FULL TIME FROM LAYER ROAD COLCHESTER UNITED 1 (Iwelumo 48) BARNSLEY 0 BARNSLEY failed to brighten up a sodden and grey afternoon in Colchester as the Reds stumbled to a second consecutive defeat away from Oakwell. Reds manager Andy Ritchie welcomed back Robbie Williams into the side for the trip to Colchester. Williams sat out the defeat at Scnuthorpe through suspension but returned to replace Nicky Wroe on the left of midfield. Paul Reid made his first start of the new campaign after shaking off a thigh injury. The Reds' 'Mr Consistent' last term slotted into defence with Player of the Year Chris Shuker missing out and dropping to the bench to allow Antony Kay to press forward in midfield. Great hold up play by Paul Hayes carved out the first chance of the afternoon on four minutes as the striker found Jacob Burns in space on the edge of the area but the Aussie's shot was straight at keeper Aidan Davison. Minutes later at the other end Karl Duguid managed to cross well from the right for Mark Yeates to head goalward but the Reds defence managed to scramble the ball clear. Kem Izzet then had an appeal for a penalty waved away as he broke into the area on seven minutes and tumbled under pressure but referee T. Parkes waved away his protests. Although the Reds had the better of the football they struggled to carve out any clear cut opportunities in a stale first half that only threatened to liven up when Reid squared up to lanky Greg Halford after the Us striker upended the Barnsley skipper on the byline. Izzet got in again on 23 minutes as he rose to meet a Sam Stockley cross but powered his effort over the bar from 12 yards. Hayes almost got in a minute later but was let down by his first touch as the Us defence was caught napping before Burns flashed a shot high over the top on 25 minutes. Keeper Nick Colgan, who had been a virtual spectator for the first half hour, was finally called into action on 34 minutes as he reacted quickly to deny Halford after the striker had nipped in to touch Duguid's cross towards goal. Halford's chance livened things up a little and Burns brought the best out of Davison with a fine shot from the edge of the area on 36 minutes that the Us stopper did well to parry away to safety. United went close again on 38 minutes as Neil Dann's high free kick found out Chris Iwelumo at the back post but the giant striker looped his header over the top from 12 yards. A minute later Halford made the most of a poor defensive header from Matt Carbon to shoot but his effort was straight at a relieved Colgan in the Reds goal. The home side started the second half brightly as the rain began to fall at Layer Road with Halford beating Neil Austin all ends up down the flank before whipping the ball across and Matt Carbon somehow managed to divert his clearance over the bar from six yards. At the other end Daniel Nardiello, who had been anonymous throughout the first half, burst into life and broke well into the area to chase Williams' ball. Nardiello beat Davison but could not get a shot away at the open goal under pressure from Chilvers. A bad day got even worse for the Reds on 48 minutes as Duguid managed to find acres of space behind Austin to cross and Iwelumo powered a header into the back of the net after rising above Carbon eight yards out. Halford then did well to brush aside Stephen McPhail on 56 minutes to break forward but again could only shoot straight at Colgan from 20 yards. Barnsley finally started playing on 58 minutes as Hayes forced Chilvers off the ball down the left channel and raced in on goal but curled his shot well wide of the upright with Davison scrambling. Nardiello went even closer on 61 minutes when he raced across the front of the Colchester defence to meet Austin's cross but glanced his header a foot or so wide of the post. The former Manchester United starlet almost levelled things on 68 minutes as he found space after the Us defence had failed to deal with Shuker's cross but he saw his well-struck effort slam against Stockley and away from danger. Antony Kay, who has a great goalscoring record at Layer Road after bagging two last season, almost found the net with a thundering effort from 30 yards on 72 minutes that flew inches wide of the top corner. Colchester almost put the game beyond the Reds on 75 minutes as Yeates teased down the right before crossing well for Iwelumo to head back but Colgan showed just why he is back in the Irish squad with a fine save from Danns' over head kick. Danns forced Colgan into another smart save on 82 minutes as he robbed Kay on the half way line before racing forward and firing goalward but the Reds stopper was well placed to gather his low drive. Halford then crossed well from the right two minutes later for Iwelumo at the back post only this time the striker could only prod the ball straight at Colgan. Colgan again proved his doubters wrong with an outstanding save from Iwelumo's volley on 87 minutes after the Reds had been undone by Gareth Williams' cross. The Reds had a great chance to grab a priceless point deep in stoppage time with a free kick on the edge of the area but between Nardiello, Burns and McPhail all the visitors could muster was a raised linesman's flag and a disappointing end to a disappointing afternoon in East Anglia. COLCHESTER UNITED: Davison, Halford, Danns, Brown, Duguid, Izzet, Iwelumo, Baldwin, Yeates (Williams 80), Chilvers, Stockley. Subs: Watson, Gerken, Elokobi, Howell. BARNSLEY: Colgan, Reid, Carbon, Burns, Hayes, Austin, Kay, McPhail, Tonge (Shuker 66), Williams (Conlon 61), Nardiello. Subs: Flinders, Vaughan, Wroe.
Is the official site really going to say: "We hardly troubled one of the smallest clubs in English professional football. Barnsley must pull their socks up, else Gordon will be sharpening his axe again?" It's propaganda, and you can expect nothing else.