United progressed through to the Area Semi-finals tonight with a fine 1-0 win over Bournemouth in the Johnson's Paint Trophy.

Colchester United advanced to the last eight of the Johnson's Paint Trophy with their third 1-0 win in the competition this season. Debutant Sam Williams was the U's hero with the only goal of the game in the first half which they controlled for the most part.

U's boss Paul Lambert made changes to the side that had drawn the Essex Derby on Saturday afternoon. Mark Cousins replaced Dean Gerken once again in the competition while Phil Ifil got his chance to show his wares to his new boss albeit at left back. Mark Yeates and David Perkins were given a place on the bench with Anthony Wordsworth coming in whilst loanee Sam Williams made his debut up front.

U's left back Phil Ifil had to run a tight ship all evening after picking up a booking in just the 3rd minute of the game at Dean Court. Izzet then missed a great opportunity after good work from Scott Vernon - the diminutive midfielder should have done better.

However, the club's longest serving player was an integral part of the move that led to the winning goal for Sam Williams. After good pressure from the U's, Izzet lifted the ball over the top of the Cherries defence for the on-loan Aston Villa man who made no mistake from 8 yards out.

Jackson saw Pryce save his long-range free kick while Wordsworth was only just wide with a shot after being gifted possession by the League Two side. Their first effort came in the 39th minutes when Mark Cousins saved well after a strong run and shot by Moseley.

Cherries boss Jimmy Quinn introduced the experienced Darren Anderton in place of Moseley at the break and he watched Pitman shoot straight at Cousins who saved comfortably. Jackson scrapped the wrong side of the left hand post before Pryce saved from Vernon with his knees and then saw Williams head wide from Ifil's cross.

Cousins, yet to concede a goal in this season's competition and has been beaten just once (from the spot!) in his United career, had to be at his very best to deny Pitman who had exploited the U's lack of concentration at a drop ball. The U's keeper somehow tipping the ball behind for a corner and, on this kind of form, must be giving Dean Gerken a few sleepless nights.

United comfortably closed the match out despite making three changes with Izzet, Wasiu and Yeates coming on for Perkins, Williams and Vernon. The closest either side came to adding to the score line was when U's free kick expert Mark Yeates saw yet another set piece hit the woodwork with the keeper well beaten.
So United advance through to the Area Semi-Finals thanks to wins under three different managers and by the third consecutive one nil win. It might not be pretty, but the U's are now just three games from Wembley Stadium

U's: Cousins, White, Heath, Baldwin, Ifil, Izzet (Perkins 62), D Hammond, Jackson, Wordsworth, Vernon (Wasiu 78), Williams (Yeates 65)
Subs: Gerken and J Hammond
Bournemouth: Pryce, Pearce, Cooper, Ward, Bradbury, Cummings, Bartley, Molesley (Anderton 45), Hollands (McQuoid 71), Pitman, Rankine (Lindfield 64)
Subs: Jalal, and Goulding

Photo: Action Images

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