Graeson looks back on another defeat at Layer Road this evening in our last ever game under floodlights at the ground.
Sadly, the last game Football League game under floodlights will be remembered for all the wrong reasons at Layer Road. The U's found themselves down to ten men after just Phil Ifil was dismissed for a trip on livewire Frazer Campbell who then helped himself to a brace. Johnnie Jackson got the U's back in it, and TV replays seem to suggest that a Clive Platt header in the first half had crossed the line. Despite plenty of effort from the U's though, a late goal for Caleb Folan gave City three points.
Quite where the FA got referee Pat Miller from God only knows. I can only suggest that he must have been doing a Dog'n'Duck game on Sunday because this performance was abject. It was horrible. I am not sure quite how Johnnie Jackson can be confused for Matt Heath - only half a foot taller - but somehow Pat managed it. After half an hour, the U's had won a total of two free-kicks and for one of those Campbell had been rightly cautioned.
As for the sending off it was a surreal moment. Campbell raced away down the inside left challenge and was tripped by Ifil. Ill-judged and ill-advice but all the same it was a yellow card offence. To the surprise of everyone, including the Hull City players it has to be said, Pat showed Ifil his first ever red card.
It was always going to be a long way back from there.
United manager Geraint Williams made one change to the side that had started on Saturday with, as I predicted, Anthony Wordsworth replacing Medy Elito on the left wing. Kem Izzet stayed on the bench as Hammond and Jackson played in central midfield with Duguid on the right.
For Hull, only one former U's player was available with both Wayne Brown and Craig Fagan left behind in Humberside through injury. Richard Garcia did make the starting line-up alongside Manchester United loanee Frazer Campbell and veteran striker Dean Windass. That left Nigerian International Jay-Jay Okocha on the bench for what was probably one of the highlights of his distinguished career!
Quite how I'll dissect this game I'm not sure. Going forward I thought Hull City were possibly the best side seen at Layer Road since West Brom way back when. They had great pace from Campbell, and their movement off the ball was an abject lesson which United would do well to show to their young players.
United attacked the Clock End in the first half with Duguid getting around the back but Myhill was always on hand to cut out the cross. Virgo was rightly booked for a late challenge on Campbell when he was a bit late....and a bit high...and, well it was a booking. Windass struck the free-kick wide though Gerken had to dive to his left to be sure. Campbell then turned and teased Virgo on the edge of the box before shooting straight at the U's goalkeeper.
Then came the incident that saw Phil Ifil shown a red card from Pat. You can generally tell how these things are going to go from player’s reaction and to me, it looked like the Hull City players were after a caution, nothing more. Campbell was certainly not running towards goal so it couldn't have been awarded for him being last man. In fact, the referee sent Ifil off for Serious Foul Play which could mean a three game for the former Spurs man.
Pedersen's free-kick missed the target by the near post.
Campbell was cautioned for a late foul on John White inside the U's box which Pat had to take instruction from his linesman on. From a Hull corner, Ashbee peeled off around the back and headed towards goal. Gerken parried the first effort straight back to the Hull skipper who blasted the follow-up in to the Aaron Skelton Memorial Netting.
Six minutes after the sending off, Hull scored and in fairness it was a goal that they had deserved regardless of the rights or wrongs of the Ifil decision. Quick incisive passing got Campbell into a good position and though Gerken saved his first shot, he was on hand to bury the rebound. U's fans were angry at the referee again as they felt play should have been halted earlier when Turner had his arms all over Platt as they went for an aerial challenge.
Pat's inconsistency was then shown by the night's worst foul so far as Jackson went through the back of Windass. However, the referee seemed to ignore the challenge and the U's man got away with it.
Just after the half-hour mark, Hull doubled their advantage through their on-loan Manchester United striker Frazer Campbell. I think I'm right in saying that it came from a U's set piece. Windass picked out left midfielder Henrik Pedersen with a peach of ball and when the former Bolton man played the ball forward to Campbell he struck the ball sweetly past Gerken and in to far corner of the net.
By this time, I think a lot of U's fans, myself included, thought we might be on for a bit of a hammering. It is completely to the U's credit though that the rolled up their sleeves, dug in, used what little luck they had, and gave it a real go at getting back in the game.
Pedersen might have had a goal for himself after ghosting in to the near post to head Rickett's cross just behind before the U's efforts got themselves back in to the game.
The credit for the goal goes to Johnnie Jackson who chased a lost cause, one the ball, and got it back when it went away from him. He then found Lisbie on the edge of the box with a square ball, and the former Charlton ace worked some space for himself on the edge of the box and found the far corner of the net with a low strike that Myhill could do nothing about.
Hull almost restored their lead though just a few minutes later. After a free-kick for the home side, the ball had come out to the half-way line where Dean Marney fired in a low driven cross towards the box. Windass had found himself in a few yards of space and with just the keeper to beat, inexplicably headed wide. He held his head in his hands as he knew he really should have made the goalkeeper work at the very least.
Then came more antics from referee Pat Miller as he somehow got two U's players confused. Jackson had hauled the lively Garcia down on the right hand side but called Matt Heath over instead to show him the yellow card.
As the half came to an end, United forced a couple of corners which Jackson took. The first to the near post was almost bundled in but was eventually scrambled away for another set piece. From this, Platt rose highest and headed goalwards where it was stopped on the line by Ricketts. I have to say that my initial reaction was that the ball had not crossed the line, but I'm aware that TV replays show the opposite and that a goal should have been awarded. I'm not blaming Pat for this though - that was the fault of his Assistant.
Neither side made a change at the break though some thought that Izzet or Vernon ought to be introduced in place of Wordsworth for whom the game had rather passed him by. His time will come, but in a game where the side was reduced to ten men so early was not the one.
Gerken's long ball was latched on to by Platt whose right foot volley was saved by Myhill before Hammond saw his effort saved by the away fans behind the goal.
United's goal then led a charmed life as Turner's header came back of a post and then Gerken - on another occasion it might just as well have gone in to the goal off the U's keeper but tonight he deserved what little luck he was having.
He was on his top form to prevent Hull scoring following a U's corner on the other end of the field. Campbell spotted the unmarked Pederson on the edge of the box and Gerken saved the Danes effort. The U's number one was quickly back on his feet as Ashbee tried his luck as well but couldn't get the ball past Gerken.
Williams made a rare tactical change after an hour as Wordsworth was replaced by Izzet. This allowed the U's to go to a 4-3-2 formation with Lisbie - who had been playing on the right hand side of midfield - to join up with Platt in attack.
Duguid did well to block a volley from Pedersen for which he would need treatment before Phil Brown's first change as Bryan Hughes replaced the aforementioned Pedersen.
Virgo tried his luck with a thirty yard free kick which hit the wall before Duguid had to succumb to the injury he picked up in blocking an earlier shot and was replaced by Hungarian Bela Balogh. Scott Vernon replaced Platt not long afterwards while Dean Windass gave way to Caleb Folan - returning to the Hull side after suspension.
Izzet tenacity got him a booking after chasing back to tackle a Hull midfielder - though as The Tiger's player had passed the ball to an offside team-mate the question was raised on which incident was first. The tackle that came in as the ball was being played, or the offside that occurred when the ball was played as the tackle came in! During the confusion, it appeared Pat showed another yellow card - possibly to Lisbie - which needed him to talk to the 4th official as to what he was doing. Gerken saved Marney's free-kick with a diving effort.
Gerken was alert to deny former team-mate Richard Garcia - who was with the U's when they won promotion to The Championship - at his near post before Ricketts became the second man from Humberside in the referee's notebook for kicking the ball away.
With three minutes remaining, Hull confirmed the three points with their third goal and not for the first time, it was gifted to them. Matt Heath's poor pass - though in fairness he hasn't done a lot wrong in the last two games - allowed Marney to set Folan away. Gerken didn't know whether to stick or twist and when he did eventually come out, the million pound man waltzed past him and put the ball in to an empty net. Gerken was once again let down by his defence.
In the last few minutes, Garcia saw a shot from outside the box come back off the crossbar before the U's faithful were rewarded with a brief glimpse of Nigerian Jay-Jay Okocha who replaced Campbell. He still had enough time to force Gerken in to a decent save.
So the curtain comes down on floodlight football at Layer Road with a defeat which will sadly live in the memories more for the performance of the referee than anything. The U's was again showed that they had heart but sadly, that doesn't get you any higher up the table. I always felt though, that Hull - one of the better sides seen at Layer Road this season- had another gear to go into just in case they needed it.
Shot of the Match: Garcia's left strike was only just too high for the goal as it smacked the crossbar and rebounded to safety.
Save of the Match: Double save from Pedersen and Ashbee in the second half kept the U's in the match.
Moment of the Match: Mmm, doesn't really need much working out does it - though if that header from Platt had been allowed the second half might have been very different.
Man of the Match: I though Jackson gave everything he had tonight and was unlucky to finish on the losing side, however, he is just beaten to the award by Dean Gerken who had an inspired game yet still got beaten three time. It might have been a lot worse had he not be in between the sticks.
Colchester: Gerken, Ifil, Heath, Virgo, White, Duguid (Balogh 70), Hammond, Jackson, Wordsworth (Izzet 62), Platt (Vernon 72), Lisbie.
Subs Not Used: Bankole, Elito.
Sent Off: Ifil (14).
Booked: Virgo, Heath, Izzet, Lisbie.
Goals: Lisbie 37.
Hull: Myhill, Ricketts, Turner, Clement, Dawson, Garcia, Ashbee, Marney, Pedersen (Hughes 67), Campbell (Okocha 89), Windass (Folan 71).
Subs Not Used: Tyler, Walton.
Booked: Campbell, Ricketts.
Goals: Campbell 20, 33, Folan 87.
Att: 5,497
Ref: Pat Miller (Bedfordshire).