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Now I am going to start today’s preview with a bit of a gripe
On 31 July, I emailed the club to vent my frustration at the cost of the Video Pass Credits for Col U TV and with queries regarding ‘Full Match Replays’ and highlights of the matches considering the time difference with me living in New Zealand. I received a generic response from David Gregory (see my post in the ‘Pre-season friendly fred’ on 02:51 - Aug 4). At the bottom of his email, he states that “In terms of the highlights and full replays, this is something that we are planning on continuing this season and into the future."
With this in mind, I purchased the credits and used one of them for the Accrington Stanley match with the intent to watch it after the match like used to do with iFollow and with Greggors’ promise of continuing the full replays. As per my posts on the ‘Wham! Bam! Thank You, Stan(ley)!’ the 'Full Match Replay' was/is available for free on YouTube so I emailed the club requesting for my match credit back and to refund me back my money for the Video Passes.
I waited 2 days for a response (that has still not materialised) before I emailed the club again to follow up and moan about the fact that the ‘Full Match Replay’ is available for free on YouTube and Col U TV. I also advised them that the Oldham home match (and now the Rochdale match) is not currently available on YouTube or Col U TV!
I have now emailed the club again (different email addresses), requesting full refund under the UK Consumer Rights Act 2015 as I believe that they have not provided the service that they mentioned in their email response to my initial query. No response received 3 days later.
So, I apologise for the rant. However, to not even receive a response to my emails is extremely frustrating!
Match Preview Onto the Match Preview for the away match vs Bristol Rovers, which frustratingly for Danny Cowley, falls on Transfer Deadline Day! Clubs have until 11pm on Tuesday to make the last additions to their squad before the transfer window reopens in January. However, the majority of clubs across the Championship and League One will also be in action, as well as all 24 teams in League Two. Colchester have made eight signings so far this summer, although five have arrived on loan. They are still thought to be in the market for On one or two late additions, with Cowley frustrated that his focus will be on the pitch and a trip to Bristol Rovers rather than any late deals. Feel free to read more here: https://footballlowdown.com/bl
On the pitch, The U’s currently sit joint top of the league (or 4th if you take Goal Difference and Goals Scored into account) with 2 wins and a draw in the first 3 matches. Worryingly, the last time I remember us starting this well we were in false pretences under Steve Ball in the disastrous 2020/21 campaign, when we finished in twentieth position with fifty-one points, including eleven wins and eighteen draws. However, back then it was draws that flattered our performances rather than last minute winners! More positively though, they always say that if you can win matches when you aren’t playing at your best, than this is a great recipe for success!
Bristol Rovers or ‘The Gas’ as they are nicknamed because of their former ground, Eastville Stadium, sat right next to a large gasworks, currently sit 3 places and 1 point behind Col U. Having won 2 and lost 1. They lost their league opener 3-2 away at Arthur Read’s York City, but have bounced back with 2 league wins in a row. These wins were at home to Hayden Mullins’ Newport Count (5-3) and at the weekend away to Crawley Town (0-2). So, Tucker & Co at the back for Col U really have their work cut out if we want to take the points back to Essex!
Match Facts Match Facts according to the BBC include: ‘Bristol Rovers have won just two of their last nine Football League games against Colchester United (D3 L4), though both wins during that time have come on home soil.
‘Colchester United have won two of their last 3 away games against Bristol Rovers (L1), after failing to win any of their opening 13 in the EFL between 1950 and 2010’
‘Bristol Rovers have won each of their last eight home league games, their longest run in the Football League since winning a joint-club record 10 in a row from Feb to Aug in 2016.
‘Colchester have won just one of their last 26 away midweek league games (D12 L13), beating Grimsby 3-2 in October 2023.
Jamie Cureton Played for Both Born in Bristol, Cureton began his professional career with Norwich City, before moving on to Bristol Rovers. During the 1999–2000 season where he struck up a partnership with Jason Roberts that almost took the club to promotion. After the club dipped out of the play-off places on the final day of the season, he decided his future lay with pastures new, and headed to Reading. It was during this 1999-2000 season that Colchester beat Rovers 5-4 in that epic battle at Layer Road where Jamie famously scored and missed a penalty in that defeat! watch the drama unfold here:
Cureton moved to Reading in 2000, playing there for three years alongside club captain Phil Parkinson. It was this bond that helped persuade Cureton to join Colchester United on loan from Swindon Town (after unsuccessful moves to K League side Busan I'Cons and QPR) then after Swindon got relegated to League 2, Cureton activated a clause in his contract that allowed him to leave Swindon on a free transfer, and rejoined Colchester on a permanent basis. The rest as they say is history!
According to Col U data there are plenty of others that Played for Both. However, JC stands out by a mile! On 25 August 2026, Eastern Counties League Division One North club Holland announced the signing of Cureton. Still going strong at 51!
Predictions Having only watched the full match of the Southampton game (thanks NZ BeIN for the month free trial), I can only guess the starting line-up based on reports so far. Defence and goalie pick themselves; Digby probably comes in to add ‘steel’ to the midfield to replace Sesay. So:
Otherwise, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Cowley line us up in a 5-4-1:
Lo-Tutala Vincent-Young Tucker Raggett Terry Iandolo Hunt Digby Payne Thorn Anderson Ihoinvien
All though wouldn't it be nice to be surprised before kick-off and Col U line up with 3 newbies in the team!
For the result, I am going for a battling 1-1! 1 nil down early on and a battering until changes at 70 odd minutes change the Col U fortunes again and an injury time scrabble leads to Iandolo smashing the ball home!
Weather watch The Beeb have Bristol mostly cloudy with and largely dry. The odd spot of rain cannot be ruled out under the thicker cloud, however.
Sorry about your subscription issues ghughes, but thanks for doing the preview. As you may gather, I couldn't make this one unfortunately. The boy and I were planning to, but work is stupidly busy right now, and given I didn't finish until after 6.30, it wasn't really possible. As I can't make Swindon either, my first trip of the season has to wait until Shrewsbury.
15 minutes in, and nothing really to trouble us so far, though Gas do seem to have the lions share of possession.
Time to Step on The Gas this Transfer Deadline Day! on 20:14 - Sep 1 by wessex_exile
1-0 to Brizzle - looked like a deflection wrong-footed Lo-Tutala.
Iandolo heads the equaliser, but the referee failed to get to grips with Rovers' defensive skull-duggery and wrongly chalks it off for a U's foul in the box.
Time to Step on The Gas this Transfer Deadline Day! on 20:17 - Sep 1 by wessex_exile
Iandolo heads the equaliser, but the referee failed to get to grips with Rovers' defensive skull-duggery and wrongly chalks it off for a U's foul in the box.
Morning!
Not watching or listening to the match - so your updates will be greatly appreciated
Seems like Iandolo is saving his goal for the last minute ala my prediction
61' Substitution, Colchester United. Kylian Kouassi replaces Jaden Williams. 70' Substitution, Colchester United. Bradley Ihionvien replaces Oscar Thorn. 85' Substitution, Colchester United. Leon Chiwome replaces Rob Hunt.
Time to Step on The Gas this Transfer Deadline Day! on 21:37 - Sep 1 by ghughes11
61' Substitution, Colchester United. Kylian Kouassi replaces Jaden Williams. 70' Substitution, Colchester United. Bradley Ihionvien replaces Oscar Thorn. 85' Substitution, Colchester United. Leon Chiwome replaces Rob Hunt.
Best L2 atmosphere ever, superb entertainment, the marginally better side won. Last twenty minutes the U’s threw the kitchen sink at the Gas and their second goal was an inevitable consequence of a fortuitous break.
The U’s sloppily gave away possession too often. Thorne was ineffective, but most other team aspects positive. Sesay and Kouassi impressed,
Normally I’d leave a 2-0 defeat with a long way home with my head hung low, but I saw enough to be encouraged. I’m confident this was our most difficult fixture and we nearly took something from it.
1
Time to Step on The Gas this Transfer Deadline Day! on 07:59 - Sep 2 with 1124 views
Same old gripes, passing sloppy and never have any great possession and control. Failure to defend edge of box, throughout first half, gave the hosts the lead. Equaliser incorrectly ruled out has ref finds a foul when player falls down. Changes to chase leave to many running headless, eventually caught exposed at back for second, in added time. What we learnt, Williams cannot play down the middle, (thought it was Samson), Sesay looks ok running at opposition but holds on to ball to long and has one touch to many. Two on loan strikers not good enough . Two signings should improve deficiencies above. If not it’s a long season.
Time to Step on The Gas this Transfer Deadline Day! on 20:17 - Sep 1 by wessex_exile
Iandolo heads the equaliser, but the referee failed to get to grips with Rovers' defensive skull-duggery and wrongly chalks it off for a U's foul in the box.
And Danny gets his first apology of the season from PMGOL for a disallowed goal that should have stood.
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