Colchester United v Scunthorpe United

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Football League One

Colchester United :
Walker, Maybury, Coyne, Baldwin, Tierney, Yeates, Dean Hammond, Izzet (Jackson 65), Perkins (Wordsworth 80), Platt, Vernon (Gillespie 65)
Subs not used:
Gerken, White

Scunthorpe United :
Murphy, Wright, Pearce, Byrne, Williams, Thompson (Morris 75), McCann, Togwell, Woolford (Hayes 88), May, Hooper
Subs not used:
Lillis, Iriekpen, Lea

SULSESC REPORT

by Opposition View at Weston Homes Community Stadium

OPPOSITION VIEW

FROM THE OFFICIAL COLCHESTER UNITED FC WEBSITE

The game may have finished goalless, but it was still a very entertaining encounter as Colchester United and Scunthorpe United played out an exciting 0-0 draw at the Weston Homes Community Stadium.

Coming to Colchester looking to consolidate their top six place, Scunthorpe showed plenty of attacking intent, but they were more than matched by the home team who could easily have won with one of their best home performances of the season._

In each half, both sides traded gilt edged chances within quick succession of each other and there will be many who watched who will be wondering how the game finished without the ball ending up in the back of the net.

Scunthorpe were the first to foray around the U's box, but the U's were first to go close. Hammond surged around his full back to send in a dangerous cross and Vernon was inches from making a connection on it as it reached the far post.

That was followed by Tierney's determination down the left which brought applause from the home fans as, on more than one occasion, he battled hard to get the ball away from danger.

Whilst the crowd remained relatively muted in quiet periods of play, they were showing their appreciation for any good forward play from the home team, including when Izzet volleyed over from the edge of the box from a good Yeates cross.

Much of the good play was coming down that left side with Yeates pushing forwards and he skipped past his full back on 11 minutes before sending over a low cross which Perkins hit on the half volley just over the bar.

Whilst the U's were getting appreciation from their fans, referee Mr, Horwood was not quite so popular with a series of decisions for the visiting team.

Vernon was almost in on 13 minutes as Maybury, Perkins and Platt combined to flick the ball into the danger area, but Murphy was sharp off his line to clear at the edge of the box.

That was followed by Yeates crossing with the outside of his boot after another good U's move, which Murphy collected comfortably but continued the spell of home pressure.

The first effort from the visitors did not arrive until the 18th minute when May won the flick on and Hooper got to the ball before Baldwin, only to fire wildly over the crossbar.

Colchester were having the better of it, with Izzet, Maybury and Perkins combining well on the right hand edge of the box to try and get the ball to Platt, their clever interchange falling just short of setting up the front man.

A Scunthorpe corner on 21 minutes caused problems for the U's, Walker twice blocking a bouncing ball at the near post before claiming the cross when it came back into the danger area.

Both teams then missed gilt-edged chances at the mid-point of the first-half.

First, Hooper escaped the offside trap and, one on one with Walker, got his feet tangled up and the ball ran away from him, allowing the shot stopper to collect.

In almost a carbon copy at the other end, Platt won a loose ball on the right to centre it to the unmarked Vernon who seemed destined to score, only to scuff his shot into the arms of Murphy.

Scunthorpe were reliant on hitting the U's on the break and Thompson sent a dangerous cross over on 28 minutes which eventually fell to Togwell but, like Hooper earlier in the game, he fired well over the bar.

The visitors were decent down the flanks, but Woolford should have done better when he got into a fine position down the left, but miscued his dinked cross into the box with Hooper lingering with intent.

The U's broke straight down the other end with Yeates running at Wright, and the two came together on the edge of the box with the defender getting a yellow for his troubles.

From the resulting free kick, Yeates sent in a trademark free kick which Murphy did very well to tip around the post.

The U's had two bites at the subsequent corner, with Hammond whipping the second effort in tight at the near post, which Murphy punched away from danger.

The performance was getting a response from those in the stands as some of the best atmosphere this season was seen in parts of the first-half.

Walker then had to punch away himself as a dangerous cross was thrown into the area, with Scunthorpe living up to their pre-match billing of bringing attacking intent to the game.

The U's were just not quite getting the run of the ball inside the box as first Vernon's low cross was almost sliced into his net by Pearce, before Maybury's mazy run into the box was ended just at the key time and the ball ran away from Yeates.

They did go close on 42 minutes as Platt flicked on and Perkins shot on the volley to force another good save out of Murphy.

The U's were finishing the half strongly with – at last – a series of set piece decisions in their favour, but the two teams went in all square after an exciting 45 minutes.

The home team started the second half on the front foot, but the referee continued to raise home hackles by giving the visitors a number of decisions.

Walker had to be sharp and on his toes three minutes after the restart as a shot to the near post saw him save well and then collect the loose ball.

The U's goalkeeper's handling had been assured but Murphy had a nervous moment as he dropped a cross into the box with Vernon lingering, but fell on the loose ball.

The home side were using the diagonal over Wright well, with Yeates getting in and cutting across goal, before curling an effort only inches wide of the far post.

Creative in attack, the U's were equally determined in defence and again it was getting a response from the stands as the home fans tried to suck the ball into the net.

The crowd were booing on the hour mark though as May took a tumble in the box, but the referee saw the dive as the ex-U's man went down.

It was Hammond who was going to ground next though, blocking brilliantly just as Hooper went to shoot. Maybury then repeated the feat a minute later as Hooper got through, sticking out a finely timed tackle to clear the ball.

The visitors were having a little spell of pressure, and the U's responded in kind with two substitutions on the hour mark, introducing Gillespie and Jackson for Vernon and Izzet.

Perkins was the next man to go close though, powering his way to get onto a loose ball eight yards out, and he watched from the deck as the ball went only inches wide of the post.

They went dead close again on 69 minutes as Jackson cut the ball back to the near post and McCann cleared off the line. Murphy followed that with another good save from the resultant corner as Platt headed towards goal.

The officials continued to frustrate, as their decisions enraged those in the stands as the U's continued to search for that breakthrough.

Colchester had their final roll of the dice with Wordsworth coming on for Perkins for the final ten minutes.

And the substitute helped Jackson win the loose ball around the edge of the box where it fell to Gillespie on the 18-yard line. He had to work his feet quickly and he tried to curl it top corner, but Murphy was able to collect.

The visitors should have got their noses in front with eight minutes left as McCann slid in Hooper and, with the goal at his mercy on an angle, he pulled his shot wide of the post.

And, as in the first-half, the U's were next to miss a golden opportunity as Gillespie broke the offside trap. He bore down one on one with Murphy but was left disappointed as he beat the keeper, only to see his effort roll agonisingly wide of the far post.

It summed up an entertaining game that both sides will be left wondering how they hadn't got more – and relieved that they hadn't got less.