Report from the match: just got back from Colchester

Just a local game this for me and that is the only silver lining today.

First half - we played the better football, in fact I'd say we were the only side playing football. Colchester offered little threat or imagination - just very direct long balls. They looked like relegation fodder. We controlled the game, bossed the midfield, but didn't really open up any clear cut chances. Our goal came from a set piece, and was bundled in untidy fashion, but was justified by our dominance throughout the half.

At half time we deserved to be ahead and we had looked unruffled. We needed a business like, professional display in the second half to dampen the game down and kill it off. An early second goal would certainly have ended the event and kept our season alive.

Instead the lads came out very slowly, looked flat and complacent. By comparison I think Colchester had probably realised what they had at stake.

Asleep off the ball, not applying pressure, not picking up runners - all mistakes that we were guilty of. The equaliser was well deserved and we gave it away so easily. We allowed them to get the ball across the face of our goal and back in again, unchallenged. From that equaliser Colchester were revived - completely reinvigorated - and it was the home team playing the football. We were slow, we were deep, and we got caught out on both flanks. We also gave the ball away very easily and some sloppy passing made life hard for us. Lalkovic got taken off after a really pretty dreadful display on the left wing.

A second goal was followed a triumphant third. In between the game turned on a disallowed goal when Winnall rounded their keeper and neatly side footed into an empty net. I wasn't sat with the Reds fans behind the goal, I was nearer the half way line - i didn't think it was offside. I need to see it again to be sure. Had that goal been allowed the result could've been much different. This being said there is really no excuse for the fact that we let in three second half goals to a pretty dreadful Colchester United - and we have to take responsibility for that.

For me we are certainly missing a striker who can work inside the six yard box and attack a cross or find a stray ball. We have a decent target man in Waring - he did his job quite well today - but we don't have that lively second man who can find a bit of space, arrive at the right time, and test the keeper often enough to become a reliable goal scorer.

Hourihane - so annonymous off the ball - and, for me, little more than a dead ball man today - he has so much to do to recapture his early season form. Our best player was Ben Pearson, in my honest opinion, busy, worked hard, played some lovely touches on the ball and showed desire and commitment when off it. We are some way off being a real promotion side that is ready for a higher level of football.

Lee Johnson - we're now six games without a win, two games well beaten back to back. Football is a funny old game, what are you going to do about it?

 

Pretty much how it sounded on Player. But surely Winnall is the man we are missing. Or should I say, the pre-injury Winnall

 

Pretty much agree with that. Bailey anchored things in midfield too and did ok. Our tempo though was very very slow and when Colchesters tails were up we looked a yard behind play. Lalkovic gave ball away time and again. We didn't get players in the box and aren't prepared to shoot on sight. Winnall defo onside and also I thought we had a good pen shout first half. Pearson had a good shot saved and a great block second half. They changed midfield early second half and took control from then on. They got past Holgate and John very easily and we had no pace in attack at all. We paid for lack of effort and concentration second half and they scored all goals from unmarked positions in the area. Given that every ball in the box vs Sheffield U caused us problems this is beginning to be a worry.

 

Agree with most of that, BRF. Except Waring showed great touches and I thought Lalkovich was okay.

In the second half, Colchester had some set pieces and we looked very shaky at the back. In fact from one set piece, CU had not just one but two free headers which luckily Adams saved.

But all their goals came from crosses. The last two came from Holgate being skinned, but where were our centre halves and LFB?

I didn't see anything wrong with Winnal's goal, but players did seem to stop, including their keeper.

 

Oh dear. You've probably opened a can of worms there. Don't criticise Hourihane and didn't you know Pearson is just a toiler aka Perkins mk2?

In all honesty, thanks for the report. Sounded exactly the same as you described on player.

 

Cheers for that. I chose to work today rather than go to the game, so didn't get chance to listen to never mind see it live.