The U's said goodbye to Layer Road on Saturday but Stoke took home the points thanks to Richard Cresswell's goal just before the break.

It doesn't matter how much bunting you put up. Whether the pre-match entertainment is fantastic or drab. Ultimately, United's last ever League game at Layer Road will be remembered for a performance from the U's that typified their season. Basically, it just wasn't good enough and Stoke took a step closer to the Premiership thanks to Richard Cresswell's goal just before halftime.

In all honesty, it was no more than Stoke deserved. Their football may not be pretty to watch - and they certainly won't earn many fans in the Premiership next season - but they were organised, defensively sound, and had a game plan. All the things that United weren't.

I read on BBC Football's website that Geraint Williams thought ' we played magnificently'. Then he is in a minority of one. We did not - and it took the introduction of Clive Platt two minutes from time to really get the U's going. In that short cameo we looked more dangerous than we had done in the previous 88 minutes.

It does make you wonder quite why he wasn't playing from the start. True, Vernon has been doing well up front, but sometimes you have to play horses for courses and a big battling front man against the two Stoke central defenders would have meant the U's fighting fire with fire.

Williams' tactics were obvious. Get the ball in the channels and ask Lisbie to get on the end of them. That relies though on good distribution from the back and yet I can't remember one single pass that was not either over hit for a goal kick, or straight on to the head of the central defender.

In truth, the score line flattered the U's. Ricardo Fuller and Mamady Sidibe may have terrorised the U's defence all afternoon but they have the finishing power of a four year old. Had James Beattie for instance been in front line then the U's might well have been looking at the second consecutive Layer Road thumping.

So on to the game though. No surprise that Adam Virgo was recalled to the starting line-up after the Coventry game last week with Bela Balogh returning to the bench. Otherwise, it was as you were though it was fortunate that the soon-to-be retired Teddy Sheringham had suddenly discovered full fitness just as the last home game was about to commence.

Stoke, knowing that a win might be enough to gain them automatic promotion if Hull slipped up at home to Palace, started brightly with Shawcross having header tipped from by Gerken from one of a number of corners that City won in the opening half. Fuller was then denied by the U's goalkeeper after getting away from White who had done well though to get back and force the former Southampton striker wide.

Fuller again had the Stoke City fans with their hands in the heads as he blazed over from inside the box as the away team dominated the opening forty minutes. Indeed, the U's didn't create a chance of note before and injury to Adam Virgo forced to make way for Hungarian International Bela Balogh.

Right on half time, as so often happened this season, the visitors scored the crucial goal. Another long throw-in for Rory Delap - who must have tired arms this afternoon - wasn't dealt with by the U's and somehow bounced on the edge of the six yard box. Lawrence headed goalwards but Gerken somehow plucked it out (though I wouldn't be surprised if it hadn't gone over the line) before, from the very narrowest of angles, Cresswell managed to get the ball over the line to wild jubilation from the thousand or so Stoke fans.

After the introduction of the 2008 Hall of Fame inductees at halftime, United would surely look to give Stoke's defence more questions to answer. But no, Lawrence curled a free-kick wide of the goal before only some desperate U's defending by Coyne and Ifil prevented the former Mansfield man from getting in a shot on the edge of the box.

The U's first real effort of note came from Dean Hammond who curled a shot over the bar. So little had Stoke keeper Carlo Nash been used in the preceding hour that he appeared to injure himself whilst in the process of diving - inactivity will do that to you!

Full then got the better of Coyne by the corner flag and raced along the by-line but despite Sidibe's full-length dive he couldn't get his head to the ball to divert it in to the net.
With 28 minutes remaining, the U's made the second substitution of the game as Teddy Sheringham came off for Scott Vernon who had worked hard, but had ultimately failed to deliver. Forty-two year old Sheringham will retire at the end of this season so clearly, this was his Layer Road swan-song.

Sidibe then tried an overhead kick which was well wide of the target while at the other end of the field Jackson thumped the ball into the ground as he tried to test out Nash.

Sidibe was warmly applauded by the away fans as he made way for Ameobi with eleven minutes remaining and very little happened between that and the 88th minute aside from the on loan Newcastle man picking up a caution for a late challenge on John White.

Then the moment came when Clive Platt was introduced in place of Karl Duguid with a couple of minutes remaining on the clock. For me, it looked like the U's longest-serving player was saying goodbye to the only football club he's known. The 29 year old stopped as he made his way off the field, and turned to clap the full house savouring what might his every last moment of life as a Colchester United player....or perhaps he was just saying his own personal goodbye to Layer Road.

Whatever, the change up front suddenly panicked the visitors and for the first and only time in the game United looked dangerous. Indeed, they had the ball in the back of the net as Platt jumped highest to head past Nash but referee Friend - who had an excellent game - rightly ruled that Sheringham had impeded the Stoke goalkeeper.

Hammond could not have met a clearing header from Stoke and better following a free-kick but from just outside the area the ball was always going over the bar. Lisbie then found space for the first time inside the box but his shot from the left was saved by Nash at his near post. The ball remained in play and Hammond tried his luck again from the pull back but again cleared the crossbar.

So United leave Layer Road with two defeats. United fans will take solace in the fact that their last ever Layer Road win came in the A12 Derby against Ipswich and Scott Vernon will forever be the last U's man to score at Layer Road. However, this display, albeit against the side in second place in the table, left many wondering what lies ahead at the club's new stadium on the edge of town.

Shot of the Match: Hammond's late volley was almost perfect - but just a fraction too high.
Save of the Match: Gerken did well to keep out the initial header that did lead to the goal.
Moment of the Match: There were many of such an important day for the U's - but walking out of the ground for the last time was difficult for all.
Man of the Match: Thankfully, all the end of season prizes have been awarded because I really can't think of anyone who had a great game.

Colchester: Gerken, Ifil, Coyne, Virgo (Balogh 43), White, Duguid (Platt 88), Jackson, Hammond, Elito, Lisbie, Vernon (Sheringham 62).
Subs Not Used: Cousins, Izzet.

Stoke: Nash, Riggott, Shawcross, Cort, Dickinson, Lawrence, Delap, Whelan, Cresswell, Sidibe (Ameobi 79), Fuller.
Subs Not Used: Simonsen, Wilkinson, Pugh, Pearson.

Booked: Ameobi.
Goals: Cresswell 45.
Att: 6,300
Ref: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire).

Photo: Action Images

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