Tuesday 24th July 2007 - U's 1-1 Colchester: And the same 2 U's

If there is one thing harder in life than achieving success, it is maintaining that success over a prolonged period.

The web seems awash at the moment with price comparison websites, and you just know that with such competition, not all of them will survive for long. I've got an idea, actually: how about starting up a price comparison site price comparison site, comparing and rating all the different price comparison sites? Sounds like a winner...

Our local(ish) rivals Colchester United are a club of similar size to ourselves, with a markedly inferior ground (I still have nightmares about the 'toilets' and the tepid grey 'burgers'), but they have enjoyed a remarkably successful couple of years, culminating in a top ten finish in the Championship last season. Unfortunately for them, all the signs are that this exciting run will be a brief one; several of their star players seem to have decided that tenth place was as good as it was going to get for the garrison town minnows and have moved on to 'bigger' clubs during the close season.

It's not all doom and gloom, though, and the Essex U's have shown that they still harbour considerable ambition by signing the venerable veteran Sir Tedward Sheringham, who graced the Abbey pitch at this time last year for West Ham. Sadly he was absent tonight through injury; I'm guessing groin strain from what I've been reading in the papers. Two further signings are of even greater interest to Cantabrigian eyes, being two former Abbey favourites in Danny Granville and Luke Guttridge.

Danny left Cambridge a hero, with a big-money move to Chelsea, and England Under-21 caps soon followed. Sadly he never made the next step to full international honours, but he has enjoyed a respectable, if injury-studded career in the top two divisions ever since. He is still highly thought of among those us who remember his two early goals in a 3-3 draw at Brentford as a teenage winger back in '94 that set United up for that spectacular run of thirty goals in their last nine games of the season, before his conversion first to wing-back then full-back.

Lil' Luke was just as popular as Danny at one time. Who could forget the joy of his second-minute debut goal against Oldham in 2001, or his bare-chested, shirt-twirling celebration of a golden goal LDV winner at Luton a year later on a freezing night more suited to ice-skating than football?

What a shame, then, that he left under such a cloud in 2005, having seemed to have lost all his enthusiasm for playing in the black and amber - the most unforgivable crime of all for a club's supporters. His career appeared to have been on the slide when freed by Orient at the end of last season, so the little fella has rather fallen on his feet with a move back up to the Championship. But his middle name is still Horace. FACT.

More former U's were remembered in a well-observed minute's silence before kick-off. Dave Simmons was a big-hearted, barnstorming centre-forward for both United and Colchester, the sort the fans love, before he was forced to retire from full-time football at the age of 27. Even then he became a legend all over again at Milton Road.

David Preece shockingly passed away at the criminally young age of 44 last week and is remembered fondly as a top-quality midfield playmaker and the inspirational number two to Roy McFarland during United's last promotion campaign of 1998-99. And tribute was also paid to Doug Millard, veteran doyen of a family dynasty of stewards and the sort of loyal, unsung character without whom this club simply would not exist. Heroes all.

JQ named a strong starting line-up, with Danny Potter behind a back three of Morrison, Albrighton (above) and Hoyte, wing-backs Dan Gleeson and Stephen Reed, and a central three of Convery, Wolleaston and Smith, with Danny Brown still absent through injury. I thought he was made from girders? Lee Boylan was accompanied up front by a new trialist in Nicky Ward, a 29-year-old who has been plying his trade for many years in the red-hot cauldron of excitement that is the League of Wales for TNS, and was described as a striker, winger, midfield player or full-back. See, multiple personal disorder does have its plus sides.

Granville started at left-back for Colchester, but Lil' Luke warmed the bench alongside ex-U's loanee Jamie Guy, still very popular at the Abbey and similar in style to his forbear, Simmons (or so Grandad tells me). Best-known faces in the visitors' line-up were ex-Charlton striker Kevin Lisbie, Kem 'brother of Muzzy' Izzet, expensive buy from MK Plastics, Clive Platt, and veteran Karl Duguid. The latter first played against the U's way back in March 1996 in a 2-1 win for his side at Layer Road against a Cambridge team which included today's team-mate, Granville.

It was a balmy, sun-dappled evening as a crowd marginally below that of Saturday's Plymouth game saw United get off to a sprightly start, passing the ball around nicely and making good use of the wing-backs who this time seemed unafraid of pushing forward as much as possible.

First corner went to the hosts, but first save was by Potter from a Lisbie snap shot. United responded with a Gleeson header, ghosting past Granville on the right to nod just past the far post. Then on 9 they were ahead with a second corker in two games. Reed sent a high cross over from deep, Boylan let it bounce, then lashed a fantastic half-volley past keeper Dean Gerken into the far corner before the man in green could blink. Great strike: 1-0.

You could see the confidence flowing through the United hitman's veins like stimulants through a Tour de France rider. He had another good chance on 13 but this time lashed over as the adrenalin flowed just a little too hard. Just after the quarter hour the visitors came agonisingly close to levelling the scores, Hoyte giving Platt too much space inside the six-yard box, but Potter leapt along his line to block superbly and Lisbie was crowded out of the rebound before the offside flag brought play to a halt.

Boylan continued his shoot-on-sight policy and Ward worked manfully alongside him without really making an impression; he was not tall enough to win any high balls and for all his willingness he did not look like a man playing in his best position. Unhappily for him, striker is the only position left open at the Abbey. United had the majority of the play but Colchester looked promising on the break and Lisbie drew another save from Potter on 24 after latching onto a long diagonal ball from John White.

Platt and Lisbie caused more trouble in the box on the half-hour and the ball eventually fell to Kevin McLeod to blaze wildly over from close range at the far post. Boylan slid another effort wide, then on 40 came his best chance yet as he got the wrong side of loanee centre-back Matt Connolly near halfway and raced clear on goal, He did not have the ball under the tightest of control, though, and Connolly was able to sprint back and dispossess him before he reached the box.

Not long afterwards Boylan did get a shot in from the edge of the area as Ward distracted the defence with an intelligent run, but it fizzed narrowly wide of the far post. There was still time for John Jackson to find Lisbie with a cross and the striker's nod across goal had Potter scrambling sideways like a crab with callipers, but it bounced wide.

So ended a half which had boasted a fair amount of decent football but like many such friendlies had sagged a little in the middle. The hosts were more likely to be satisfied than their visitors because there had been no choosing between the sides despite the three-division gulf between them.

Both managers delayed their substitutions until after part two had started. Potter saved well from a close-range McLeod drive on 49 before Darren Quinton was first replacement on, for Wolleaston. Potter saved again on 53 from the advancing Lisbie and was beginning to look unbeatable by now.

Just before the hour the changes began in earnest. Albrighton and Hoyte were replaced by Josh Coulson and Mark Peters, Scott Rendell came on for a no-doubt disappointed Ward, and Michael Hyem depped for Gleeson, who had already limped off, Smith moving to the right to accommodate the dynamic pocket dynamo.

Platt headed a corner over on the hour, then Colchester changed their entire side in tranches of five and six a couple of minutes apart. We older duffers were a little disappointed than Granville did not get the ovation he deserved - perhaps many of the home fans were too young to remember him - but Guy got a rousing reception; no-one could forget that fantastic goal at Woking.

Mr Guttridge was made rather less welcome and he was soon being taunted by chants of "He's going bald, he's going bald, he's going, Lukey's going bald!" Young people can be so cruel.

Another United sub saw Courtney Pitt, still sporting those voluminous culottes, replace Mark Convery (above) on 64, with Reed moving inside and Quinton taking up the playmaker's role. Mark Yeates had a shot blocked for the visitors before Luke McShane, the world's oldest 21-year-old, got his debut between the sticks when he replaced Potter on 69, although he played several times at the Abbey for CRC last term.

The amber hordes' contrasting reactions to Guy and Guttridge seemed to engender a gradual increase in 'tastiness' of the tackles and ref Gary Lewis had to give Medi Elito a stern ticking-off for a cynical late challenge on Michael Morrison which would undoubtedly have culminated in a booking in a league or cup match.

Pitt looked positive and made a point of stationing himself much further forward than he did against Plymouth. He also combined well with Reed and the crosses from the left began to fly. On 75 Morrison surprised even himself with a meandering run from halfway that took him right to the edge of the Colchester box, but his toe-poke for goal, although accurate, did not carry sufficient pace to beat sub keeper Cousins.

Jordan Collins came on for Boylan on 80 and Pitt moved up front alongside Rendell; without the injured Chilli and weekend's trialist Steve Burton, United had run out of forwards. Let's hope we find another one soon or old Quinny will be pulling on the boots himself. He'd still be faster than Robbie Turner, though...

Within a minute Colchester had snatched an equaliser. The cross from the left touchline came from George Elokobi, a chap so bulgingly musclebound he looked about to burst Hulk-like through his tight white shirt at any moment. He found Anthony Wordsworth in space fifteen yards out, and his first-time scudder cannoned in off the far post past the helpless McShane. 1-1.

United responded well, Reed hitting the wall with a free-kick before a marvellous slalom run from Quinton took him through the Colchester defence; but he spurned a good chance to shoot and instead tried to find the supporting Rendell, and the chance was lost. Now the U's had a triangle of creativity on the left and Pitt, Reed and Collins combined to arrow over more crosses which were well dealt with by a gasping visiting defence.

Not long before the end it looked as if United had bagged a deserved winner when Reed's free-kick found Rendell ghosting across the six-yard box to head into the net, but he was denied by a harsh offside flag. Guy led the last attack for the visitors, but after some good approach play he just didn't have the heart to score against his beloved U's and prodded a feeble shot wide, bless him, overcome by the pleading puppy-dog eyes of the NRE.

All in all it was a useful and encouraging runout against a curate's egg of a Colchester side and promised a tasty treat or two to come once JQ has settled on his best starting eleven. Three games to go; let's just hope that City's ground is still theirs to play at on Saturday.

Player Ratings
Potter 8. Brave, agile, and a couple of outstanding pointblank stops. Potential Abbey legend at this rate; just don't mention words like 'wizard' or 'magic,' eh?
Morrison 8. Tremendous display of textbook defending coupled with a few exciting raids on the opposition penalty area.
Albrighton 8. Unwavering tower of strength.
Hoyte 7. Continued his learning curve in promising style.
Gleeson 7. Good, solid wing-back play.
Wolleaston 6. Low-key but steady build-up after his wonder goal on Saturday.
Convery 7. Kept up his high standard of passing, over-playing just occasionally.
Smith 7. Thoroughly reliable first in the centre then wide on the right.
Reed 8. Knocking on the door of the first team after an assured performance both at wing-back and in the middle.
Ward 6. It can't be easy to fit seamlessly into a team of strangers but his intelligent movement and willingness to work made a decent impression. Might be a case of jack of all trades and master of none, however.
Boylan 8. Another contender for goal of the season already.

McShane 6. Not a great deal to do but let nobody down and had no chance with goal.
Peters 7. The song still applies: You'll Never Beat...
Coulson 7. Another very impressive showing from the new kid on the block.
Hyem 7. Pocket rocket made a good impression on the game.
Pitt 7. That's more like it: stayed forward and treated us to some good old-fashioned wing play with toes a-twinkle. Now if he can just find some shorts that fit...
Quinton 7. Industrious and intelligent and staked his claim for a starting place.
Rendell 7. Stuck to his task and unlucky to be called marginally offside when he scored the 'winner' at the end.
Collins 7. Fitted in well as an attacking wing-back in the last ten minutes.

Match Summary
United stepped up a gear with a more than useful workout against loftier opposition, with plenty of splendid individual performances. We're getting there.

Man of the Match
Lee Boylan. Magnificent early goal set him up for a masterclass in mobile forward play. A constant thorn in Colchester's side. Now if we can just find his ideal strike partner...

Ref Watch
Lewis 8. Didn't get in the way of the action but had a quiet, necessary word a couple of times when the tackles started to get tasty.

Soundtrack of the Day
Nine Black Alps 'Burn Faster'

Andrew Bennett

Now talk about it on the message board!

Previous match reports

The views expressed on this page are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Cambridge United Football Club or the webmaster.