Cambridge United vs Colchester United

United line-up: Barrett, Chenery, Wilson, Marc Joseph, Foster, Campbell, Wanless, Rees (Preece 84), Kyd (Youngs 87), Butler, Taylor.
Sub not used: Matt Joseph.

[Terry Wilby's match report] [The Abbey Rabbit comment] [The East Anglian Daily Times report]

Terry Wilby's match report:
After the Shrewsbury midgets last Saturday, Colchester had 6 feet 3 inch Mark Sale in their attack, and bald headed Peter Cawley in defence. Much the same team as Saturday, although Shaggy started the game in place of Williamson, Tom Youngs (whoever he is) was a substitute.

As on Saturday we started really well, and scored in the 6th minute, Martin Butler scoring after their goalkeeper flapped at a cross. With 3 central defenders it always seemed to be Jamie Campbell jumping with Sale. Although Jamie did fairly well, I would have put Foster on him. The one time Sale got in a decent header was a knock down from which they scored after 36 minutes. The marking of the scorer should have been better. Within a minute of half time Butler scored again with a fine header from a corner, Shaggy had done well to earn the corner. Barrett had little to do in the first half (except to make a save after he hadn't come for a low cross which should have been his easily), but he did make an excellent save early in the second half from a low shot to keep us ahead.

Cawley was having a reasonable game for Colchester, very few fouls on our players for a change. I think he even managed not to get booked. He tried to play with the ball once too often, was closed down by Shaggy and Rees?, the ball ran kindly for Shaggy who ran unchallenged into the penalty area and beat the goalkeeper with a little chip. Shaggy also scored our fourth with a rising shot from just inside the penalty area following good work from Kyd down the wing. Preece came on for Rees for the last 10 minutes, Youngs on for Kyd for the last three minutes.

All in all a very satisfying game. The only problems came mainly from our midfield defending too deep, which allowed Colchester to play the ball around at times, but they didn't really trouble us much. Our defence looked safe, both full backs supported the attacks well, although maybe Chenery needs a little more confidence when going forward with the ball. Foster never looks troubled. Nobody played really badly, but Rees gave the ball away too often. Wanless was everywhere, the whole team seem to link up nicely, and look to play for each other. Butler just gets my Man of the Match over Shaggy.

Ratings: Barrett 6, Chenery 7, Wilson 7, Joseph 7, Foster 7, Campbell 7, Wanless 8, Rees 6 (Preece 7), Kyd 8 (Youngs 6), Butler 9, Taylor 8.

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I thought the performance was a lot better than Saturday - although once again we defended too deep - resulting in their equaliser. However, after that we really closed them down and their only real outlet was the long ball to Sale. I thought they had a good shout for a penalty second-half when Sale tangled with Campbell(?)

Butler was excellent - it is amazing what the confidence of a goal can do!

The East Anglian Daily Times report By CARL MARSTON

Desperate defending from Colchester United cost them dear as they were trounced by East Anglian rivals Cambridge at the Abbey Stadium last night. Hot-shot marksman Martin Butler and Colchester old boy John Taylor bagged a brace each to round off a depressing evening for Steve Wignall's side. Wignall, a centre-half himself during his playing days, looked on aghast as his team shot themselves in the foot, time and time again.

The one bright spot in an otherwise dismal performance came with a rare goal from defender David Gregory, who had given the U's hope by firing home a 36th-minute equaliser. A hole-ridden Colchester defence, though, could not cope with Cambridge's three-pronged attack of Butler, Taylor and livewire Michael Kyd. A dreadful clearance by centre half David Greene gifted Butler the opener, and the same striker was left completely unmarked from a 46th-minute corner to regain the lead for Cambridge.

A grave error by centre-half Peter Cawley handed Taylor his first and Cambridge's third on a plate in the 6lst minute and the same player hit the target again with a crisp shot seven minutes later. The U's have now won just one of their first seven league and cup games representing a desperately disappointing start to the new campaign for Wignall's men.

So gutted to concede a late equaliser at Torquay on Saturday, the U's (Colchester) seemed to suffer a Devon hangover from very early on. They leaked a goal after just six minutes, the result of a miscued clearance by Greene, a poor punch by keeper Carl Emberson and a lethal finish by Butler. Paul Wanless provided the cross into the danger zone and Greene could only hoof the ball skywards. Emberson managed to half clear under pressure but the rebound fell kindly for Butler, who fired low into the far corner of the net. This meant that Butler, who signed for £22,500 from Watford (I think he means Walsall) over the summer, had scored in each of Cambridge's last three games.

The U's (them again!) took time to settle after this early blow, though in Paul Abrahams they always had a dangerous outlet down the left wing. Cambridge keeper Scott Barrett, a popular figure at Layer Road durinq the U's two years in the Conference, was called into action first on 15 minutes, but he was more than equal to a low drive by Steve Forbes, which lacked venom. Ex-U's striker Taylor, enjoying his first start of the season, came within a whisker of adding a second goal when his 25th minute header whistled only inches wide of the target. But the U's drew level in the 36th minute thanks to superb strike from Gregory, who had the vision to run 20 yards into a goalscoring position. Cawley drifted over a cross to the far post for Mark Sale to head downwards. Gregory, charginq through the middle from his right back slot, struck a first time shot that beat the despairing dive of Barrett to sneak in at the far post.

That was the extent of the U's joy, however. They were literally blown away after the break. The visitors were caught cold within a minute of the restart. Non- existent defending from a Paul Wilson corner enabled an unmarked Butler to head into the roof of the net from six yards out. Colchester had two chances to hit back. Richard Wilkins aimed a 57th minute free kick over the bar, and a minute later Barrett smothered a shot by Sale. The Essex club were beaten again in the 6lst minute when Cawley lost possession under pressure from Taylor and Jason Rees allowing Taylor to run through and calmly lift the ball over the advancing Emberson. There was more woe for Colchester in the 68th minute when Kyd's cross was deflected into Taylor's path and he struck an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net.

Many thanks to Terry and Steve for their reports.

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