| Super U's prevail against the Ammies at Moor Lane 10:44 - Feb 24 with 536 views | durham_exile |
Saturday witnessed another double this season, after the earlier game at the JSCS where we won with a last-minute goal, the Super U’s eked out a creditable and deserved 2-1 win at the Peninsula Stadium Moor Lane Salford. This result however was due to a brilliant first half and then a stubborn backs to the wall performance in the second half in atrocious conditions at the ground.
The pitch had been subject to two inspections, the first at 0900hrs when the referee considered it was playable albeit the grounds staff had reservations. JM was keen to play, and the staff worked on the surface to create a pitch that passed muster at 1300hrs for the second inspection. I had watched the weather and twitter feeds and by that time my son and I were well down the motorway.
We arrived in good time at the Park n Ride which offered excellent value for money. £2 per car and then onto the bus provided by Swans Travel. It was a 7-minute bus journey to the stadium and the bus dropped us about 50 yards from the Away entrance. Tickets were available on the gate at £10 adults and £5 concessions. Other clubs note no increase in process on the day.
Despite the changeable weather on the way down there was a quiet dry spell before the heavens opened just before kick off and the brisk wind blew the strong showers into the faces of the faithful behind the goal and in the small allocated seating area to the immediate right of the corner flag.
We had time to gather a meat and potato pie each with a tea and a cone of chips — total cost £11.50. The pies were good with plenty of filling and helped keep the cold at bay.
I was sporting my new padded Macron coat (a birthday gift from my youngest son) and the perfect day to blood the apparel. I quickly saw Wessex and Noah in the faithful support of 430 in a crowd of 2,589.
My son had played at Moor Lane whilst at University over 12 years ago and it has of course been developed since those non-league days. The Away end now consists of covered terracing but of course the prevailing wind was blowing the weather straight into their faces. The small seated area similarly was getting the brunt of the weather courtesy of the wind.
The opposite side is all seating and then the well populated Home end is standing only. The side that we were seated is also all seated with a segregated area and contains the executive boxes where the Class of 92 sit when in Town. My only moan I couldn’t get a programme but there is one online to download.
The ground capacity is just over 5,000, the flood lights are shaped in the club badge style and the Pogues song “Dirty Old Town” is played immediately before the teams come out onto the playing surface.
I wish we would revert to the Post Horn Gallop at Colchester but that’s another argument.
The Stewards were in evidence but were professional in their duties and we waited for the game to start.
Graham Alexander was of course buoyed by their EFL Trophy result against the Exiles on Wednesday night and we wondered whether that would spur them on or distract them. I suspect that they were encouraged by the result.
JM had suggested changes and he certainly delivered. I had called for a change of keeper, but he stuck with Gerken (don’t get me wrong I think that he had been consistent and an asset, but Ross offers a very good back up and should be afforded another opportunity in due course). The changes were interesting though.
Gerken
Jackson Sowunmi Prosser Bramall
Poku Pell Stevenson Harriott
Robinson Norris
Subs:
Nouble Comley Eastman Clampin Gambin Senior Ross
Now I know that some boarders expressed surprise at Eastman’s omission, but Omar Sowunmi put in a man of the match performance and with Kwame Poku showed great enterprise and commitment.
Two strikers were exactly right, it was not a day for Senior or Gambin, the pitch was too heavy. Whilst the wings were reasonable the middle and just the other side of the half way line were like a quagmire and as the match wore on the rain opened the surface creating some difficult and challenging areas of the field.
Colchester were attacking the end populated by the faithful in the first half and this was right. The best of the weather occurred during the first 30 minutes. Salford are a workman like side they have spent well and have several good additions to the side. Recent acquisitions include James Wilson and Darron Gibson both former Manchester United players. Wilson has been dogged with injuries and Gibson has battled to overcome his demons.
They started brightly but our defence was relatively untroubled, and Colchester began to settle to the conditions. Jackson and Bramall were seeing a lot of the ball down both wings and Poku was growing into the game. Ben Stevenson was imperious in the midfield and Harry Pell was putting in a commanding performance full of commitment and effort.
On 27 minutes Poku picked up the ball about half way into Salford territory after a pass from Stevenson and ran going around three defenders before the ball took a wicked bobble but he stabilised it and struck a superb left foot shot powerfully into the left-hand corner of the net from his perspective. When watching the goal back on the highlights you can hear the instruction "take him on" when Poku picks up the pass and that's just what he did. Cue wild celebrations amongst the faithful. It was simply sublime and the best goal that I have seen this season from a Colchester player.
Even better he celebrated with his teammates in the corner not 5 yards from where we were sitting.
A deserved lead and you could see what it meant to the players, who celebrated in style and ensured the supporters understood their commitment made in testing circumstances. All the emotion from Grimsby and Port Vale came pouring out. In truth we were good value for the lead and seconds later the effervescent Poku could have scored again bending a delightful left footed effort just wide of the left hand upright.
Colchester in the ascendancy and with justification.
As the half wore on the occasional shower descended, borne in the wind and the wind certainly howled around the stadium. The trees peeking over the far side of the ground give the stadium a leafy look and stood like sentinels in the grim conditions.
Cohen Bramall had a trade mark free kick which went just over the bar, but we would have been justified had another goal gone in at this stage.
After 41 minutes Robinson fed the pacy Harriott on the left wing. Now what Callum (aka Ainsley) Harriott did well on Saturday was to cook up an impressive performance of wing play without the tricks and flicks. It was a day for direct action and his pace undid the Salford defence. He unleashed a thunderbolt from 30 yards which tore into the far-right hand side of the goal deceiving the keeper Letheren. 2-0 and we were in dreamland, but it was deserved.
Unfortunately, just on half time Salford got the ball down to the touchline and it seemed to squirt under Bramall and along the line to the waiting Ash Hunter who tapped home from three yards out. So, 2-1 but we remained optimistic.
The showers abated at half time which allowed the faithful to gather refreshments.
Now second half of course Colchester were defending the end where the faithful were standing and sitting. No substitutes had been made but the weather had taken another turn for the worse and the rain had a mix of sleet and hailstones in it. Nasty.
Colchester were also being forced back by a spirited Salford team who were seeking an equaliser. Although they huffed and puffed, I was never convinced that they would manager to score but the pitch only made things more difficult. The conditions continued to deteriorate, and our defence went deeper, and we were operating with only one striker at this point.
Omar Sowunmi made an outstanding goal line clearance to prevent an equaliser and this was a commanding performance from the man mountain. I had previously seen him at Moss Rose when we played out a 1-1 draw, but this was a confident and assured performance from a man who will be required for the 11 cup finals still to play.
The referee was weak and missed some challenges which the conditions could not excuse. On 73 minutes Callum Harriott was fouled badly by Touray who was booked but could have seen red for the challenge which raked the back of Harriott’s leg. After some minutes he was replaced by Big Frank Nouble and he then spent the next minutes walking painfully with support from the Physio staff around the pitch to the dugout.
Almost immediately JM brought on Brandon Comley for Theo Robinson which was the right shout because we had dropped deeper, and we risked another injury. When Jackson was also fouled and had to go off after 85 minutes, he was replaced on the right side by Tom Eastman. We essentially had five at the back for the closing minutes with Eastman, Sowunmi, Prosser, Bramall and Comley with Stevenson and Pell and Big Frank operating on the wing. Chuck Norris was injured and limped around for the incredible 9 minutes of added time that the Referee identified. This was increased to 10 after Norris received treatment.
In the last-minute Thomas-Asante rose highest, but his header was over the bar and we had prevailed. The team had seen it out for a victory which will give confidence and endeavour in equal measure for the games to come. The conditions were horrendous and the U’s toughed it out in a game that they simply had to win.
Great celebrations greeted the final whistle. Waiting for the bus to take us back to the Park n Ride we saw the two Colchester coaches depart and then got talking to some Danish supporters who had come over for the Manchester United on Sunday. They explained that about 40 of them had made the journey and when in town they take in a Salford game and then a United game the same weekend. They were all transport to their hotels by Uber taxis. Whilst waiting another shower of sleet and rain descended and we were pleased to get on the coach and then our car.
We travelled to the nearest eatery which was a TGIF near to the M60 Motorway. Unfortunately, there was no food because the kitchens were closed. So, we stopped at Deepdale Retail park on the way home in Preston and went to Frankie and Bennies. PNE had beaten Hull 2-1 and the ground was still bathed in floodlights when we arrived at the retail park.
It was good to get home and enjoy the victory. Next game Carlisle Away in a fortnight but the JSCS hosts Cheltenham next Saturday in a vital game.
Top seven:
Swindon 34 66
Crewe 34 64
Exeter 34 63
Plymouth 34 62
Cheltenham 33 57
COL U 35 55
Northampton 34 55
Port Vale 35 55
11 cup finals to play:
Cheltenham H
Carlisle A*
Scunny H
Crewe H
Newport A
Mansfield H
Bradford A*
Northampton A*
Oldham H
Walsall A*
FGR H*
Exciting times ahead.
Up the U’s
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| Super U's prevail against the Ammies at Moor Lane on 18:19 - Feb 24 with 472 views | ghughes11 |
Great report!
Thanks for that Durham 
I see no reason why we can't go undefeated in the final 11 games. The difference will be, how many draws can we turn into wins! |  |
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| Super U's prevail against the Ammies at Moor Lane on 18:55 - Feb 24 with 465 views | burnsieespana |
Thanks for that Durham as makes us from afar feel we were at the game.
What surprised me was how cheap the admission was at £10 for adults and the food for three was pretty good value as well.
Sadly I suspect auto promotion is beyond us but defo the play offs are within range so long as we don't play rmtoo often like we did against Grimsby and Port Vale. |  | | |
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