fbm
Blue tinted optimist⭐
Just got back after a superb night out.
Missed the first 15 minutes (that's another story) but gather from those around me that it was fairly even. Colchester seemed a little more on top but Blues were knocking the ball about well. Then, Wayne Gray laid the ball off well, Gower cut in from the left and fed Bentley who shot. The ball was blocked but ricocheted to Bramble, all on his own about 20 yards out. He took a touch and hit the ball like a rocket and it was a goal the minute it left his boot.
Southend played the ball around well and what really impressed me was the closing down of the Col U players. We didn’t give them time to settle. We were excellent in the latter stages of the first half but despite dominating we didn’t have any other chances that I recall.
In the second half we got an early wake up call when a good Colchester move resulted in the ball being headed down to one of their players (Danns) who was on his own a few yards out but he put the ball well over the bar.
We went down the other end and Mark Gower cut inside, turned the defender inside out and curled a shot against the post.
The game sprang to life and it was end to end stuff. Colchester started to make their higher league status tell and to be honest for about 20 minutes were the better side. They really stretched us but the defence were superb and restricted them to long range efforts only.
Blues then came back into it when the first of several very dodgy decisions was made by the ref which so nearly cost us the game. A high ball in the middle of the park was challenged for by Wilson and one of their players. Che got there first and made a clean header but both players ended up on the deck. The ball in the meantime had run to Bramble who was advancing on goal. Che had got up straight away but the Col U player stayed motionless on the ground. The ref blew up but as he ran across to the prostrate player he immediately sprang to his feet. Having stopped the play with us in possession bearing down on their goal I thought it was a bit unlucky that it was now a drop ball… but no! For some reason the ref awarded a free kick to Colchester, much to our players amazement. I don’t think the Col U player was trying to con anyone… I just think he stayed there in frustration having lost out in an aerial challenge with Wilson who was about 4 inches shorter.
From the resulting free kick the ball was hoofed into our box and cleared to the right touchline, where the ref awarded Col U a free kick for some reason that no-one quite understood. From that free kick, the ball was crossed into the 6 yard box. Guess what? The defenders didn’t clear, Flavs stayed on his line and Garcia had a free header from about 3 yards out to make it 1-1.
After that we had strong claims for a penalty denied when a Maher shot hit the arm of a defender. Bentley was put through but was tackled just as he was about to shoot and another Bentley header from a superb cross after a fantastic move deflected off his markers shoulder for a corner. But the best chance came in the last minute as Wayne Gray battled and for once got the better of the defender in the box. He took it on and tried to beat the keeper at the near post but unfortunately the ball came back off the upright and was cleared to safety.
In extra time we brought Drewe on for Tes and I have to say he won everything in the air. His layoffs were good and he made some excellent runs into great positions without ever receiving the ball. There was only one team in it in extra time – us – anda goal seemed only a matter of time. However, on a rare break, Colchester had a 3 v 3 situation and Danns again raced through, made space and shot low into the bottom right hand corner but Flavs made a great diving save to deflect the ball wide for a corner.
The second period was no different except that Col U had hardly any chances but then came the most bizarre refereeing decision of the lot. Bentley challenged for the ball in midfield and a Col U player slid in. Bentley won the ball, tried to hurdle him, and ran into space, ready to bear down on goal. The Col U player had obviously got caught by Bentley and lay on the ground writhing in agony. The ref blew, again presumably to get the chap some attention (it was a head wound) but amazingly showed Bentley a straight red card! Not one player or any Col U fan (the incident took place in front of their main stand) appealed for it. There was no way there was any malice at all in the challenge and the Col U guy was just unlucky as he passed under Bentley’s boots. But now he has a 3 game ban and that is criminal.
The game petered out then as Gray went wide right and Drewe ploughed the lone furrow up front. Flavs made a great save from a stinging Col U shot late on but there was to be no further score – just penalties.
At half time the Col U kids beat the Southend kids in a penalty shoot out 5-4. There was to be no repeat as Gray, Hunt, Maher, and Broughton all sent the keeper the wrong way. Colchester then missed their 4th penalty as the player dragged his shot well wide, leaving Jimmy Corbett to score to send us through 5-3 winners.
Ratings –
Flahavan – 7 – 2 great saves but yet again we concede a set piece goal that he should have come for.
Jupp – 7 – Great overlapping and some crucial tackles but got stupidly booked and was lucky not to be sent off. Was subbed for Lewis Hunt to prevent that scenario.
Barrett – 8 – Another man mountain performance – hardly put a foot wrong.
Edwards – 8 – Best game since his return. Won loads in the air and made some great tackles.
Wilson – 7 – Some great defending but distribution sometimes way off. He needs to work on this part of his game.
Gower – 8 – This was, at last, the Mark Gower of last year as he teased, tormented and harried the Col U defence. Was very unlucky not to score.
Maher – 8 – Very solid, more creative than usual, same phenomenal workrate but some passes went astray.
Bentley – 8 – Was running the show until he got sent off and was extremely unlucky.
Pettefer – 7 – Good workrate but several final passes were very poor and he acknowledged this frequently with despairing apologetic gestures.
Gray – 7 – best game I’ve seen in a Southend shirt. He was very unlucky not to score and just needs something to go for him. He made some decent runs but was rarely picked out. He did however contribute some fantastic clearances when defending set pieces.
Bramble – 9 – MOM. Fantastic goal, and this was the Tes we all know he can be. He was an absolute handful all night and his workrate was excellent.
Subs –
Hunt – 7 – Unspectacular but one of the penalty heroes
Broughton – 7 – great battling in extra time, won loads of ball and another penalty hero.
Corbett – 7 – Was only brought on for the last 3 minutes and I can’t remember him touching the ball other than to strike the winning spot kick. MEGA HERO!
Well done Blues. A fantastic night out.
Missed the first 15 minutes (that's another story) but gather from those around me that it was fairly even. Colchester seemed a little more on top but Blues were knocking the ball about well. Then, Wayne Gray laid the ball off well, Gower cut in from the left and fed Bentley who shot. The ball was blocked but ricocheted to Bramble, all on his own about 20 yards out. He took a touch and hit the ball like a rocket and it was a goal the minute it left his boot.
Southend played the ball around well and what really impressed me was the closing down of the Col U players. We didn’t give them time to settle. We were excellent in the latter stages of the first half but despite dominating we didn’t have any other chances that I recall.
In the second half we got an early wake up call when a good Colchester move resulted in the ball being headed down to one of their players (Danns) who was on his own a few yards out but he put the ball well over the bar.
We went down the other end and Mark Gower cut inside, turned the defender inside out and curled a shot against the post.
The game sprang to life and it was end to end stuff. Colchester started to make their higher league status tell and to be honest for about 20 minutes were the better side. They really stretched us but the defence were superb and restricted them to long range efforts only.
Blues then came back into it when the first of several very dodgy decisions was made by the ref which so nearly cost us the game. A high ball in the middle of the park was challenged for by Wilson and one of their players. Che got there first and made a clean header but both players ended up on the deck. The ball in the meantime had run to Bramble who was advancing on goal. Che had got up straight away but the Col U player stayed motionless on the ground. The ref blew up but as he ran across to the prostrate player he immediately sprang to his feet. Having stopped the play with us in possession bearing down on their goal I thought it was a bit unlucky that it was now a drop ball… but no! For some reason the ref awarded a free kick to Colchester, much to our players amazement. I don’t think the Col U player was trying to con anyone… I just think he stayed there in frustration having lost out in an aerial challenge with Wilson who was about 4 inches shorter.
From the resulting free kick the ball was hoofed into our box and cleared to the right touchline, where the ref awarded Col U a free kick for some reason that no-one quite understood. From that free kick, the ball was crossed into the 6 yard box. Guess what? The defenders didn’t clear, Flavs stayed on his line and Garcia had a free header from about 3 yards out to make it 1-1.
After that we had strong claims for a penalty denied when a Maher shot hit the arm of a defender. Bentley was put through but was tackled just as he was about to shoot and another Bentley header from a superb cross after a fantastic move deflected off his markers shoulder for a corner. But the best chance came in the last minute as Wayne Gray battled and for once got the better of the defender in the box. He took it on and tried to beat the keeper at the near post but unfortunately the ball came back off the upright and was cleared to safety.
In extra time we brought Drewe on for Tes and I have to say he won everything in the air. His layoffs were good and he made some excellent runs into great positions without ever receiving the ball. There was only one team in it in extra time – us – anda goal seemed only a matter of time. However, on a rare break, Colchester had a 3 v 3 situation and Danns again raced through, made space and shot low into the bottom right hand corner but Flavs made a great diving save to deflect the ball wide for a corner.
The second period was no different except that Col U had hardly any chances but then came the most bizarre refereeing decision of the lot. Bentley challenged for the ball in midfield and a Col U player slid in. Bentley won the ball, tried to hurdle him, and ran into space, ready to bear down on goal. The Col U player had obviously got caught by Bentley and lay on the ground writhing in agony. The ref blew, again presumably to get the chap some attention (it was a head wound) but amazingly showed Bentley a straight red card! Not one player or any Col U fan (the incident took place in front of their main stand) appealed for it. There was no way there was any malice at all in the challenge and the Col U guy was just unlucky as he passed under Bentley’s boots. But now he has a 3 game ban and that is criminal.
The game petered out then as Gray went wide right and Drewe ploughed the lone furrow up front. Flavs made a great save from a stinging Col U shot late on but there was to be no further score – just penalties.
At half time the Col U kids beat the Southend kids in a penalty shoot out 5-4. There was to be no repeat as Gray, Hunt, Maher, and Broughton all sent the keeper the wrong way. Colchester then missed their 4th penalty as the player dragged his shot well wide, leaving Jimmy Corbett to score to send us through 5-3 winners.
Ratings –
Flahavan – 7 – 2 great saves but yet again we concede a set piece goal that he should have come for.
Jupp – 7 – Great overlapping and some crucial tackles but got stupidly booked and was lucky not to be sent off. Was subbed for Lewis Hunt to prevent that scenario.
Barrett – 8 – Another man mountain performance – hardly put a foot wrong.
Edwards – 8 – Best game since his return. Won loads in the air and made some great tackles.
Wilson – 7 – Some great defending but distribution sometimes way off. He needs to work on this part of his game.
Gower – 8 – This was, at last, the Mark Gower of last year as he teased, tormented and harried the Col U defence. Was very unlucky not to score.
Maher – 8 – Very solid, more creative than usual, same phenomenal workrate but some passes went astray.
Bentley – 8 – Was running the show until he got sent off and was extremely unlucky.
Pettefer – 7 – Good workrate but several final passes were very poor and he acknowledged this frequently with despairing apologetic gestures.
Gray – 7 – best game I’ve seen in a Southend shirt. He was very unlucky not to score and just needs something to go for him. He made some decent runs but was rarely picked out. He did however contribute some fantastic clearances when defending set pieces.
Bramble – 9 – MOM. Fantastic goal, and this was the Tes we all know he can be. He was an absolute handful all night and his workrate was excellent.
Subs –
Hunt – 7 – Unspectacular but one of the penalty heroes
Broughton – 7 – great battling in extra time, won loads of ball and another penalty hero.
Corbett – 7 – Was only brought on for the last 3 minutes and I can’t remember him touching the ball other than to strike the winning spot kick. MEGA HERO!
Well done Blues. A fantastic night out.
