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Ipswich Town 0-1 Colchester United - Half-Time
Tuesday, 9th Aug 2022 20:48

Luke Hannant’s 29th-minute goal has given Colchester United an unlikely 1-0 half-time lead over the Blues in the Carabao Cup first round at Portman Road.

Town boss Kieran McKenna made the expected wholesale changes with only Cameron Burgess remaining from Saturday’s 2-1 win at Forest Green Rovers.

Vaclav Hladky was in goal with former U’s defender Kane Vincent-Young on the right of the back three with Luke Woolfenden returning in the centre having been ill at the weekend with Burgess on the left.

Kyle Edwards and Greg Leigh were the wing-backs with Cameron Humphreys and Rekeem Harper in the centre of the midfield.

Sone Aluko, who skippered, and Tyreece John-Jules started behind lone striker Kayden Jackson.

For Colchester, ex-Blues Luke Chambers, who captained, Cole Skuse, Tom Eastman and Frank Nouble were all in the starting line-up.

The U’s, whose head coach is former Town defender Wayne Brown, made four changes from the team which drew 1-1 with Carlisle on Saturday, while three players were making first starts. Tommy Smith and Emyr Huws were out injured, while Freddie Sears appeared to pick up a knock on Saturday and Alan Judge is understood to have been rested.

Ahead of kick-off both teams - other than Aluko - took a knee to applause from the sparse crowd with the upper tiers of the Sir Bobby and Sir Alf stands closed.


Aluko created the evening’s first opportunity, playing a low ball in for Humphreys but the young midfielder scuffed his shot through to visiting keeper Sam Hornby.

On three, wing-back Leigh was found on the left of the box but he similarly failed to make significant contact and Hornby claimed.

Town dominated the early stages with Colchester unable to get out of their penalty area with the Blues’ centre-halves sitting midway inside the visitors’ half.

On seven, Harper crossed towards the back post but a Colchester defender dived to head away in front of Leigh, then a minute later the former Morecambe man cut in and hit a shot which wasn’t enough to trouble Hornby.

The Blues continued to have all the possession and in the 14th minute, following a free-kick, Humphreys smashed a shot which sent Ossama Ashley sprawling.

The Town pressure dropped in its intensity as the game reached the 20-minute, although with the Blues still well on top. On 21 a headed clearance fell to John-Jules, who sent a volley well into the stand.

Three minutes later, the on-loan Arsenal man sought to sweep a low near-post corner goalwards but only found the side-netting.

Town should have taken the lead in the 26th minute when Aluko played in Edwards with a clever ball to the right of the area and the former West Brom man cut it back to Humphreys, who seemed destined to score his first senior goal but blazed over from 12 yards.

Two minutes later, having spent virtually no time in the Town half let alone the penalty area, the U’s went ahead following a catastrophic mix-up in the Blues’ defence.

Harper played a pass into his own area from the right between Burgess and Leigh and Luke Hannant gleefully seized upon it and smashed past a startled Hladky to give the visitors an unlikely lead.

On 35, the game was held up after a smoke bomb was thrown on to the pitch by Colchester supporters, the second of the evening following one at kick-off.

The Colchester goal and its manner appeared to discombobulate the Blues and give the U’s confidence.

In the 38th minute, former Blues midfielder Skuse was shown the game’s first yellow card for a foul on Harper.

From the free-kick, Town, who had got back on top although while still a little nervy with John-Jules now down the centre having swapped with Jackson, created a chance, Humphreys crossing from the left but Vincent-Young was unable to keep his header down.

On 40, Humphreys had another great opportunity, the youngster having been picked out by Vincent-Young just beyond the penalty spot but the academy product scraped his shot wide. The 18-year-old, playing the Sam Morsy role in central midfield, had got into some excellent positions throughout the half but had been unable to take his chances.

Town were unable to threaten again before referee Sam Purkiss blew his whistle. The Blues had dominated almost from start to finish and had created plenty of opportunities but had been unable to take them, the best having fallen to the otherwise excellent Humphreys.

Colchester’s goal came from their only chance of the half, Hannant making the most of Harper’s sloppy pass across his own area. Having been knocked out of their rhythm after conceding, the Blues restored their control but still with an element of nervousness about their play.

Town: Hladky, Vincent-Young, Woolfenden, Burgess, Edwards, Humphreys, Harper, Leigh, Aluko (c), John-Jules, Jackson. Subs: Hayes, Edmundson, Donacien, Penney, El Mizouni, Evans, Burns, Chaplin, Harness.

Colchester: Hornby, Chambers (c), Hannant, Skuse, Chilvers, Ashley, Eastman, Tchamadeu, Kazeem, Miranda, Nouble. Subs: Collins, Clampin, Dallinson, Newby, Akinde, Coxe, Tovide. Referee: Sam Purkiss (Surrey).


Photo: Matchday Images



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Bert added 20:56 - Aug 9
Oh dear. Please don't let Colchester's immature supporters go away with a win.
-1

RobsonWark added 21:00 - Aug 9
10 changes for the USELESS Cup - say no more!
2

SickParrot added 21:00 - Aug 9
Different team but same story. Town = 75% possession, 9 attempts, no goals; opponents =
25% possession, 2 attempts, 1 goal. Better finishing second half please.
6

superblues9 added 21:05 - Aug 9
Sounds like we have had the chances yet again and don't take them seems regardless who plays we just waste chance after chance
1

Ebantiass added 21:15 - Aug 9
dreadful schoolboy pass across the back line , appalling stuff really.
1

paphos added 21:18 - Aug 9
Nothing changes, Ipswich Town cant score goals. Promotion dream on.

4

dirtydingusmagee added 21:25 - Aug 9
bloody awful
5

RobsonWark added 21:32 - Aug 9
What do you expect when you have Jackson "I'm a professional footballer" as a striker!
6

dirtydingusmagee added 21:35 - Aug 9
Colchester are a very poor team, and we are looking no better , U's havnt won at Portman rd for 70 years, embarrassing . Anyone thinking we dont need a decent striker now ?
6

AlanG296 added 21:38 - Aug 9
A striker won't fix this on his own, there's a lack of goals from every area.
0

dirtydingusmagee added 21:43 - Aug 9
Disgraceful , Sunday league still .No excuses.
4

buzbyblue added 21:44 - Aug 9
What a shower of sh!te - but don't worry we are signing a 35 y.o CB
4

barrystedmunds added 21:44 - Aug 9
KMcK out!
-3

Ebantiass added 21:45 - Aug 9
First defeat against them since 1951 fcuk ,just not good enough despite the changes.
2

Skip73 added 21:45 - Aug 9
Absolutely disgraceful. Momentum thrown away yet again. This club will never learn.
4

WalkRules added 21:46 - Aug 9
What a joke
3

blueboy1981 added 21:47 - Aug 9
Let the Excuses Roll - we don't need this Cup Competition,etc; etc;
How many ties have we heard that in past seasons ??
4

Master_Montage added 21:49 - Aug 9
Utter rubbish, we keep being told what a fantastic squad we have and yet again we are out of the league cup at the first attempt.
4

19781981twtd added 21:49 - Aug 9
Very poor jackson absolute waste of space promotion you mast be joking embarrassed yet again was full of hope for KMc But he looks as inept as those who have come before
4

pg888 added 21:50 - Aug 9
Absolutely pathetic. Dominate a game check! Give the opposition a goal check! Fail to score check!

Cup game it may be but if Kmc can't resolve this goal scoring issue by Christmas he's going to find himself under some real pressure
3

Rubens added 21:51 - Aug 9
Desperately need a striker, much like last season (other than early weeks with Bonne) we can create plenty of chances but never put them away. Not sure if Ladapo is the answer, whilst he didn't play tonight, I don't think we have anyone else currently with Nors gone.
1

multiplescoregasms added 21:52 - Aug 9
Anyone that thinks this squad is one of the best in the Division is mad. We do not have good enough strikers and we have known this for years, yet it still rolls on like we actually believe we do. What a load of horses**t
3

ChrisR added 21:53 - Aug 9
McKenna Honeymoon over.
Hardly had a shot, same old story, lots of possession, hopeless finishing.
Will never go up with these useless forwards.
And what ever use is Jackson? Invisible all game!,
3

surgery added 21:55 - Aug 9
Different mesiah manager, different team, same pathetic result. If he says in his post match interview “we did more than enough to win the game” well.

I know that I'm going to be heavily marked down for this but I'm not convinced by this management
0

del45 added 22:08 - Aug 9
Disgusting paid 1000's per week should hit the target time and time again this will be our downfall again
2


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