Please log in or register. Registered visitors get fewer ads.
U's 1 Norwich City 1
U's 1 Norwich City 1
Saturday, 15th Dec 2007 21:59

A late Granville own goal meant the U's dropped 2 vital points this evening in front of the Sky cameras and still sit in the bottom three.

Colchester United slumped to the bottom of the Championship table this evening following a one all draw with Norwich City at Layer Road. Kevin McLeod had put the U's ahead with just over ten minutes remaining but Danny Granville's unfortunate own goal on ninety minutes gifted The Canaries a point. United had chances to win the game - Guy and Yeates specifically - but the home side couldn't put the final nail in City's coffin and allowed them to get back in to game.

Geraint Williams made four changes to the side that had been hammered at Ninian Park last week. Karl Duguid and Kevin Watson were out through injury while George Elokobi failed to make the sixteen. There was also the surprising omission of Kevin Lisbie up front for reasons I am unaware of at the time. Kem Izzet returned from suspension with Pat Baldwin playing at centre half with Matthew Connolly playing in Duguid's position. Danny Granville came in at left back with Teddy Sheringham, just one game short of his 900th game, was partnered alongside Clive Platt who returned to the starting line-up. Injuries left the bench looking worryingly inexperienced with Hungarian International Bela Balogh, Jamie Guy, Luke Guttridge and England U17 International Medy Elito alongside goalkeeper Mark Cousins.

Norwich had former U's hero Jamie Cureton in attack but had to make a change at centre half with Martin Taylor having returned to Birmingham City after his loan spell this week. Gary Docherty replaced him while Darryl Russell started in place of Darren Huckerby who had suffered a back spasm during the week.

With results earlier in the day, the U's found themselves at the foot of the Championship table as they kicked off against Glenn Roeder's Norwich City who also found themselves in the bottom three. The first ten minutes of the game passed by with both sides feeling their way into the game and Cureton getting roundly booed by the U's fans for the treacherous way he left the club during the summer.

The first chance of note came from Mark Yeates who chased on to a pass from Kem Izzet and broke the offside trap. The angle was against the U's top scorer whose drive was always going over but with little support from any one else it was his only option. Platt and Sheringham almost combined a minute later but Camara just got a toe in the way of Teddy's return ball to the U's record signing and conceded a corner which Virgo then headed well over the bar.

Despite having plenty of possession, City had yet to cause the U's any real problems at the back in the opening quarter of an hour before Mark Fotheringham curled a free kick over the wall from thirty yards out but Gerken was right behind the shot. However, the U's were grateful to a wonderful tackle from Adam Virgo on Jimmy Smith inside the box after the on loan Chelsea man had found a way through United's offside trap.

Midway through the first period Cureton had his first chance on goal. A superb cross-field pass from Matty Pattison found the player the U's rescued from the Football League scrapheap who managed to evade the rather powder-puff challenge of Virgo by the touchline. Once passed his man the ex-Reading striker - who once missed a penalty at Layer Road for Bristol Rovers which cost his side a five-all draw - powered his way towards goal but like Yeates before him, his angled drive was always missing the target.

McLeod then hit a fizzing volley over the top from another tight angle following Sheringham's quick throw-on before Yeates and the former Evertonian exchanged passes from either wing as the U's looked to create an opening. Platt turned well to volley the ball goalwards but Sheringham just couldn't get to the far post to tap the ball home. With the current strikers the U's were looking very one paced perhaps not surprisingly but overall the half hadn't really been that entertaining, with neither goalkeeper really tested so far, nor thus it would have been no surprise had Sky viewers turned over to watch Strictly Come Dancing instead.

Neither side made a change at the break which was delayed by the late departure of the Band of the Parachute Regiment who had been entertaining the crowd at half-time and before hand - though John Schultz did his best to ruin that by talking over them about the sponsors. However, the half was less than two minutes old before the first chance. Shackell spotted the run of Cureton off the shoulder of Danny Granville but thankfully the former darling of the Layer Road terraces fired wide from ten yards down the inside right channel.

Izzet, who must have covered miles with his non-stop running this evening, got ahead of the front two to run on to Sheringham's header but the ball just wouldn't sit for him to strike properly and his shot from outside the box was easily saved by Marshall in the City goal. Yeates then ruined a good U's move by crossing straight in to the hands of the Norwich goalkeeper. The Irishman had already tried to take on his man far too often during the game and must learn to get the ball over much more quickly to give Platt something to attack.

City goalkeeper Marshall was forced into the first real save of the game after nine minutes of the second half. Sheringham just laid off Yeates's dink into him for Platt to volley at goal. The former MK Dons man could only hit the ball straight at the keeper from the edge of the area and watched as Marshall dived to tip it over the cross bar.

Cureton harried Baldwin into a slight error but Virgo, who was getting better and better as the game went on, was on hand to produce the block when the City striker tried his luck. The ball rebounded to Russell who sliced his shot comfortably wide of Gerken's goal.

Just before the hour mark the U's should have had a penalty. Indeed, it looked clear cut. McLeod and Sheringham combined on the left before the ex-Swansea man whipped over a first time cross to the back stick. Yeates had got ahead of his man and looked to have the simple task of heading the ball beyond the stranded Marshall when his legs were clipped by Camara behind me. Any given day of the week outside of the area and it’s a free-kick. Once again, the U's had failed to get what they deserved from the officials. I don't blame the ref entirely - I think he may have had a poor view of the incident because there was a player in his way - but quite why his Assistant didn't flag is beyond me.

McLeod was having a better second half though and was causing problems on the left. He had a go from 25 yards out which on this occasion didn't trouble the goalkeeper but I don't mind that - there wasn't a lot else on and you never know. Too often when sides are struggling players fail to take on the responsibility of shooting and that is far more worrying.

On the hour mark, Roeder introduced Darren Huckerby instead of the on-loan Matty Pattison and went to his usual position on the left hand side of midfield and then, also immediately, Dublin replaced Chad Evans up front. Ten minutes later, and without anything of note apart from an appeal for a penalty against Camara being rightly waved away, Roeder made his third and final change with Lee Croft replacing Jimmy Smith.

From a corner, Norwich had a good chance as Shackell header goalwards only for Matt Connolly's big left boot to hammer the ball clear though you could argue about whether the ball was or was not going in. At the other end, the Arsenal man found Yeates in space in the corner of the penalty area but his shot was blocked for a corner. Huckerby almost created something for the visitors as he stole the ball off Connolly, and then went past Baldwin with ease but he couldn't find the killer ball with which to open the scoring.

With fifteen minutes remaining Williams made United's first, and as it turned out, only change of the evening with Jamie Guy replacing the 41 year old Teddy Sheringham up front. The youngster's arrival pepped up the front line with the U's now having some pace in the forward positions as well as his harrying skills. A good challenge from Jackson in the City half almost led to a chance for the U's but Izzet - who otherwise enjoyed a fine evening - opted to attempt a pass rather than go for goal himself.

Guy's pace almost found the opening goal - and inadvertently, it did. First, his pace allowed him to ghost past Doherty to get on to the end of McLeod's curling ball forward. He rescued the ball before it went for a goalkick, came inside to create a better angle for himself but found his shot blocked by the former Tottenham man - though the replies show that Jackson was in a good position.

And it was from the corner that the U's took the lead. Though the first one was blocked, Jackson - who wore the Captain's armband for the evening - whipped what looked a poor ball in to the box however, Camara somehow missed it completely and McLeod stuck out a knee to divert he ball in to the net. Was this the stroke of luck the club needed?

Norwich looked to strike back quickly but found no favours from the referee who turned down their appeals for a penalty after Granville appeared to pull down Croft inside the area - it looked a strong case to me but if the one at the other end wasn't a spot-kick, then this one certainly wasn't! City followed it up from the corner with Huckerby at the far post returning to the ball only to see Russell divert the ball onto woodwork and watch it hammered away to safety by a U's defence that was dropping deeper and deeper towards Dean Gerken's goal.

Norwich piled on the pressure but it was the home side that came closest to scoring. The U's broke quickly through McLeod's who delivered an inch perfect ball for Jamie Guy to run on to. The young U's striker appeared to do everything right and beat the keeper with ease but Otsembor somehow got back to prevent Guy from tapping the ball into the empty net. Seconds later, a Guy this time set up Yeates who from just yards out mis-controlled the ball when surely a shot would have settled the game. Shackell headed over from a free kick for which Granville saw a yellow card after body-checking Lee Croft.

With two minutes remaining came the heartbreak that all U's fans feared as Norwich grabbed a late gasp equaliser. From a free kick conceded by Jackson for jumping into his man, Doherty out muscled Virgo at the far post to head across the U's goal. The ball did take a bad bounce in the U's goalmouth but Granville's attempts to hook the ball clear only ended with the ball in the back of the net and Jamie Cureton with it celebrating with his fans.

It was a sickening blow for the U's fans with Gerken not having made a serious save all night. United had created the better opportunities and should have put this game to bed earlier than they did and eventually they paid the price. The U's go to QPR next Saturday knowing that defeat will leave them bottom on Christmas Day and looking at a long 2008.

Save of the Match: The only real save of the day saw Marshall superbly tip over Platt's volley from the edge of the box.

Shot of the Match: It looked to be going in until Platt saw his shot tipped over by Marshall

Moan of the Match: The U's failure to take key chances and yet another penalty decision going against us - surely 2008 will bring some better luck?

Man of the Match: Adam Virgo grew in to the game but I did think that generally, the U's weren't at their best. My Man of the Match goes to Kem Izzet who covered every blade of grass this evening as he desperately tried to keep the U's going.

Colchester: Gerken, Baldwin, Connolly, Virgo, Granville, Yeates, Jackson, Izzet, McLeod, Platt, Sheringham (Guy 75). Subs Not Used: Cousins, Guttridge, Balogh, Elito.

Booked: Granville.

Goals: McLeod 78.

Norwich: Marshall, Otsemobor, Shackell, Doherty, Camara, Smith (Croft 69), Russell, Fotheringham, Pattison (Huckerby 61), Evans (Dublin 62), Cureton. Subs Not Used: Arnold, Spillane.

Goals: Granville 90 og.

Att: 5,560

Ref: Michael Jones (Cheshire).

Photo: Action Images



Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.


You need to login in order to post your comments

Colchester United Polls

About Us Contact Us Terms & Conditions Privacy Cookies Advertising
© FansNetwork 2024