Colchester Friendly Abandoned
Tuesday, 26th Jul 2011 22:03

Town’s pre-season friendly at Colchester United was abandoned with eight minutes to go at 0-0 after U’s midfielder Andy Bond suffered a facial injury in a collision with his keeper Mark Cousins. Bond required lengthy treatment with the injury considered so severe that an ambulance was brought to the edge of the pitch causing the abandonment, with Bond eventually helped across to it with blood streaming down his face.

The evening had started with boss Paul Jewell handing first starts in a Town shirt to today’s signings Jay Emmanuel-Thomas and David Stockdale, and Ãvar Ingimarsson, who is over his thigh strain.

Michael Chopra was fine to start after his minor ankle knock at Southend, while Tamás Priskin was on the bench having missed the visit to Roots Hall. Nathan Ellington missed out with a shoulder injury sustained in training on Monday.

The Blues’ first ever game at the Weston Homes Community Stadium started - 15 minutes late due to crowd congestion with 2,700 Town fans making the short trip - at a frenetic pace but with neither side creating anything significant in front of goal. Carlos Edwards and Lee Martin had crosses from either side cut out as Town had the better of it. New signing Emmanuel-Thomas, who has the longest surname of any player to have featured for the Blues’ first team, was playing just off Chopra.

From an 11th minute Drury corner Tommy Smith’s header was deflected away. Ingimarsson played the ball back out to right wideman Drury, whose powerful strike was also blocked.

Grant Leadbitter, again skippering, shot weakly through to Colchester keeper Mark Cousins, then, as the game passed the 15-minute mark, Anthony Wordsworth lashed the home side’s first chance well over after a cross from the left had been allowed to reach him on the edge of the box. On 23 Colchester centre-half Magnus Okuonghae headed straight at Stockdale.

Chances continued to be rare despite the game being played at a decent tempo. Lee Martin’s 36th minute cross from the right was nodded away from Ãvar Ingimarsson at the far post, then from the resultant corner, Aaron Cresswell volleyed powerfully but inaccurately.

On 40 Colchester striker Kayode Odejayi, who had just returned from having received stiches to a head wound, left his foot in as Stockdale cleared, referee Darren Deadman choosing not to issue the yellow card which would probably have been shown in a league game.

In the final minute of first half normal time, Cresswell whipped in a cross from the left and Okuonghae headed behind just in front of Emmanuel-Thomas six yards out in front of goal.

Tommy Smith, who ended last season on loan with the U’s, smashed a shot well over, moments before referee Deadman blew his whistle.

Neither side had come that close to scoring at any stage of the half. The Blues had probably had the better of it but with the players’ lack of familiarity evident at times. New boy Emmanuel-Thomas added an aerial physical presence and showed his clever feet on a number of occasions.

Keeper Stockdale had handled confidently but hadn’t been overly tested, while Ingimarsson was an organisational and solid presence at the back and looks a potential candidate for the captain’s armband.

Jewell, who had watched the first half from the stand before making his way down to the dug-out for the second period, swapped Damien Delaney and Josh Carson for Smith and Drury at the break.

Four minutes into the new period, Colchester sub Ashley Vincent laid the ball off to Ian Henderson, who shot straight at Stockdale. Moments later, Vincent sent an effort over from the edge of the box.

Stockdale showed exactly why Jewell has brought him to Portman Road in the 54th minute when Colchester came close to going in front. Lloyd James sent in a corner from the left and Wordsworth powered a header goalwards which the on-loan Fulham man superbly palmed away from goal down to his right.

Luke Hyam replaced Martin on 55, allowing Emmanuel-Thomas to move out wide on the left then eight minutes later Jason Scotland replaced Chopra, who had shown his now usual sharp movement but without having had a chance to add to his goals.

Aaron Cresswell showed off his set piece ability in the 66th minute, hitting a well-struck freekick from the right across the box just beyond his on-rushing team-mates and similarly just wide of the post.

Three minutes later, Tamás Priskin and Mark Kennedy replaced Emmanuel-Thomas and Cresswell, who had put in his most impressive performance for the Blues so far.

The game came to a premature end after a mix-up on the edge of the Colchester area led to Cousins and Andy Bond colliding, the keeper appearing to catch the midfielder in the face with his head as they looked to clear a Town ball over the top which Scotland was chasing.

It was immediately clear that Bond had suffered a bad injury with medical staff quickly being called on to the pitch and with Cousins, who had received a more minor cut, appearing upset by the incident.

After a couple of minutes, there was a PA announcement that the game would be abandoned as an ambulance would have to be driven on to the pitch. A minute or so later, a groggy and bloodied Bond was helped to the side of the pitch and into the ambulance as the rest of the players made their way to the tunnel with some sections of the Town support booing and clearly unhappy at what was an understandable decision by referee Darren Deadman.

It was an unfortunate end to a friendly which looked as if it would have ended 0-0 in any case with the two sides creating only one significant chance, Wordsworth’s header which Stockdale saved brilliantly to his right, the game’s one moment of real quality.

Town will feel disappointed at having failed to test Cousins and that another pre-season game against lower league opposition has ended — albeit prematurely — without them being able to illustrate their divisional superiority in terms of the result.

Town: Stockdale, Edwards, Cresswell (Kennedy 69), Ingimarsson, Smith (Delaney 46), Leadbitter (Healy 73), Drury (Carson 46), Bowyer, Emmanuel-Thomas (Priskin 69), Chopra (Scotland 63), Martin (Hyam 55). Unused: Ainsley, Fülöp.

Colchester: Cousins, Rose, Okuonghae, Heath (Bond 56), O’Toole, Izzet (Baldwin 56), Odejayi (Vincent 46), Henderson, Wordsworth, James, White (Duguid 56). Unused: Eastman, Coker, Arnott, Hamilton, Bender, Pentney. Referee: Darren Deadman. Att: 6,268 (Town: 2,700).

Photo: Action Images

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Hungry_Badger added 00:13 - Jul 27 The problem is with us buying so many new players- and arguably we still need a CB and RB, is that it is going to take a while for the team to gel together, so I think we are going to have to be patient going into the new season, but I have every faith in PJ bringing us that success to this club next season. Oh and I hope the Col U player has a speedy recovery.
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Tractamatt added 00:40 - Jul 27

I had a rant after the last freindly cos i was really pi**ed of at the team , the management and the board ect ect tonight did'nt get to the game but after reading the report and the more intelligent posts I have to say that, firstly to accuse a team of cheating because a REFEREE abandons a game due to a facial injury is appalling and comments such as 'Could'nt see the blood from where we were sitting is just wrong'.Also very excited to here that cresswell had a good game and with Ivan playing no one has had much moaning to do about the defense which in itself is a good sign.We do need another midfielder in the Bullard mold but tonight surely our thoughts must be for the injured player it was a friendly after all and know one wants that what if it had been chopra or jet and their supporters had been posting about cheating how would we feel then.WHATS HAPPENED TO THE KOUAS LINK!!!!!

Tractamatt added 00:42 - Jul 27 Sorry KOUMAS
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Garv added 01:57 - Jul 27

I will say what I said after the match regarding the abandonment. When the announcement came out I thought wow he must be in a really bad way, they obviously can't move him, fair enough, etc. But it was the fact that the player got up (albeit gingerly) two minutes later, obviously I'm not blaming Bond, he didn't make the call. Surely though the ref couldve left it a bit longer to see if the guy was going to be alright/able to walk off and therefore be able to carry on the match. He just called it off prematurely for me. At the end of the day it was a friendly and it didn't matter with eight minutes to go, just would've been nice to see the game through. I'd like to clarify I was not amongst those booing, you have to learn to ignore that type of group of fans we have I think.

Regarding the game:
Stockdale: solid, one very impressive save, didn't have masses to do.
Edwards: looked better than he did last season at right back, seems he has sorted out more of a positional
sense and Jewell may be planning to keep him there.
Ingimarsson: solid enough, only six foot but not always a problem.
Smith: average, not particularly impressive, not particularly poor, Delaney looks much more dependable.
Cresswell: highly impressive, motm for me. Good passer, can cross and good set piece taker it seems. Confident also.
Martin: think he will do a good job this year, bit of pace and flair, glimpses of quality tonight, looks to run at defenders and get crosses in.
Leadbitter: just as awful as he always has been.
Bowyer: looked alright, nothing special, must be something about him having player numerous times in the premier league last year!
Carson: big fan, similar to Martin, gets at players and got a bit of bite about him as well!
JET: good touch on him, showed glimpses of real quality tonight, would've really liked to see him get a shot away but think he will come good after training with the team and getting another game under his belt on Saturday as well.
Chopra: didn't have enough service for me tonight, you know theres always a good chance though if he gets an opportunity he'll stick it away, always looks hungry.

Conclusion: Would have expected to beat Colchester but just a warm up game in truth and I'm sure they were up for it more than we were, being just down the a12 and being a league lower. Nothing to panic about!

Garv added 02:02 - Jul 27 Agree opinions seem to change depending on management with Jas 0999.
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Fatboy added 03:35 - Jul 27 Just because someone can walk to an ambulance, it does not mean they are "fine". Especially as the player clearly had a facial injury not a leg injury. Anyone who booed in these circumstances ought to take a long hard look at themselves.
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KnightZ_87 added 05:05 - Jul 27

h32 - When i say months, i mean 2 or 3 and i dont mean lose every game on the trot, i just dont expect them to be consistent that fast. Look at teams like Palace and Sunderland in years gone by, bottom of the league at Xmas, then in the prem the next season. Like i say i would love to see them start well, but people on here need patience and realistic thinking. It was hard to watch what Keane done to us last season, and i dont think the team have totally bounced back from that yet. They are much better prepared for this season though, they just need time now. Im sure PJ is the man to take us to the promise land!

Ridgeboy83 added 06:46 - Jul 27 I think the key thing is here that we didnt concede, im not to worried about not scoring because no player gives everything in these pre season games as they dont want to get injured for the start of the season!
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power19 added 07:27 - Jul 27

I was embarrassed to be an ITFC with the behaviour of a minority of supposed 'fans' who in the main seemed to be groups of little boys on their first trip without their parents.
It was the first away game i took my boys too and whilst I accept watching football isnt the same a bible class; the neandathal behaviour of fans incapable of stringing 2 words together without using an F or C word was just sad.

As for the callous and embarrassing behaviour of some fans when the Col U player looked to have been seriously injured - words fail me.

As for the match itself; clearly not the best but some promising new signings escp Cresswell & JET and people need to give it time to gel!

DiamondGezzer added 07:52 - Jul 27 Firstly, my best wishes for a speedy recovery to Andy Bond. Secondly, I can only reiterate what has been said previously. New guys in, give them time to gel, it will happen. Thirdly, thanks to all at ITFC for the team assembled so far, just a couple more and we're away.
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AlpineBlue added 07:54 - Jul 27 Has anybody any new words to use instead of 'gel'. This is one of the worst football clichés. I have no problem with the sentiment, just the word.
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Surco72 added 08:03 - Jul 27

Stop the panic over pre season results they mean very little and actually we are still unbeaten . Liverpool lost 3-0 to Hull do you think they are over reacting that the whole season will be crap ?
We are trying different formations and players in roles to see what is most effective ,we cannot play pretty passing all out attacking football in every game or we will get beaten by sides away . The 4-5-1 formation allows us to counter attack which away at West Ham ,Leicester ,Forest,Hull etc we will need to do anyone who thinks good sides just play one formation are deluded even Man Utd and Barcelona played with one up front in big games .
And like a lot have said Jas0999 tries to criticise Jewell on anything after defending Keane for so long and being proved completely wrong ,the squad is a lot more balanced and prepared for the season with maybe a couple of loans to add ,not 4 central midfielders and 4 centre backs in one team !!!

realipswich added 08:22 - Jul 27

I echo the comments of shame towards those who booed and chanted vile comments towards a player who could have sustained what looked to be a really bad injury-this surely is not the Ipswich way.
Also sorry to see the Chav elemement creeping into our crowd who spend the whole match hurling abuse at either set of fans and using vile language in what was deemed a family area- this surely not the Ipswich way.

To the football I saw signs of a decent partnership developing between Cresswell and Martin.

JimBaxter added 08:45 - Jul 27 Decent crowd, apart from Col U fans, good atmosphere but what a shocking game of football...only bright spark was Cresswell
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sonian_blue added 08:51 - Jul 27 Spot on realipswich regarding our 'fans', little boys behind me, one beer and they are big men slagging off our own fans. I suspect they wont be seen once the real action starts up and down the country week in week out.
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wellingtonboot added 09:14 - Jul 27 Alpine blue how about knit!!
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Back_The_Boss added 09:38 - Jul 27 Disappointing result but worryingly we didnt look like scoring! Back to the drawing board.
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CambridgeBlue added 10:08 - Jul 27 I wasn't there, so I can't comment on whether or not the game should have been abandoned, but it's a bit of a worry when the main talking point of a game is an injury in the last ten minutes!
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stiffshorts added 10:15 - Jul 27 why oh why do the friendlies attract morons about 16 years old who behave like idiots? Are we Millwall in disguise?
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I_AM_GOD added 10:22 - Jul 27 One question has to be asked by a ref is with regards to blood on th pitch. If he was bleeding badly, then that can be an issue. Remember David Boost when the Man Utd players got funny about playing on the pitch with blood on.
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SammyT added 10:32 - Jul 27

Lots of resentment here towards certain elements of fans, specifically younger fans who want to sing and swear. Justified in a way as respect should be there but as a regular attendee of away matches much like the young lads I have to blame Col U. They did not learn from the skum game how to deal with thousands of fans, the game should have been "sit where u like" in line with pretty much all away games, Then the fans who want to shout and swear sit together as they do and out of the way. People at football express themselves in different ways, some people like to have banter with the away fans which can involve swearing (god forbid) and usually attend most away games so the people who attended this game just coz it was close then and are now moaning aout the atmoshpere should cut others some slack, attend a few more games and see how it really works when the crowd/game is managed properly...if you wanna blame people blame Col U for poor stadium management.

UsualSuspect added 11:12 - Jul 27

First outing to the Western Homes Community stadium last night, £15 a ticket for a midweek friendly at Colchester is a tad steep me thinks.

Poor game if I'm honest, Stockdale and Cresswell were the main plusses, nothing else to add to the match itself other than I was about to leave as I had some paint drying on the walls at home when the injury happened.

Feel the correct decision was made to abandon the game as the player was 'still' on the turf and quite clearley out cold for a while, so pointless booing after the event.

As for a 'minority' of our fans it has to be said are f*cking morons! Felt embarrased standing in the queue for tickets with some t*at behind who'd had a couple of shandys and thought he was something special until the steward pulled him out and his pooper caved in instantly. As for the booing, come on fellas surely there's a more mature way of venting your frustration?

blue_em_away added 11:43 - Jul 27 Got a tip for all the idiots on here who don't know how to watch a game of football..... DON'T watch the ball ALL the time! and.... you will enjoy the game more. If you have no idea what the above means, you are not qualified to comment on football games.
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