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Super U's swept away by Waterfall at Sincil Bank - Durham's view 13:46 - Apr 22 with 1330 viewsdurham_exile

A number of things annoyed me yesterday at Sincil Bank:

The result and the fact that the better team lost!
Having to suffer the celebrations of the Lincoln Impish hoards after they snatched an undeserved late 94th minute winner
An element of jealousy that we can’t attract 9,000 crowds to the WHCS
The behaviour and antics of Rhead the fat ******* Lincoln Number 9 throughout the match
The celebrations of the Lincoln bench who thought that they had just won promotion!
The £8 parking charge in Lincoln City centre
The dubious penalty and the ridiculous comment from D Cowley that they never get any refereeing decisions
Why did Lincoln warm up at the Colchester end of the ground — just to piss people off I suppose
Colchester’s continuous profligacy in front of goal
The absurd decision to give Junior only 1-minute yesterday afternoon
The fact that my board comment made on July 16, 2017 “that when Bonne has scored 25 goals for Orient this season and has been picked up by a league One side” is likely to come true
The fact that we do not have anyone to replace loanee Ben Stevenson at the end of the season

I could go on, but you get the message.

The day was set fair, a balmy 20 degrees Celsius and a decent pitch (not too dry for Klopp) and 332 of the faithful in a crowd of 9,211, what could go wrong.

The journey down from Durham had been uneventful, the A1(M) behaving itself, the new section of motorway from Scotch Corner to Bedale now fully open and not a veggie burger in sight in Lincoln.

JM “content” in the knowledge that we would be competing in League Two again next year and the fact that 76 points will probably be the total for Seventh place this season, chose a decent line up to challenge the Cowley Brothers.

The formation looked to be 4,4,1,1 with Murray playing just behind Mika Mandron.

Walker

Jackson Eastman Prosser Vincent-Young

Wright Comley Stevenson Shodipo

Murray

Mandron

Subs:
Kent Loft Szmodics Senior Mandeville Barnes Ogedi-Uzokwe

Now the last time that I went to Sincil Bank, the crowd was just over 3,000, Colchester won 1-0 and the away fans were accommodated in what is now called the Selenity Stand, roughly half way along the side of the pitch. Now we are accommodated in the Stacey West Stand behind the goal. The faithful were in good voice and enjoying the sunshine. The “hard-core” Imps are situated in the Lincolnshire Co-op Stand and the other end of the ground is the Bridge McFarland Stand with a row of executive boxes above the seats.

Colchester started the better and played neat controlled football and bossed the lion’s share of the possession. I thought initially that the Imps were suffering a hangover from their Checkatrade victory against Shrewsbury Town, but they suffered that against Port Vale and then picked up a point against the Chairboys mid-week.

In fairness to JM he had set up a positive formation with Jackson and Vincent-Young getting forward at every opportunity. I am still disappointed at the lack of quality of Jackson’s crosses, but he races forward like a gazelle and shows genuine pace.

I was wrong about the formation, thinking that Frankie Kent would join Prosser and Eastman to combat the chunky Lincoln forwards. I thought that the infamous Matt Rhead (a big fat lump of lard) wasted his afternoon, debating every decision and putting his weight about at every opportunity in a negative way. The referee Darren Handley only spoke to him, when a booking early doors would have put paid to his antics.

The burley Michael Bostwick who looked like the beast from Hackney Marshes and who was to be the villain of the piece later in the game was a real bruiser in the defence for Lincoln.

John McGreal prowled along the touchline and I have never seen him as animated as these last few games, perhaps the pressure or the realisation of a failed season has got to him. But I felt sorry for him yesterday, as we clearly dominated the game without having that cutting edge.

Half time arrived, and it remained goalless, Sam Walker had very little to do and Allsop had fended off the U’s efforts.

Danny Cowley made a sub bringing on Ollie Palmer at HT and he made a difference to the Imp’s attacking intent. After 55 minutes he was adjudged to have been brought down in the box just before he was about to shoot. Now in real time I thought the decision was harsh and still do having seen it on the highlights!

Whitehouse sent Walker the wrong way and we were 1-0 down. Lincoln however did not deserve to be in front and JM made an inspired substitution himself, bringing on Courtney Senior (fresh from signing a new two-year deal) for the tiring Shodipo, within 3 minutes he had exchanged passes with Mandron and tucked away a smart finish to bring parity to the scoreline.

At that stage there would only be one winner surely with Colchester again on top and playing some good attacking football. Mandron was then booked for allegedly elbowing his opponent (he did, but there was no intent).

JM made his second sub on 70 minutes, the hardworking Murray replaced by the £1m man Sammie Szmodics who had a horror show, although he did shoot only to see Allsop palm the ball away to the onrushing Mandron who made a real mess of his effort striking the ball high, wide and not very handsome. We should have been 2-1 up.

Mandron was then sent away down the right-hand wing on 83 minutes and as he neared the penalty area he was wrestled to the ground by the beast from the marshes (Bostwick) who was then dismissed after some debate between Referee and Linesman. The free kick was taken by Senior who frankly wasted it. Ben Stevenson surely should have been given the responsibility, his dead ball skills are immense.

Now long-suffering Colchester supporters all know that we never play well against ten men. From a team that was in the ascendancy, we took our foot off the gas and allowed Lincoln on.

As the clock ticked over to 89 minutes, it was time for JM to introduce a striker to be given his customary one minute plus injury. That player was Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe who looks to have bulked up (in the right way) as opposed to fatty Rhead.

Ironically, we could have won it, when the ball broke in the area for Mandron and Senior who between them contrived to both touch the ball before it went in the net and it was ruled out for offside.

Almost with the last kick of the game (94 minutes) the Lincoln Captain - Luke Waterfall received the ball and headed firmly past Walker, cue unbridled joy from the Lincoln supporters who feared that they had blown the game, their entire bench and training staff plus manager took to the field for prolonged celebrations (time which was not added on by Mr Handley) whilst the U’s faithful (me included) were more annoyed that upset. There was barely time for the ref to book Waterfall (for the celebrations) and to restart the game before he blew the final whistle.

And that was our season encapsulated in 5 added minutes of time.

Walking back to the car in the City centre it was interesting to hear the views of the Imps who dismissed Wycombe for their delaying tactics and poor football in mid-week whilst acknowledging that Lincoln had got out of jail with their late winner yesterday. Of course, it is always easy to be gracious in victory, but I did tell them that we would see them next season!!!!

Now I have a theory about Mika Mandron, he would be better employed playing as an attacking midfielder and abandon all hope of continuing as a striker. No, I’m deadly serious. His best play is reserved exclusively for holding up play and passing either wide or forward. He lacks all ability of shooting in the box and always seems to lack ideas when he has won the ball just outside the box.

This would of course mean that we still need to sign a striker. Of course, my favourite Billy Kee will be with Accrington in the rarefied heights of League One next season and so why not try instead to secure the services of Cheltenham Town’s Mohamed Eisa. He will not be cheap, probably £500,000, but he knows where the goal is and will score 20 goals a season. The problem of course is that other clubs will also be vying for his services.

Brandon Comley played well again yesterday, we should try to sign him at the end of the season. Ben Stevenson is just pure class and Wolves have made a bargain signing there.

So just the two games left now. Swindon at home next week and then promotion chasing Exeter City to finish. The Robins have fallen by the wayside, but the Grecians have hopes of overhauling the Chairboys who were hammered by Accrington yesterday.

After three successive defeats we must stop the rot against Swindon and then look to finish strongly at St James’s Park. I will travel in hope to Exeter and trust that we can at least finish the season with two victories. Even 67 points is probably 9 shy of where we needed to be.

Keep the faith

Up the U’s


Durham_exile

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Super U's swept away by Waterfall at Sincil Bank - Durham's view on 23:18 - Apr 22 with 944 viewsmfb_cufc

A few points on your excellent report, durham.

The Cowley's are getting a lot of plaudits at the moment, and with their record it is not surprising. But are they really that good? Their brand of percentage football, or more to the point physical hoof ball football, maybe the right way to get success in the lower leagues, but it wont work if they get a job at a higher level. Perhaps they are clever enough to realise that, but it will be interesting to find out.

I agree with what you say about Mandron being played as an attacking midfielder. That is where his best work is done, and he has almost played that role all season anyway.

As for signing Eisa from Cheltenham, there is no way that will happen. We wont be paying £500,000 for any player anytime soon, and if he did leave it would be for a far better team than us.

Comley has been signed permanently already.

mfb

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Super U's swept away by Waterfall at Sincil Bank - Durham's view on 11:55 - Apr 23 with 887 viewsMoor_Pinot

Marvellous Durham. I think I enjoyed that report more than any of your previous unselfish and adventurous epics.
Speaking personally, and my views are already known, I'd rather have had the Cowleys dancing on the pitch because we had secured a play-off place; an outcome I believe was inevitable had we signed their management team rather than the poor chap we have who is so out of his depth.

The Cowley success has been built on intelligent man-management, intuition, thorough preparation as well as genuine passion, right from the Concord days. They have experience. Our man has no cred. The consequences are inevitable and were predicted on here. It also sounds as though we were out-smarted in other extraneous ways. Fair enough - more nouse than we have and again I'd rather have that on the U's side than against it.

Mandron has done well in a role that doesn't work for him and although his finishing is questionable he is worth persevering with if we have any nucleus left come July. We do have a reasonable replacement for Stevenson - Slater - but he's not been given the sort of focus that Lapslie has. Pity. He is a far better player. Yes, Bonne has almost reached his inevitable goal target that you set him Durham and will move on for sure. Missed opportunities with both. A U's problem these days.

On another thread Torquay's predicament is lamented. It is a familiar decline and I have highlighted the disappearance of Stockport, Kidderminster, York, Darlington and Hereford amongst others several times this season as my worry at our decline grew. These teams have not returned from step 2.

Maybe Torquay will as I am sure Chesterfield will re-emerge from step 1...........but Wrexham have not, nor Tranmere [yet], nor Aldershot, nor others. We will not finish 8th, so our decline continues unchecked. If we can just arrest it next year we may be able to rebuild and some of this season's lost 400 fans will return along with others. Like you Durham I enjoyed the status and at times the struggle of league 1 and I want it back..............we'd worked very hard to get it.

Lovely to see Hereford on the way back and with a crowd of 4556 at step 3 the other day, always enjoyed that ground, especially Simon Betts rocket!

Up the badly in need of energy from somewhere U's

Moor Pinot

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Super U's swept away by Waterfall at Sincil Bank - Durham's view on 23:15 - Apr 23 with 804 viewsdurham_exile

Super U's swept away by Waterfall at Sincil Bank - Durham's view on 11:55 - Apr 23 by Moor_Pinot

Marvellous Durham. I think I enjoyed that report more than any of your previous unselfish and adventurous epics.
Speaking personally, and my views are already known, I'd rather have had the Cowleys dancing on the pitch because we had secured a play-off place; an outcome I believe was inevitable had we signed their management team rather than the poor chap we have who is so out of his depth.

The Cowley success has been built on intelligent man-management, intuition, thorough preparation as well as genuine passion, right from the Concord days. They have experience. Our man has no cred. The consequences are inevitable and were predicted on here. It also sounds as though we were out-smarted in other extraneous ways. Fair enough - more nouse than we have and again I'd rather have that on the U's side than against it.

Mandron has done well in a role that doesn't work for him and although his finishing is questionable he is worth persevering with if we have any nucleus left come July. We do have a reasonable replacement for Stevenson - Slater - but he's not been given the sort of focus that Lapslie has. Pity. He is a far better player. Yes, Bonne has almost reached his inevitable goal target that you set him Durham and will move on for sure. Missed opportunities with both. A U's problem these days.

On another thread Torquay's predicament is lamented. It is a familiar decline and I have highlighted the disappearance of Stockport, Kidderminster, York, Darlington and Hereford amongst others several times this season as my worry at our decline grew. These teams have not returned from step 2.

Maybe Torquay will as I am sure Chesterfield will re-emerge from step 1...........but Wrexham have not, nor Tranmere [yet], nor Aldershot, nor others. We will not finish 8th, so our decline continues unchecked. If we can just arrest it next year we may be able to rebuild and some of this season's lost 400 fans will return along with others. Like you Durham I enjoyed the status and at times the struggle of league 1 and I want it back..............we'd worked very hard to get it.

Lovely to see Hereford on the way back and with a crowd of 4556 at step 3 the other day, always enjoyed that ground, especially Simon Betts rocket!

Up the badly in need of energy from somewhere U's


Pinault - Noir
Good to hear from you!
I suppose much of my ire on Saturday surrounded the fact that once again I was having to watch while another team and their supporters were enjoying the victory over the U's and or virtual confirmation of the play offs.

Last season it was Plymouth at the WHCS and it never gets any easier to stomach.

I admit that I had forgotten about Craig Slater, who I very much enjoyed as a footballer but can't help thinking he will stay north of the border.

Agree totally about Torquay, desperately sad, they will at least have Truro as a local derby!!!!!

Hereford incredible stuff - I once sat in David Icke's seat at Edgar Street whilst supporting the U's (he wasn't there of course) and I survived to tell the tale!

Cant get to Swindon this week but have my ticket for Exeter, can we spoil their end of season celebrations or will I have to suffer another team clinching promotion we will wait and see.

Up the U's

Durham_exile

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Super U's swept away by Waterfall at Sincil Bank - Durham's view on 20:13 - Apr 24 with 748 viewsdurham_exile

The beast Bostwick has had his red card rescinded today so he plays at the Ricoh.

Hey ho

Up the U's

Durham_exile

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