devaney and McIndoe was most encouraging. I think that he will improve through the season and get stronger and stronger. He might look at the role played by Watson for Colchester and model himself on that style. That is what we need him to do. No mishaps and technically sound.

Howard 9: An all-round super performance from the attacking midfielder today, who was clearly my man of the match and not just for the brilliant finish. He epitomised the committed and focussed attitude of the whole team. I was impressed in the first half by the way he ran his socks off to close down Colchester players right across midfield. When going forwards, I was impressed by his passing and a few touches of the sort of skill which wins tight matches. You can’t argue with the superb shot to win the game for the Super Reds. He showed control and balance, first to bring the ball under control, then to shimmy right, then left, go for goal and strike with accuracy and power. He will feel that the Championship is where he should be playing, especially with his early England credential and it looks as though he is going to spend the season proving it, which is good news for us.

McIndoe 7: A good shot in the first half, which was too hot for Davison to hold and sublime skill and cross to set up Richards. Passed the ball tidily, although, like Devaney in the first half, tended to play safe possession, rather than taking on his man. Also like Devaney, so this was presumably part of Ritchie’s plan, he pushed on and became more positive in the second period.

Hayes 6: I thought that he seemed pretty well held by the Colchester defence and had few chances to find space and time today. He was substituted by Wright and that may have been a good decision. As he was instrumental in two of the goals at Hull, I’m not complaining that he had a quieter game today and am certain that, across the whole season, like Howard, he will want to demonstrate that the Championship is where he should be playing. If he goes on to score fifteen goals in the season and make a host of others, he will have been well worth his place. I for one am convinced that he has real class, an excellent first touch and an eye for goal. I hope that, at the season end, all these things are proved right and preferably at Oakwell. This just wasn’t one of his best games, but nor did he let the side down, playing a full part in the build-up from midfield.

Richards 8: this was the best I have seen him play. He seemed full of confidence after his morale-boosting first of the season at Hull. He looked a total handful for the Colchester defence, holding the ball up well, finding shooting and heading positions and scoring a goal at the end of a good move. It was Gary Lineker who said that he didn’t mind missing chances – it was more a problem if he didn’t get chances. This is the way it should be with Richards. I wouldn’t accuse him of ‘missing’ any chances today. He had the ability to be in the right place, or to make the right moves to create chances and he had a confident go at putting several away, sometimes with only a margin of luck running against him. On another day he could easily have had a hat trick. He deserved to at least two. Best skill apart from the goal – his control with back to goal, then manoeuvre to create his own space before getting away a curling right-foot shot which ruffled the net above the bar. Had it gone in, it would have been a classic.

Tommy Wright 6: not on for long. Did his bit. Needs to get slots of twenty/thirty minutes to develop his game, so it was worth bringing him on for Hayes. Control a bit dodgy at times, but it is not always easy to come on a be warmed up straight away.

Nicky Wroe 6: brought on for Richards late on. Did his bit well. Some good defensive work to keep the three points. Not much chance for him to shine in any other way than to close down the midfield, in which he played his part.

Colin Healy 6: only on for a minute. Looked ok in the kick-around before the match and at half time. Time will tell. Comes with a good pedigree.

Summary:

I think that we deserved all three points. We had a very good opening half hour and a good start to the second half, controlling most of the second period and scoring two good goals. The good thing is that the players are clearly up for it and that is a huge plus for us, especially as some, such as Howard, Richards, Kay etc produced individual performances of a quality only occasionally seen last season. I’m also aware that we have yet to face some of the ‘big boys,’ but they don’t seem to be playing too well at the moment. Results like this boost confidence and create belief in a team that, even if we go behind, we can come back. That has to be good news and is the main reason that I believe we will survive, hopefully in mid-table with a view to further developments in the 2007-08 season.

Keep the faith!

 

Thanks mate

Despite some of the nonsense that gets posted on here, I spoke to quite a few people who were there today, Colchester and Barnsley fans alike, who were VERY impressed with Richards.

 

RE: Colchester match report - part 3

Brilliant report. Many thanks.

 

I'm just amazed

that anyone else is up to read this. I have to travel tomorrow morning, so can't post it then.

Night all!

 

Excellent report.

Totally agree about Richards, i think hes improved this season in terms of getting into better positions, aided by Mcindoes quality service (Whereas Shuker couldnt cross the ball higher than an ant with Hypopituitary Dwarfism)

 

RE: Colchester match report - Thanks, a good read.

 

RE: Colchester match report - part 3

Great report, really enjoyed reading an indepth account of the match

Keep up the good work mate. Move over Rob Knowles!!!

 

A great Report

Thanks very much for all the time and effort you put into writing it. I enjoyed reading it. I went to the match and can't disagree with anything you have written here. I hope you will be able to write more reports in the future - if this is a sample, they will obviously be better than the official ones and probably the best I have read from any fan on here. Keep up the good work.

 

a good read

kept my interest right up to the end, keep it up old pal.</p>

A one liner will do if they lose though.</p>

 

BTT, cos its excellent

 

Excellent stuff. btt

Informative and entertaining, although it helps that we won!