The Iron v The U's

[mooresy25]

Looking forward to a really good game today! Hopefully we'll put in the kind of performance we did against Gillingham and see a few goals. Exciting times ahead for Braintree under the guidance of Rod & his coaching staff!

[ironlover]

yeah when we played gillingham we were on the attack like every single time

come on u iron we can do it ;D

[mooresy25]

Once again another good showing from the lads. Not a huge ammount of goal mouth action but a gripping 0-0 draw nether the less. Thought we contained Colchester really well considering they had many first teamers on the pitch. The lad Platt gave many defences in league one a hard time last season but Paine and Bailey Dennis didnt give him a sniff. We lost the shape a little towards the end due to the ammount of subs but Colchester didnt look like scoring. Thought McDonald in goal looked solid and seems to be good in the air and with his kicking. Starkey was another stand out performer as was Luchmere and Davis. Was disappointed that Guy wasnt involved but Marksey, as always, gave 100% throughout.

I think this team will do good things during the 10/11 season and I wouldnt be suprised if we were there or there abouts come the final shake up.

[mooresy25]

First Half Line up: McDonald, Starkey, Paine, Bailey-Dennis, Jones, Luchmere, Quinton, Symons, Davis, Harris, Marks

It all got a bit messy second half! To many changes to mention. The team above were on the pitch for the first 60 mins or so.

Colchester brought a very strong team including Platt, Izzet, Gillespie, Wordsworth, Elito, Heath, Tierney, Vincent, Odejayi

[cm7]

I wasnt at the game today but didnt the referee enforce changes after a little flair up? Read something on the Colchester site, be interested to know what actually happened if anybody could tell me.

[jimbo]

A very good first half and a neutral would not have known which team was from League One. The second half was a waste of everyone's time with all the piecemeal changes; I can't really see what Rod could usefully learn with players having little chance to play to any pattern or even get hold of the ball. Still the football from the potential first team in the first half was very encouraging.

I was a bit worried when the bloke next to me said Jamie Guy has got a broken ankle - is there any truth in that?

[cm7]

Bloody hope not!

[Stuart R]

Yes, he has a little break in his ankle and is in a plaster cast. He did it in the Lowestoft game after he feel awkwardly. He shouldn't be out for too long though.

[ozbrit]

Thanks Mooresy, That's a cracking little report, hope to see more of 'em throughout the season - cheers

Jul 24, 2010 20:23:31 GMT mooresy25 said:

Once again another good showing from the lads. Not a huge ammount of goal mouth action but a gripping 0-0 draw nether the less. Thought we contained Colchester really well considering they had many first teamers on the pitch. The lad Platt gave many defences in league one a hard time last season but Paine and Bailey Dennis didnt give him a sniff. We lost the shape a little towards the end due to the ammount of subs but Colchester didnt look like scoring. Thought McDonald in goal looked solid and seems to be good in the air and with his kicking. Starkey was another stand out performer as was Luchmere and Davis. Was disappointed that Guy wasnt involved but Marksey, as always, gave 100% throughout.

I think this team will do good things during the 10/11 season and I wouldnt be suprised if we were there or there abouts come the final shake up.

[mooresy25]

CM7 there was a bit of hand bags between Jones and their number 16 in the second half. By the looks of it it may well have turned into an all out brawl had the ref not stepped in blowing his whistle like a mad man! Both players were subbed straight away to their dissapointment. Jones was probably going off soon any way but their lad had only come on as sub a few minutes earlier! He looked very annoyed sitting on the bench which resulted in him getting a ticking off by the Colchester coach/assistant manager. I think Jonah got to him!

Dissapointing news about Guy hopefully he'll be back soon. Marks looks sharp though as does Power.

[dav]

Ian Henderson for Col U, once a prat always a prat, I remember him breaking thru at Norwich as a youngster but he always had a suspect temper. Nice to see he's found his level at Col U though!

[jimbo]

Actually the ref was very kind. He was the one who signalled the bench to substitute both the players involved in the flare-up; in a league match, they would probably have both got a red card. There was some danger in the second half because the ref was making it clear that he was not going to flash the old yellow card and just give people a darn good talking too and this resulted in one or two nasty little tackles and a stamping on our no.7. What is the position regarding red and yellow cards in friendlies - do they carry into the league season or expire during other friendlies? It is not like the old days when a friendly was a friendly!

[ontheterrace]

I thought the ref had an excellent game. Just what you want for a friendly. No silly yellow cards. There's no doubt he would have flashed some if it had been a league game - starting with Nicky Symons' hopelessly mistimed tackle early on. But the ref did just the right thing, talking to people instead of bringing the cards out, just what used to happen many years ago before they were told to book more often. And 'sending off' Jonah and Henderson before he really had to send them off was a pretty smart move. Refs dont get much praise so lets give this one a pat onthe back

[chelmsfordiron]

Green Un report:

Another goal-less draw for U’s By Stuart Watson

Colchester United manager John Ward declared himself pleased with his side’s pre-season progress after they were held to a goal-less draw by non-league opposition for the second game running.

Braintree Town 0 Colchester United 0

COLCHESTER United manager John Ward declared himself pleased with his side’s pre-season progress after they were held to a goal-less draw by non-league opposition for the second game running.

The U’s are yet to concede a goal in five pre-season matches, however, their inability to score against newly-promoted Step Three side Lowestoft Town and Blue Square South outfit Braintree is a slight cause for concern.

“I’m really pleased,” said Ward. “I think we are getting nearer and nearer to league standard football games as we go along.

“The public will want to know why we are not winning these games, but that’s because the opposition has been really up for it. The Braintree boys gave no quarter and we stood up to it well.”

There was certainly nothing friendly about this pre-season match, with various ill-tempered clashes throughout.

Alan Maybury was fortunate that his stamp on Sam Lechmere went unseen by the officials, while soon 
after the break referee Adam Crysell told both managers that they must substitute Ian Henderson and Sam Holloway following an angry tangle. Henderson had only been on the field for nine minutes.

Braintree stalwart Bradley Quinton was in the referee’s ear all game, while Marc Tierney was guilty of a crude revenge tackle when he came on.

U’s boss Ward once again went with an attacking 4-3-3 formation, with Medy Elito making his first appearance of pre-season on the left of the forward three.

Goalkeeper Ben Williams returned to the team following a knee injury and was replaced at the interval by former Ipswich and Norwich man Andy Marshall, the non-contracted player getting the nod ahead of Mark Cousins.

The closest the League One side came to scoring in the first period was when Anthony Wordsworth’s free-kick went just past a post, before mass changes by both sides stopped the second half gaining any real momentum.

Home keeper Nathan McDonald made a good stop at the feet of Ashley Vincent – who played as a lone striker towards the end – while Kenny Davis blazed over for Braintree from a glorious position. Kemi Izzet then had to head off the line in the dying stages to deny the hosts a winner.

Meanwhile, there is bad news for Colchester’s latest signing Ben Coker who will be out for six to eight weeks after injuring his ankle badly in training. Joel Thomas remains out with a hamstring problem.

The U’s now head to Blue Square Premier side Cambridge United tomorrow night, while a Colchester United XI will play Chelmsford City on Wednesday.

Braintree: Nathan McDonald (Ollie Morris Saunders 80), Phil Starkey (Robbie Martin 65), Mark Jones (Sam Holloway 58), Matt Paine (cpt) (Michael Alaile 75), Adam Bailey-Dennis (Brad Thomas 65), Sam Lechmere (Martin Tuohy 71), Reece Harris (Ryan Doyle 65), Kenny Davis (James Hawes 75), Nicky Symons (Louis Riddle 75), Bradley Quinton (Tom Bruno 71), Sean Marks (Mike Power 75).

Colchester: Ben Williams (Andy Marshall 46), John White (Brian Wilson 68), Alan Maybury (Marc Tierney 68), Magnus Okuonghae (Paul Reid 68), Matt Heath, Lee Beevers (Andy Bond 63), Lloyd James (Kemi Izzet 63), Anthony Wordsworth (David Perkins 63), Steven Gillespie (Ian Henderson 49, Ashley Vincent 58), Medy Elito (Simon Hackney 46), Clive Platt (Sam Corcoran 84).

[cm7]

Anyone know the attendance by any chance?

[Iron Webbo]

Link: braintreeforum.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=2736

[cm7]

Thanks