The Battle of Colchester Beach

By: Andrew Doherty
Date: 28/03/2025

OF late, our Head Coach's mark of improvement is that we do better than the corresponding fixture against the same opposition earlier in the season. In November we lost 0 - 1 in a dismal encounter with Colchester United so it's hard to imagine that we would be worse.

Without question Town have improved, otherwise we wouldn't be sitting in a play-off berth with complete control of our destiny for the rest of the season. Sometimes it's been impressive while at other times we've relied on resilience but either way we're up there. It doesn't happen all the time but with such a range of creativity, skill and determination in our squad, we're proving worthy of our position. I don't know about Colchester's performances but something good has been happening over there in Essex, as they have stormed up the table with just one blip in last Saturday's loss against Bradford. The net result is that today's game at Colchester's remote but impressive JobServe Community Stadium is particularly important with both Colchester and next Tuesday's opponents Crewe sitting one point behind us with the same number of games played.

This evening's line-up was: Wright - Rodgers, Tharme, Warren - Svanthorsson, McEachren, Green, Khouri, Hume - Rose, Barrington. One thing that's been noticeable is how the formation isn't rigid so it's not unusual to see Rodgers and Warren popping up in midfield and Svanthorsson being everywhere. There was a stage where opponents got wise to Hume's runs and were crowding hit out but David Artell's plan now seems to involve more flexibility which leaves opponents guessing and opens up the field for our expansive style of play. It doesn't always work, and no doubt the wily Cowley brothers in charge of Colchester were going to have a plan as they did in November at Blundell Park.

On a patchy pitch full of sand-filled holes, Colchester got the game underway.

Town's fans numbered around 400 in tonight's crowd of 6,986, sang, chanted and could be heard around the stadium. After a nondescript start, the game stopped after 3 minutes for prolonged attention to Colchester's Taylor. The first chance fell to Colchester after 8 minutes when following a speedy run by Edwards up the left, Anderson and Taylor got in each other's way in the box. Colchester won a free kick on the left on 10 minutes after a foul by Rose. Taylor's curling cross evaded the defence but Flanagan was on hand to head home. The linesman's flag went up and the goal was disallowed, apparently for offside. Phew. Town were then too complicated in their first attack, resulting in Svanthorsson being caught offside. A characteristic surging run by Green led to a shot. Town were now getting into the game with 15 minutes gone. A Rose interception started a move but neither side seemed capable of keeping any move going thanks to a combination of poor quality and the bumpy pitch. On 22 minutes Barrington set up Khouri after a high clearance from Warren but Khouri's effort was weak. The game stopped again on 25 minutes, with the injured Anderson having to be replaced. Green was booked on 27 minutes for pulling Read back. McEachren was the star of the show for Town, twice tackling to win possession and start moves but Town and Svanthorsson in particular were too slow to seize the opportunity. Colchester won a corner on 32 minutes after a good run by Edwards. After a second one, Town won a free kick following a foul in the box. On 35 minutes Town retrieved the ball after a mistake in midfield. Barrington's attempted chip went wide. Good vision and an interception by Khouri led to a Town attack but Svanthorsson's cross was poor. McEachren won a free kick in 40 minutes after beating Payne to the ball. Hume played through to Svanthorsson but the free kick was overhit and Svanthorsson was unable to get a cross in. Green cleverly won a corner on 44 minutes. Hume's corner was poor and the ball was cleared with ease. Four minutes were added. Green was unlucky to be penalised after an inventive chip from Svanthorsson found Town's midfielder who was then adjudged to have fouled Hunt close to the byline. On 49 minutes Hume fouled Gordon in the right corner. The cross was terrible. The half ended: 0 - 0. It was a familiar tale of two sides struggling on a poor pitch. Neither side had made any inroads. Apart from the disallowed goal, no-one had looked like scoring. Neither side had had a shot on target.

With 20 seconds gone in the second half, Hume struggled to control the bobbling ball but did so, finding Khouri on the left. Khouri burst forward and sent in a low cross. Green was on hand, having anticipated the cross, and beat Hunt to the ball, bundling the ball into the net in the process. Colchester 0, Town 1. Two minutes later a McEachren chip cleared the defence but the stretching Tharme couldn't get on the end of it. Colchester fought back and in 50 minutes Payne played out to Edwards on the left. Rodgers pushed him wide but in spite of this, Edwards placed his shot across the goal, landing it in the bottom right corner. Colchester 1, Town 1. On 53 minutes a Hume shot earned a corner before Colchester broke. Tharme did well to stop Gordon crossing to the unmarked Payne. A Tharme throw on 57 minutes led to a Svanthorsson shot as it was now Town's turn to attack. A Read shot on 59 minutes brought out a good save from Wright and a Colchester corner. Read's shot this time was well wide. Town won a free kick after a foul by Flanagan on McEachren who was sent flying. The ball was headed back in the box by the battling Green to the unmarked Svanthorsson. Macey saved the shot but Svanthorsson should have done better. A lovely weighted pass from the busy Svanthorsson then found Barrington on the edge of the box. Barrington cut inside to create space but his shot was blocked. Brilliant work by Green on 68 minutes saw him burst forward and cross. Egbo saved the day for Colchester with his positioning but Town retrieved the ball and Macey was forced to make a good save from Hume. Good work by McEachren found Barrington who brought out another great save from Macey. Town were playing well now. A bobble off Flanagan's foot saw Town in possession deep in Colchester's half. Barrington had the opportunity to take the ball forward but was closed down. It looked like the opportunity was over but Barrington was able to play the ball out to Khouri on the left. With great composure Khouri blasted his shot into the bottom right corner. Colchester 1, Town 2. Colchester manager Danny Cowley, who seconds earlier had been berating referee Brakespear with copious prose demanding that Green should receive a second yellow card after an earlier foul, now had something else to think about. On 79 minutes and three minutes after the goal, Davies replaced Green, obviating the possibility of Town being reduced to 10 men. Khouri was booked for a foul on Read before yellow cards were given to two Colchester players as the game became more desperate. Town to their credit pressed forward to keep the pressure off. A Davies free kick was inches wide before a Hume free kick found the head of Tharme who got behind the defence. But the header was weak. An awful clearance by Macey saw a Town attack but this time Khouri ballooned his shot into the stand. On 87 minutes, Luker and Thompson replaced Barrington and the magnificent McEachren. Colchester made multiple changes in their attempt to transform the game. Six minutes were added. Town were hanging on, and keeping possession where they could. Colchester fought to get the ball forward but struggled to maintain any quality. Thorn won a corner on 93 minutes following a run and block by Warren. Town stood firm. Davies gave the ball away instead of finding Luker but Colchester were unable to get through the defence and were guilty of giving the ball away themselves. The final whistle blew with Town looking comfortable: Colchester United 1, Grimsby Town 2.

It looked like a beach and was like playing on one. On the event, it worked to Town's advantage. I can't imagine what Mr Cowley will say about that. After a difficult first half, the game livened up in the second period as Town imposed themselves. Having taken the lead for the second time, with composed interplay Town showed they were capable of managing the game. Whilst the second goal was fortuitous and in part down to the pitch, it was also evidence that passing the ball around at the back was a dangerous ploy. Ultimately, Town won deservedly on Colchester Beach, and are in great shape after now going four points clear of tonight's opponents and rivals for the play-offs and possibly more.

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