| Jeff Stelling your boys took one hell of a beating! 16:24 - Jan 29 with 880 views | durham_exile |
One thing is certain Matt Bloomfield has started to bring the good times back to our club.
He deserves to not only be nominated for the League Two Manager of the Month for January but also to win the award.
January results:
Swindon H 1-0
Harrogate A 3-1
Rochdale A 2-1
Gillingham H 0-2
Salford H 1-1
Hartlepool A 2-1
I have been fortunate to be at the three Away wins and all have been thoroughly deserved. The club has now won their last four away games, the first time since my eldest son was born in 1988.
More importantly MB has the team playing some scintillating football and some of the best attacking football I have seen for several years.
Yesterday was the short journey to Victoria Park Hartlepool to see if we could achieve another three points. Attendance was 4,105 of which we must have had about 200 of the faithful who were in excellent voice throughout.
The weather was dry and milder than of late and the pitch was in reasonable condition.
MB had decided on the following for his starting XI:
O’Hara
Chambers Kelleher Hall
Tchamadeu Skuse Read Wood
Chilvers
Hopper Tovide
Subs
Hornby Greenidge Ashley Newby Jay Akinde Fevrier
MB should be congratulated for integrating 5 of the new signings into his starting XI and keeping another two on the bench ready for introduction. Furthermore, the signings have been added to the team to bring a freshness and confidence to the line-up.
Kelleher and Read are fast becoming fans favourites but Tom Hopper made an instant impact with his ability to win the ball in the air, hold up the play and link up with Tovide.
Colchester took the game to the Monkey Hangers from the start and were a goal to the good after only 5 minutes. Read’s freekick was not cleared by the defence and Kelleher fired home powerfully. The U’s were good value for the lead. Connor Hall headed towards goal and Killip was then forced into further saves to prevent us from taking a two-goal lead.
O’Hara saved well from Umerah but otherwise had a quiet half in the Colchester goal.
Chilvers was operating down the left side whilst the excellent Read continues to grow into the team.
The back three of Chambers, Kelleher and Hall look as though they have been playing together for years and Tchamadeu and Skuse control the midfield.
Hartlepool suffered two injuries to Hamilton and Hartley which added 6 extra minutes onto the half.
Half time was reached and the opportunity to enjoy a pie and a tea. We tried a steak and a mince pie; both were hot with decent pastry and a good filling of meat and vegetables.
No changes had been made by MB at half time and so the U’s attacked the end where the faithful were standing.
On 54 minutes MB took Tovide off and introduced Matt Jay. Jay is diminutive but lively and plays behind the strikers. Hopper of course was playing up top on his own and we started to drop deeper which only encouraged the Monkey Hangers on.
MB quickly brought on Big John Akinde on 65 minutes for Noah Chilvers. That gave us more possession in the final third. However we continued to defend deeper and frustratingly the equaliser arrived on 82 minutes when we failed to clear the ball and it fell to Sterry who steered the ball past O’Hara.
MB has Colchester playing with more resilience now and we started to move the ball forward again. MB took Hopper and Read off on 84 minutes and introduced Ashley and Newby.
We attacked and took the ball closer to the Hartlepool goal. On 87 minutes Jay and Newby tried to force the ball home past Killip and the goal was attributed to a Sterry og but I was well placed with the supporters to see that Alex Newby got the last touch to take the ball over the line. Cue emotional scenes and an exodus of the Monkey Hangers who started to sneak out in their droves.
Mr Mather added another six minutes but there were no scares for us to negotiate and we saw out the time mainly in the opposition’s corner. The player’s and management took the plaudits from the faithful and MB celebrated in his normal style to the delight of the faithful.
So, 30 points and we have moved up to 17th place;
Grimsby 24 30
COL U 29 30
Crewe 24 30
Newport 26 26
Crawley 25 25
Harrogate 26 24
Hartlepool 28 22
Gillingham 26 21
Rochdale 28 20
Only 18 more points now needed for survival and 48 points but we are only 12 points off the top seven. 40 more will give us 70 points an a top seven finish. Yes we have played more games than many but they have to secure the points and some clubs will have three games a week which will add pressure to their season.
We have 17 games to play: we probably need another 13 wins which is very tough but by no means impossible.
Barrow H
Grimsby A
Walsall H
Carlisle A
Northampton H
Bradford A
Stockport H
Orient A
Tranmere H
Newport H
Stevenage A
Crewe H
Salford A
Crawley A
Sutton H
Doncaster A
Mansfield H
MB will doubtless be encouraging his team to achieve the very best they can.
It’s going to be great fun.
Up the U’s
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| Jeff Stelling your boys took one hell of a beating! on 18:46 - Jan 29 with 833 views | wessex_exile |
Nice one Durham - someone posted a video of Matt B's post-match celebrations with you all on Twitter - great stuff! I think they said on the commentary that the away attendance was 196 btw. |  |
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| Jeff Stelling your boys took one hell of a beating! on 19:20 - Jan 29 with 820 views | durham_exile |
| Jeff Stelling your boys took one hell of a beating! on 18:46 - Jan 29 by wessex_exile |
Nice one Durham - someone posted a video of Matt B's post-match celebrations with you all on Twitter - great stuff! I think they said on the commentary that the away attendance was 196 btw. |
Thanks Wessex I guessed at the 200 figure.
MB celebration is becoming a trademark one
The faithful have really taken to him and he has got the team playing some brilliant attacking football.
He has quickly introduced the new players and is melding a most impressive team
Tom Hopper looks the real deal. He had a great debut yesterday.
He linked up well with Tovide and it was after Tovide went off that we lost our way as an attacking force.
But what was so pleasing was the late winner.
Again MB has the never say die approach instilled into the team.
Ironically we now need to sort out the home form.
Next match for me at Grimsby.
Up the U's | |
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| Jeff Stelling your boys took one hell of a beating! on 19:20 - Jan 29 with 819 views | wessex_exile |
| Jeff Stelling your boys took one hell of a beating! on 18:46 - Jan 29 by wessex_exile |
Nice one Durham - someone posted a video of Matt B's post-match celebrations with you all on Twitter - great stuff! I think they said on the commentary that the away attendance was 196 btw. |
Here it is :-)
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| Jeff Stelling your boys took one hell of a beating! on 19:43 - Jan 29 with 808 views | durham_exile |
| Jeff Stelling your boys took one hell of a beating! on 19:20 - Jan 29 by wessex_exile |
Here it is :-)
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Outstanding | |
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| Jeff Stelling your boys took one hell of a beating! on 16:57 - Jan 30 with 686 views | burnsieespana |
Thanks for that report Durham. |  | | |
| Jeff Stelling your boys took one hell of a beating! on 18:10 - Jan 30 with 673 views | RSCOSWORTH |
How did Neil Kelly take it? |  |
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| Jeff Stelling your boys took one hell of a beating! on 21:58 - Jan 30 with 642 views | ghughes11 |
| Jeff Stelling your boys took one hell of a beating! on 18:10 - Jan 30 by RSCOSWORTH |
How did Neil Kelly take it? |
I think that the BBC should really give him the day off when these two teams meet!
He tries so hard to be neutral, but unlike his other commentaries I think his Hartlepool bias definitely comes through on the radio!
I'm sure he would rather watch it as a supporter of Hartlepool and a follower of Col U. |  |
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| Jeff Stelling your boys took one hell of a beating! on 12:07 - Jan 31 with 613 views | noah4x4 |
| Jeff Stelling your boys took one hell of a beating! on 21:58 - Jan 30 by ghughes11 |
I think that the BBC should really give him the day off when these two teams meet!
He tries so hard to be neutral, but unlike his other commentaries I think his Hartlepool bias definitely comes through on the radio!
I'm sure he would rather watch it as a supporter of Hartlepool and a follower of Col U. |
On Saturday, I listened to the audio stream, then on Sunday, watched the full video with the same audio commentary. On Saturday, my impression was that the U’s were being battered and Hartlepool done an injustice. Then after Sunday, seeing with my own eyes, this was simply a scrappy game between two average sides that the U’s justifiably won, albeit we should have put the game to bed earlier and our second goal did have an element of luck of the type that typically goes against us. But fair play to Neil Kelly. He does a decent job and regularly suffers with us albeit not a Colcestrian, and like me, has no reason to support the U’s, but does. [Post edited 31 Jan 2023 12:09]
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| Jeff Stelling your boys took one hell of a beating! on 13:25 - Jan 31 with 589 views | durham_exile |
| Jeff Stelling your boys took one hell of a beating! on 12:07 - Jan 31 by noah4x4 |
On Saturday, I listened to the audio stream, then on Sunday, watched the full video with the same audio commentary. On Saturday, my impression was that the U’s were being battered and Hartlepool done an injustice. Then after Sunday, seeing with my own eyes, this was simply a scrappy game between two average sides that the U’s justifiably won, albeit we should have put the game to bed earlier and our second goal did have an element of luck of the type that typically goes against us. But fair play to Neil Kelly. He does a decent job and regularly suffers with us albeit not a Colcestrian, and like me, has no reason to support the U’s, but does. [Post edited 31 Jan 2023 12:09]
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All of which reinforces there really is no substitute for being at the game.
Obviously I didn't hear the audio commentary.
Noah you will have noted that once Samson was taken off we dropped deeper and deeper which only encouraged them on.
MB realised his mistake and brought Big John on.
On Saturday you will be able to see first hand what a good signing Hopper is and together with Tovide he will provide a potent strike force.
I confidently predict we will crush Barrow.
Enjoy the game.
Up the U's | |
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| Jeff Stelling your boys took one hell of a beating! on 16:51 - Jan 31 with 570 views | noah4x4 |
Absolutely Durham. How many times have we sunk ever more defensively and lost our advantage (Humes tactics?). Throwing big John on was absolutely correct. | | | |
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