| U's unlucky to lose at Home Park in close encounter 23:13 - Aug 10 with 873 views | durham_exile |
After the stormy weather and torrential rain showers for the past 24 hours in the South West of England, it was incredible to experience watching the entire match in warm strong sunshine after several watering’s of the surface from the overzealous sprinkler system.
Another defeat at Home Park but surprisingly tonight I’m not too disappointed. It was one of those games where the better team lost. Several seasons ago we played Bury at Layer Road and won the game 1-0 with a Lindsay Smith winner! However just as today the away team were the better team, played the better football and were unlucky to lose. Bury also were promoted that year. Well if Plymouth Argyle are to be promoted then they will be taking Colchester with them on this showing.
I was willing an equaliser if for no other reason but to exact some justice on the incredible time wasting from home keeper Palmer (on loan from WBA). The weak referee spoke to him twice but took no other action and after 6 substitutions he only managed to find 3 additional minutes rather than the more appropriate 6 which would have been fairer.
The weather in North Cornwall had been wet and windy during the past 24 hours and when setting off extra early for the game I drove through torrential rain showers and strong winds. The weather was especially bad only 5 miles from the ground at the Tamar Bridge and after arriving at 1pm another two or three hefty showers threatened to put a real dampener on proceedings. Because the car park is also used for park and ride into the City Centre it was packed out two hours from kick off, but I managed to park at the Mayflower overflow car park B near the life centre and only five minutes’ walk to the stadium.
Now when the new Mayflower stand is open in the New Year away supporters will be able to walk easily to the turnstiles but at present you must walk all around the stadium. I tried a Ginsters Pasty and a tea before the game and enjoyed the pre match entertainment. The now hackneyed Cross Bar challenge where some poor sap tries his luck from the halfway line. Two efforts were embarrassingly short and wide of the target.
Harry Pell was missing from the line-up and the bench suggesting he is still not fit enough to play. But he is missed.
JM lined up:
Gerken
Vincent-Young Eastman Prosser Bramall
Lapslie Stevenson
Senior Brown Nouble
Norris
Subs:
Kensdale Jackson Chilvers Comley Hasanally Gambin Ross
Now let me get the moans out of the way from the outset. The bench is devoid of Strikers. Any injury to either Big Frank or Chuck and we are up the proverbial creek. Junior is away until November.
The transfer window is open until 2 September and we have money. Let do a deal and get a striker in now.
The crowd was 10,542 and slightly over 200 had travelled from Colchester and the exiles.
After some initial noise rom the home fans, it quickly became a library as Colchester took the game to their opponents. Jevani Brown had a very encouraging game, full of invention and pace. Tom Lapslie was a terrier and covered every blade of grass. I liked young Bramall whop was not afraid to make foraging runs into the opposition territory. Considering we were playing into the wind first half I felt we used the ball better than Plymouth.
Luke Prosser was beaten for pace right on the corner of the box but Gerken saved comfortably with his legs. Stevenson, Senior and Norris all had presentable shots in the first half. After 34 minutes Joel Grant was injured off the ball and went off (I understand it is a hamstring problem). Little sympathy from me he was the turncoat who was coming to Colchester only to reverse his decision and sign a new two-year deal at Home Park.
At half time I met up with Wessex and one of his sons. It was good to see him, and he was in good form. No changes from either team for the second half.
The second half saw the U’s attacking the end with the faithful who were in good voice throughout. After 50 minutes a game changing moment Kane Vincent-Young delivered a wicked cross and Tom Lapslie was inches away from getting a toe onto it which would have been a certain goal.
That proved costly because on 57 minutes Sarcevic struck a shot from the edge of the box past Dean Gerken. Plymouth’s first shot on target.
The ineffective Senior was replaced after 64 minutes by Luke Gambin (who should have started the game). Senior has pace and dribbling ability but never seems to want to drive on when the ball is at his feet. Gambin immediately looked dangerous and struck a cross shot narrowly wide of the far upright.
The game changed in our favour after Jackson’s arrival on 76 minutes. Bramall went off he had done nothing wrong, but Jackson is an excellent right back and immediately added impetus to the attacking options. The industrious Lapslie was replaced by Andre Hasanally after 86 minutes for a cameo role.
It was however the final 15 minutes when we gained the upper hand and attacks were coming down both flanks. Vincent-Young, Jackson, Gambin, Stevenson and Nouble were all to the fore and Palmer was wasting time for England.
The final whistle brought such elation from the home players and supporters you would have thought they had won the league already. What was insufferable was a home lap of honour which was invidious at best.
My man of the match was the imperious Tom Eastman.
We had 40% possession, 13 shots of which 4 were on target and 5 corners. Plymouth mustered fewer shots and corners, but they won the game because they made their few opportunities count.
JM must secure the services of another striker this week. It is a priority.
Attention turns to the Carabao Cup this week and then a local derby against Cambridge.
Up the U’s
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| U's unlucky to lose at Home Park in close encounter on 08:37 - Aug 11 with 802 views | GOSBTS |
Great report Durham, thanks for that. Sounds like the U's were improved on last week, especially the likes of Brown?
What was the home lap of honour all about from Plymouth?! |  | | |
| U's unlucky to lose at Home Park in close encounter on 09:00 - Aug 11 with 790 views | durham_exile |
| U's unlucky to lose at Home Park in close encounter on 08:37 - Aug 11 by GOSBTS |
Great report Durham, thanks for that. Sounds like the U's were improved on last week, especially the likes of Brown?
What was the home lap of honour all about from Plymouth?! |
GOSBTS the so called lap of honour was nauseating a combination of relief that they won the game and an opportunity to receive plaudits from the Green Army.
I was very impressed with Brown and he will be a real asset.
My worry is still the lack of firepower. Chuck is almost back to his best and Big Frank works hard down both flanks but we need an old fashioned number 9.
It is 2006 since one of our strikers scored more than 20 goals in a season and that was Jamie Cureton.
I really hope the management see things similarly and invest in a striker.
I would even welcome an under 23 championship player.
Someone to convert chances into goals.
UTU's | |
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| U's unlucky to lose at Home Park in close encounter on 12:29 - Aug 11 with 721 views | wessex_exile |
| U's unlucky to lose at Home Park in close encounter on 09:00 - Aug 11 by durham_exile |
GOSBTS the so called lap of honour was nauseating a combination of relief that they won the game and an opportunity to receive plaudits from the Green Army.
I was very impressed with Brown and he will be a real asset.
My worry is still the lack of firepower. Chuck is almost back to his best and Big Frank works hard down both flanks but we need an old fashioned number 9.
It is 2006 since one of our strikers scored more than 20 goals in a season and that was Jamie Cureton.
I really hope the management see things similarly and invest in a striker.
I would even welcome an under 23 championship player.
Someone to convert chances into goals.
UTU's |
Great to see you Durham, and great report too - nothing to add because I agree with it all. The better team lost yesterday, but only because we didn't take the chances we created for ourselves. Mind you, if it had been someone six inches taller than Tom Lapslie stretching for the whipped in cross across the face of an open goal, we would have easily scored one at least... |  |
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| U's unlucky to lose at Home Park in close encounter on 14:43 - Aug 11 with 682 views | burnsieespana |
Scoring goals has been our problem since the early games of ladt season.
I really struggle to see how we will score than one in a game. |  | | |
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