Forum | Another classic Away day for the Super U's in North Yorkshire by durham_exile

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Another classic Away day for the Super U's in North Yorkshire 17:51 - Apr 3 with 651 views

Another League double yesterday and deservedly so. Virtually safe from Relegation now, just one more victory at home to Stevenage will do it for the Super U’s.

Yesterday was another new ground for me. I have now seen Colchester play at 92 League and Non-League grounds including Wembley. But incredibly I haven’t been to all 92 current league grounds.

The grounds that I have yet to visit are Bolton, Middlesbrough, Crawley, Cardiff and Swansea.

I have however been to 120 League and Non-League grounds to watch football over 60 years, 52 of them supporting Colchester.

I have also seen 5 of our 6 Away League victories this season (Salford, Harrogate, Barrow, Oldham and Scunny). 3 out of our 4 Away Draws (Rochdale, Carlisle and Bradford) and only 2 of our 10 Defeats (Tranmere and Mansfield). Seven defeats have come at Home. I am also hoping to go to the Walsall home match later in the season.

So, without doubt one of my best seasons personally for Away results (with the exception of our Non-League days).

The EnviroVent Stadium is basically a Non-League ground, capacity 4,000, with a newly laid pitch just over 18 months ago. The pitch was reasonable but played badly yesterday with numerous poor bounces and after receiving a pre-match water, when the heavy rain showers did come at half time it made for a greasy and difficult surface second half.

Harrogate is only 60 miles from my home and obviously one of the easier journeys this season. Only Hartlepool and Carlisle are nearer. My youngest son accompanied me. A bright sunny day at home saw rain showers en route but arriving at the ground it was dry and bright.

Now parking is difficult at the stadium, but the Harrogate District Hospital is only a stone throw from the ground and for £5 the parking was good and the car park was less than a quarter full.

I was also able to get a programme which for 48 pages and £3 wasn’t bad value. Plenty of stats and a good write up for the Super U’s.

The cheeseburger was one of the better ones this season and the pies were available with gravy which seemed to be going down well with the faithful.

The Sulphurites recent poor form had led to a gate of only 1,615 but the U’s support was a magnificent 387. We took over the EnviroVent Terracing and Stand on the Wetherby Road side of the ground and then the entire Myrings Terrace behind the goal. Outside the ground I met some of the faithful who had travelled from Lincolnshire and Wales. Inside the ground Noah made his way to the Standing alongside the pitch.

This was just as well because the home support was libraryesque at best.

WB (who has lost an incredible amount of weight) lined up as follows:

George

Coxe Chambers Eastman Kenlock

Wiredu Skuse

Tchamadeu Hannant Chilvers

Sears

Subs
Hornby Welch-Hayes Huws Judge Akinde Andrews Wright

After a two-minute delay to the start of the game after a minute’s silence to respect Harrogate’s former manager who sadly died recently and the obligatory Kick it Out salute, the match started.

There was great expectations amongst the U’s faithful. I had anticipated a 3-0 victory and the support was buzzing. However, the players had failed to read the script. After the merest hint of time Diamond passed to Kavanagh who had the freedom of the penalty area but when one on one with Shamal George elected to try and set up Armstrong and got his angles hopelessly wrong.

Harrogate however did not have long to wait for an early goal because the Colchester defence was porous and after Coxe made a hash of a clearance on the far-right hand side the ball was passed to Muldoon who struck a shot diagonally past George and into the corner of the goal. 4 minutes on the clock and already a goal down.

The U’s were lack lustre at this stage. Slow and pedestrian to the ball, little attacking intent and the defence were making mistakes.

However, Harrogate failed to take full advantage. The U’s grew into the game and after a protracted amount of head tennis, the U’s at last got the ball down to feet. The outstanding Skuse passed to Noah Chilvers who delivered a pin point ball to Freddie Sears who tucked the ball away nicely past the hapless Oxley. So, 1-1 on 21 minutes.
Harrogate were stunned and the U’s needed to push on at this stage but they did not and settled back into their comfort zone.

As Half Time approached the ball got loose down the left wing and Freddie Sears picked it up and played a neat pass into the six-yard box where Chilvers tucked it away with aplomb. Never a bad time to score but this 2-1 lead changed the Half Time team talk.

Now so far, the ground had been bathed in sunshine but during the half time interval the clouds darkened and a sharp shower lasting perhaps 15 minutes made those of us wet in the seated area.

Sulphurites boss Weaver sent his players out early after half time and they prowled around waiting for the referee and the Super U’s. By the time the U’s arrived the Harrogate players were already wet and cold.

The pitch became greasy and the surface more difficult. Tom Eastman has not had the best of seasons and his opportunities to play have been limited. I do not think he is playing anywhere near his best and his defending is uncertain at times and he does not command the area with his headers.

Tom Dallison would have played if fit in his place I suspect.

Chambers had a solid game and the midfield were outstanding. Brendan Wiredu proved that he is strong and resilient. Noah Chilvers has talent in abundance and again looked a superb prospect. His value is probably comfortably into seven figures now.
But my Man of the Match was Cole Skuse. Turning back the years, Skuse is a superb footballer. His timely tackles and distribution are always measured but his overall contribution is impressive.

Junior Tchamadeu also grew into the game. He lacked the impact from the Tranmere game because he was being asked to hold down a central midfield berth. On 68 minutes WB made his first change bringing on Alan Judge for Tchamadeu.

Now given the nature of the pitch and the fact that the U’s were dropping deeper I wanted to see either Big John or Corie Andrews . Clearly WB considered it was not a day to unleash the beast but I am more concerned about his inability to play Andrews (again). His pace would have been invaluable yesterday particularly in the last 20 minutes.

Harrogate in truth never looked like obtaining an equaliser. Thomson hit a shot from 20 yards which George tipped over with a great diving save. But that was all.

WB made a second sub on 84 minutes when MOTM Skuse was replaced by MWH.
Indeed, when Sears played Hannant in only a smart save at his right-hand post by Oxley kept the score to 2-1.

The referee manged to find 5 additional minutes but Harrogate were a busted flush and did not look to have the energy to trouble the U’s back line.

Great support from the faithful was greeted by plenty of enthusiasm by the players and WB. They know that this wretched season is almost over and that we are virtually safe.

We didn’t rush home and decided to grab a meal in York before travelling home. A satisfying foray into North Yorkshire and another assured Away win.
Assuming WB retains his safe and steady approach to the Stevenage game, I would like to then see a more fluid attacking style for the final five games with young Thomas and Andrews seeing some game time.

These matches must be about preparing for next season and to build upon the improved performances of late.

In the meantime, we can reflect on another good away day and the safety margin which now exists between the U’s and the bottom two.

COLU 40 45
Rochdale 40 44
Barrow 39 37
Oldham 40 37
Stevenage 39 34
Scunny 40 24

Matches to play.

Stevenage H
Exeter A
Bradford H
Newport A
Walsall H*
Hartlepool A*

I reckon that I will try to get to the Walsall home match and then of course it is the Monkey Hangers to finish things off.

Have a good week.

Up the U’s

Durham_exile

Another classic Away day for the Super U's in North Yorkshire on 21:10 - Apr 3 with 585 views

wessex_exile

Great write-up Durham, many thanks! I know it was a new ground for the Faithful, but nearly 400 for such a long trip is a massive turnout - well done to all who made it!

	Up the U's
Poll:	How will we do in 2016/17
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Another classic Away day for the Super U's in North Yorkshire on 11:57 - Apr 4 with 535 views

RSCOSWORTH

Impressive stuff Durham. I've visited very few grounds but I can count Middlesbrough's amongst them, although it was for an England game. I think the only current league grounds I've been to are:

Liverpool
Tottenham
Chelsea
Manchester United
Middlesbrough
Charlton Athletic
Ipswich Town
Crawley Town
Colchester United

Feel like there must more but I can't think of any!

I've watched Col U at Yeovil and Rusden & Diamonds although I don't think the latter is even a ground these days. I've been to Upton Park for an England game and the London Stadium but for athletics not football. Also went to the Emirates but to watch Coldplay not Arsenal.

Did you see last week that Port Vale are the only team in the country to have a league win against all 91 other clubs in the football league? Brilliant stat that. I wonder whose next on that list.

Poll:

How many polls will Leadbelly do this season?

Another classic Away day for the Super U's in North Yorkshire on 15:06 - Apr 4 with 510 views

durham_exile

Another classic Away day for the Super U's in North Yorkshire on 11:57 - Apr 4 by RSCOSWORTH

RS thanks for your message.

I went to Rushden and Diamonds some years ago for a Pre-Season friendly. I think it was 2-2 against the U's.

I hadn't seen that stat from Port Vale. That is impressive.

Middlesbrough and Bolton must be my next grounds but Crawley, dont Know how I haven't made that game.

Up the U's

Durham_exile

Another classic Away day for the Super U's in North Yorkshire on 20:12 - Apr 4 with 473 views

wessex_exile

Another classic Away day for the Super U's in North Yorkshire on 15:06 - Apr 4 by durham_exile
RS thanks for your message. I went to Rushden and Diamonds some years ago for a Pre-Season friendly. I think it was 2-2 against the U's. I hadn't seen that stat from Port Vale. That is impressive. Middlesbrough and Bolton must be my next grounds but Crawley, dont Know how I haven't made that game. Up the U's

You haven't missed too much in recent years at Crawley Durham, but the Carabao cup game was something special.

	Up the U's
Poll:	How will we do in 2016/17
Blog:	Knees-up Mother Brown #24

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