| U's draw a blank at Donny Rovers despite impressive second half display 00:12 - Oct 17 with 1125 views | durham_exile |
JM took his winless (in 5 game) charges to the Keepmoat for the start of three season defining games. They came away with a narrow defeat and whilst could feel aggrieved that they failed to get anything from the game, I am very critical of their first half performance.
Doncaster was bathed in sunshine and the pitch was immaculate. A 5,007 attendance and about 150 of the Roman Army in good voice made for a decent atmosphere.
Colchester lined up:
Walker
Brindley Eastman Prosser Wynter
Vincent-Young Slater Szmodics Wright
Guthrie
Porter
Subs:
Sembie-Ferris Johnstone Bonne
Now JM is new to management and after 5 games without a win, he could be forgiven for lining up defensively. However, Donny Rovers were not at the races in the first half and JM should have reacted by making changes earlier. We were too defensive minded, lacking in attacking intent in the first 30 minutes, but amazingly should have scored two goals with Guthrie and particularly Porter at fault for glaring misses.
We also wasted two corners and free kicks which were mis-directed and led to possession being lost.
However, it was extra time at the end of the first half when we were found wanting. A quick free kick was not closed down and Rowe was able to control the ball and lift it over Walker in the Col U goal.
So 1-0 down at half time and the faithful were restless. JM sent the team out early and they immediately showed more attacking intent in the first five minutes with Vincent-Young getting forward quickly and Drey Wright seeing more of the ball in attacking positions.
In fairness to JM he didn’t wait too long before making substitutions. Dion Sembie-Ferris was brought on for Vincent-Young after 56 minutes and he immediately brought additional pace and more attacking flair.
Porter was replaced by Johnstone after 64 minutes. The faithful showed their disapproval at this move, but it was the right course of action. Johnstone added pace and movement to the attack even though his goal opportunities are limited. Porter also missed a header from 5 yards just before Rovers scored their goal.
Macauley Bonne, recalled from Lincoln this week, was finally introduced on 66 minutes for Guthrie.
Thus the U’s attacked with four forward players for the final 20 minutes, Sembie-Ferris, Wright, Johnstone and Bonne. supported by the Captain Luke Prosser who played just behind the strikers as the U’s desperately sought an equaliser. This all-out attack was exciting and frankly overdue but it almost led to a second Doncaster goal as the ball broke to the halfway line where the unmarked Marquis embarked on a run on Walker’s goal. Fortunately, Walker forced him wide and the ball was well cleared by retreating defenders.
There was still time for Szmodics and Bonne to force saves from Marko Marosi who was able to waste time at will without any action from the referee. Only 4 minutes’ additional time was found by the ref and the U’s were unable to force the equaliser, their second half deserved.
Ferguson unfairly stated after the game that this was Doncaster’s worst performance of the season. The truth was they lacked shape and without Andy Williams real attacking ability. They also settled for the scoreline in the second half without making any real attempts to secure a second goal. Perhaps Colchester’s second half performance forced them to adopt a more defensive shape and that was closer to the truth than Ferguson’s patronising and inaccurate comments. The faithful’s obscene chant about Fergy perhaps summed him up nicely.
I left the ground as many others, disappointed about yet another defeat in a game where we paid for our lack lustre first half which led to us chasing the game.
However, JM will have seen the advantage of playing Sembie-Ferris, Johnstone and Bonne as an attacking trio.
This alarming slump in form must be addressed quickly. In such a close league we are incredibly still only three points form a play-off position, but are losing ground on the top three. Frankly 12 goal attempts and four on target should have yielded at least one goal.
Morecambe are next at the WHCS and then we go to Home Park to play Plymouth Argyle.
Yes, we badly miss Dickenson and continue to lack real attacking prowess in the final third, but JM has sufficient players to win games in this league. We must start to do so and to that end Morecambe must be sent packing next weekend in order to obtain some confidence for the important trip to Devon the week after.
Bring on the FA Cup!
Up the U’s
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| U's draw a blank at Donny Rovers despite impressive second half display on 09:00 - Oct 17 with 1105 views | AFCMorant |
Good summary, for a very enjoyable away trip. It was an open and entertaining game, even more so in the second half. We didn't deserve to lose nor win and played reasonably well, looked solid defensively and their goal just came out of nowhere. The worry is that we look alarmingly toothless up front, so why not play Guthrie in his natural position? Interesting chant of 'You don't know what you're doing" from some when Porter was taken off, only a few games in and there are boos at the WHCS and disenchantment expressed at an away game. |  | | |
| U's draw a blank at Donny Rovers despite impressive second half display on 15:23 - Oct 17 with 1072 views | noah4x4 |
Durham, you seem to have coined the phrase "Roman Army". I believe a majority of us would prefer to remain the "U's" or perhaps "Barside Army" or even the "Oystermen" (if we look back to our merger with Town roots).
Surely Colchestrians and all other British patriots are proud of the fact that we kicked Roman arse in AD 60 or 61 and rid our country of that regime's cruelty and tyranny? In this post Brexit vote era, I say "fcuk the Romans, the Huns; and any others that have tried to conquer us. I would certainly prefer to be free than enslaved. Others will be 'united' in this. So up the U's....
In a more contemporary sense, any suggestion that we might be "Romans" and hence associated with the said coach company is also misplaced. Few of the 251 U's fans at Donny travelled on its 'bus. Whatever bribe the club itself might have taken to endorse its 'bus that for three weeks has been held together at its rear by duct tape; "Britain, never never never shall be slaves....".
.....We won't drink the (official) Green King (Ipswich) IPA either!
[Post edited 17 Oct 2016 15:29]
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| U's draw a blank at Donny Rovers despite impressive second half display on 20:58 - Oct 17 with 1031 views | Leadbelly |
What have the Romans ever done for us?
Greene King IPA still brewed in Bury St Edmunds rather than Ipswich as far as I know. Back in my youth it was a decent pint and my staple diet. This was long before GK became the corporate monster it is today and chose to stop making drinkable ales. |  |
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| U's draw a blank at Donny Rovers despite impressive second half display on 22:43 - Oct 17 with 1020 views | noah4x4 |
Excellent Durham. Never thought it was anything other than you describe.
Leadbelly you are correct about Bury St Edmunds, but Green King, having saturated Suffolk are now trying to take over Essex (e.g buying the pouring rights at the U's, County Cricket ground etc). It's ghastly chilled keg stuff. It's time our local professional sports clubs respected their real ale drinkers and offered us a decent half time pint. | | | |
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