Match report

The Essex sun was still shining at 7.30pm as I took my seat behind the goal amongst the U's supporters in the Clock End of the compact and ever so slightly dilapidated Layer Road ground this evening. I was in that section with a Colchester business colleague, but I never felt threatened in this friendliest of down-at-heel football venues, rather reminiscent of a scaled down Vetch Field with its oddball collection of terraces and stands.

Anyway, around two hundred Jacks had made the long journey to the Essex coast to swell the paltry crowd of under three thousand, the referee for the evening was Mr Singh, famous (or infamous) for showing red to Gary Monk at Yeovil last season, and the Swans ran out for the first time in the new all black away strip. They lined up:

Subs: Britton, Connor, McCleod, Anderson, OTJ

Kenny Jackett deciding once again to forego a substitute goalie for the extra outfield player.

With Colchester fired up after their late defeat at Gillingham last Saturday, the game started at a frantic pace. Neither side could gain the upper hand in the opening exchanges, but the U's managed the more sustained pressure and won a corner in the first few minutes, which was easily cleared.

Whilst the Swans were varying their attacking approach through the middle and along the wings, where Goodfellow and Forbes were both lively, Colchester seemed intent on playing the 'Route One' ball down the middle for their rangy black striker Iwelumo at every opportunity. After fifteen minutes, he nodded down a long ball into the path of Izzet, but the diminutive midfielder's shot from the edge of the area flew over the bar and the stand roof. A few minutes later, a free kick out wide again found the head of Iwelumo, but his goal bound header was deflected wide by a Swans outstretched leg.

Colchester were getting a lot of midfield possession at this stage but not really troubling the Swans goal, although the Swans failed to make the most of the crumbs they were given, with Ricketts repeating the poor distribution of last Saturday, and Trundle getting little change out of his marker Chilvers who was sticking to him like a limpet. The game ebbed and flowed with very little pattern or quality passing football until the 35th minute, when Swansea unexpectedly took the lead. A wild Colchester clearance gave the Swans a throw on the right. Tate propelled a long one into the near post, Bayo flicked it on with some pace and the ball flew across the goal to Forbsey six yards out at the far post. Although he had a much taller defender on his shoulder, he did one of his trademark salmon leaps, out-jumping the guy by a good twelve inches and sending a rocket header into the corner of the net. You could hear jaws dropping all around Layer Road as the Jack contingent went wild.

In a final flurry to the half, Tate was booked for a trip on the edge of the area. The free kick was blasted over the bar, but Colchester kept the pressure up and soon worked another shooting opportunity, only to see another twenty-yard effort fly into the road outside; their shooting was generally appalling throughout the game, and many gardens in South Colchester will be finding an unexpected present on the lawn tomorrow morning.

The second half started as the first had finished, with the home side applying more pressure, but either scuffing their shots, or hitting them way too high. However, the Swans forays upfield became less and less frequent as the U's turned the screw in search of an equaliser. After eighteen minutes, they won a corner, an in-swinger which actually ran across the top of the Swans bar and back into play, where Ricketts had to smartly head it clear. A few minutes later, with the crowd urging the home team on, Iwelumo broke down the right and put an inch perfect pass inside for Izzet to unleash a thunderous shot from eighteen yards, which crashed against the post with Willy a spectator. Thankfully it rebounded to safety.

The Swans were now well and truly under the cosh. Colchester brought on sub Gareth Williams and he gave them an extra dimension up front, inspiring his colleagues to even greater efforts. They were rewarded in the 22nd minute when the ball was slid from the left wing to the feet of Williams inside the area. Willy could only parry his low shot into the path of Greg Halford, who slammed it home from ten yards.

It took Colchester five or ten minutes to gather themselves, but with O'Leary looking rather ineffective, they gradually assumed control of midfield and, with fifteen minutes left, started hurling themselves forward again in order to salvage a point. This is were things started turning ugly; a string of mis-timed, cynical and downright brutal challenges from Swans players saw Mr Singh flash the yellow card freely. First Martinez for a trip, then Forbes for a lunging barge more often seen on the rugby field. As the temperature rose, Freezer took a knock and the ref stopped the game, calling for the trainer. McCleod replaced the injured Goodfellow, but no sooner had the ref re-started with a dropped ball than the ex-QPR winger dived in with a vicious late challenge. This brought the Swans fourth yellow card and possibly something of a record, since he had been on the field all of three seconds. Three minutes later and O'Leary mis-timed a midfield challenge, raking his opponent's thigh; more work for Mr Singh's pencil, and screams from the home crowd for the red card to appear.

Player ratings:

Gueret (7) – although often watching the ball flash past him, usually over the bar, he had little real action tonight. Might have done a tad better with their goal, but that's nit-picking.

Ricketts (6) – defended quite well, but something's still not right with him. Poor distribution again.
Austin (8) – unspectacular but a rock in defence.
Izzy (8.5) – the Man of the Match for the way he kept the lid on Iwelumo, reducing him to a whinging shambles by the final half-hour.
Tate (7) – good, solid defensive display, no howlers, growing in confidence.

Goodfellow (6) – starting to look a bit more threatening down the left wing, but not reproducing his pre-season form yet.
O'Leary (5) – although this was the sort of rough and tumble game which should have suited him, too often off the pace and in the wrong place.
Martinez (7) – good skipper's performance, got through a lot of unspectacular but necessary donkey work in midfield.
Forbes (7) – great goal, always lively down the wing, one or two rash challenges, but it was that sort of full-blooded game.

Trundle (7) – although his first touch often deserted him and lost us the possession, he worked tirelessly chasing long balls forward, and scored a great winning goal. Taunted mercilessly by the U's fans, but had the last laugh.
Bayo (7) – starting to come into his own and throw his considerable weight around up front, but he showed some lovely touches for a big man. The best is yet to come, I feel.

Subs: McCleod (4) – daft challenge to earn booking, always off the pace. This lad needs to seriously pull his socks up.

Overall, this was not a match for faint hearts; it was the sort of game that the Brian Flynn powder puffs would have been bullied into losing. Times have changed and if anything, we were the ones doing most of the intimidating. It wasn't pretty, but it was effective. Whether or not we can raise our game and start playing some quality football against the more cultured sides in the division still remains to be seen, but tonight the club and the travelling Jacks were just chuffed to come away with three points, and find ourselves in joint first place in League One. In this celebrated old Roman town - we came, we saw, and we conquered.