CCFC Fail To Turn Up As Cup Shock Narrowly Avoided

By CCFC Sid
January 25 2004

Yet again CCFC ignored the old adage: `Never change a winning team' - and yet again the decision to do so almost cost them. Adebola replaced Warnock, and, as a consequence, CCFC totally lost their shape....

Colchester were estimated to be bringing in the region of 2,000 supporters, and almost a thousand of them were in the ground by two o'clock! They had quite clearly come to Highfield Road with the intention of enjoying the match - whatever the result! - and enjoy it they did (Far more so than CCFC supporters).

Colchester (The team) were clearly far more up for this game than CCFC, and the majority of CCFC fans seemed to agree with the opinion that Colchester were unlucky not to be properly through to the next round already.

CCFC started the match with four strikers on the pitch, with Gary McSheffrey occupying the left-side of midfield, and Andy Morrell on the right - a position that he looked extremely uncomfortable with 'til he was finally move into the middle, before five minutes late being withdrawn. If CCFC learn nothing else from this match, it should be that if Andy Morrell doesn't play as an out-and-out striker, he should not play at all....

The first 15 minutes beloged to the away side, with McGleish and Andrews going close. A poor Colchester free-kick almost caused panic in the CCFC defence soon after, after it was accidentally deflected into the penalty area (After first looking more likely to hit the corner flag!), though thankfully it came to nil. On 12 minutes, only a cracking challenge from Andrew Whing on Andrews denied Colchester a decent opportunity to open the scoring.

It was already obvious by this point in the match that the change in formation wasn't working, and wasn't likely to work, but nothing was done to alter things - though CCFC did finally get the ball into the CU penalty area after 15 minutes, but poor control from Joachim allowed a Colchester defender to clear. Adebola seemed to be pole-axed in the area by Colchester keeper McKinney after 25 minutes, but neither the players nor the fans in the East Stand appealed for a penalty.

After 30 minutes Colchester gained the goal their efforts deserved, only for CCFC to equalise three minutes later. Both the Colchester and the CCFC goal had an element of good fortune about them, with the away sides goal coming courtesy of an Adebola own goal (Proving he can actually head the ball - sadly for CCFC into the wrong net), and a Joachim effort that seemed to hit him and fly into the Colchester net - after an agonisingly long wait, as the ball seemed to hang in the air before finally crossing the line.

Rather than spur CCFC on to victory, the game carried on in a similar pattern (Similar again to the Peterboro match, where the lower league opponents were by far the better of the two sides), with Deloumeaux far less effective than he had been on his debut, and Doyle looking very poor in comparison with what fans know he can do.

Perhaps proving that he is still very low on confidence, Adebola passed to McSheffrey when in a far better position to shoot after 36 minutes, with the CCFC youngsters effort just going wide of the keepers post. A fine Ward tip-over on the stroke of half-time saw the two sides go in level at the break.

It was only 1-1 at half-time against Walsall, I reminded myself, so it wasn't beyond the realms of possibility that another rout could be on the cards .... wrong!

The first few minutes of the second half seemed to mainly involve Gary McSheffrey, with the CCFC youngster spooning a fairly decent chance 30 seconds into the half, and winning a corner two minutes later - though McSheffrey did appeal for what looked a fairly decent penalty shout. Had he opted to carry on going forwards rather than going on the outside of the defender, neither the corner or a penalty might have been necessary, as it would have left him with a one-on-one with the Colchester keeper, and a chance to give CCFC the lead.

Minutes later McSheffrey's over-hit pass eluded Morrell who was in space at the back-post, and Morrell would surely have added to his double from the previous week had the cross been better. A 40-yard Gordon run ended with Adebola wasting a chance to give CCFC the lead, and soon after a Gordon corner was smashed just wide by Konjic.

McSheffrey saw another decent effort from a free-kick go just wide of McKinney's post after 59 minutes, which wasn't as far wide as the Colchester keepers `arms aloft, it's miles wide' gesture would suggest!

Bjarni Gudjonsson replaced Adebola after 65 minutes, and his first few touches were a class above most other things CCFC had managed all afternoon - though one piece of BG finishing was on a par with anything (And most things) we've seen from CCFC this season! (Having been set up by Konjic).

The referee once again seemed to be favouring CCFC's opponents, and his decision not to award what looked like a blatant penalty after 67 minutes almost saw Callum Davenport bust a blood-vessel so vociferous were his protests, as the official signalled to play on.

A fine Davenport interception stopped another Colchester move after 69 minutes, and Colchester were unlucky not to regain the lead after 70 minutes when McGleish's shot hit a post and bounced back into the safety of Ward's arms. Following this, Morrell's five minute stint as a striker was ended when he was replaced by Warnock.

Colchester quite clearly changed their game-plan to make sure a draw was the final outcome, with the odd 60-yard clearance being in evidence, and this nearly backfired as a superb bit of skill from Warnock almost saw him score a `Goal Of The Day/Round' contender, smashing the bar, with the keeper well beaten.

As the game approached injury time, it was Colchester who almost stole a place in the next round of the cup, with Ward making a fine save to deny substitute Vine.

CCFC surely cannot play worse than this in the replay? And surely the formation CCFC will select is one that presumes the opposition will actually be turning up? A cup exit looms if they there isn't a vast improvement....