It’s supposedly a mark of a good team, to play badly and still pick up a win. So we must be bloody excellent having somehow scraped a 1-0 win in a match largely controlled by the visitors.
Rovers started reasonably brightly, but never found a way to bridge the gap between half-decent midfield play and threatening United’s goal. Liam Mandeville, in for Andy Williams, was rarely on the same wavelength as the tireless John Marquis, whilst no-one in a hooped shirt seemed utterly on-board with the concept of crossing the ball to a team-mate.
At the other end Colchester grew in confidence and began fashioning chances of their own. However, when they were able to find a way in behind the Rovers back-line – Andy Butler making a particularly crucial challenge on Sammie Szmodics as he was about to pull the trigger – they found Marko Marosi in fine form; saving well from Kris Guthrie and Chris Porter.
The crucial breakthrough came just before half-time. A quick free-kick on the right and James Coppinger’s ball across the edge of the area was neatly stepped over by Marquis for the on-rushing Tommy Rowe to dink home for 1-0.
Marquis should’ve made it 2-0 fifteen minutes from time when he inexplicably found himself twenty-yards clean through despite being in his own-half. His effort was instead impressively cleared off the line leading to a nervy finish with Marosi the key man; out smartly to block a Szmodics effort that would’ve likely swung this Colchester’s way.
by Glen Wilson
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