Five talking points from Colchester United defeat

All good things come to an end

AFTER 105 days and 16 league matches, Colchester United’s long unbeaten run stretching back to last October is finally over.

Conceding two late goals in the space of less than two minutes to surrender a lead and lose at Cambridge United was a pretty galling way for John McGreal’s side fine record to end.

Nevertheless, the U’s can be proud of going such a long time without losing; it is no mean feat at any level.

The key for them now is to respond to the end of their proud unbeaten run in the best way possible; by embarking on another one beginning with their important home game against Plymouth Argyle, next weekend.

Substitutes make their mark

ALL of the talk a few days earlier had been about how Colchester United’s second-half substitutes had changed their game against Swindon Town.

But against Cambridge United, it was the changes made by their opponents that turned the game around.

When first Harvey Knibbs and then Andy Dallas entered the fray, the hosts were trailing to Luke Norris’s goal.

But two goals in less than two minutes helped to turn the game on its head; much like Norris, Frank Nouble and Courtney Senior had done so well for the U’s against Swindon.

Forward thinking

HINDSIGHT is a wonderful thing.

But the defeat at Cambridge inevitably added fuel to the thoughts of those who had called for Colchester to start with two up front, at the Abbey Stadium.

Having Luke Norris and Theo Robinson paired in attack proved profitable for the U’s in the final half hour against Swindon, their partnership paving the way for a 3-1 comeback win.

However, any thoughts John McGreal may have had of starting with a 4-4-2 formation or the like were influenced by the fact that Robinson had been suffering from tonsillitis in the lead up to the game, more than likely prompting the U’s boss to leave the Southend United loanee on the bench.

Lethal Luke

THERE weren’t too many positives to come out of Colchester United’s defeat at Cambridge United.

But Luke Norris’s performance for the U’s was a bright spot on a gloomy day for the U’s.

Colchester’s leading goalscorer took his headed goal extremely well at the Abbey Stadium and gave the home defence a torrid time, before eventually being withdrawn with eight minutes remaining.

It is now two goals in his last two games for Norris and needless to say, if he can maintain such scoring form between now and the end of the season his goals can be a big factor in whether or not the U’s can sustain an automatic promotion push.

Late drama again at the Abbey

LATE goals seem par for the course whenever Colchester United have played at the Abbey Stadium, over recent times.

Kane Vincent-Young’s fine strike deep into stoppage-time was memorable and enough to give the U’s victory over Cambridge United earlier, last season.

And in 2017, Sammie Szmodics hit a last-gasp equaliser to earn the visitors a point.

There was more late drama at the venue yesterday but sadly for Colchester, it was the hosts who profited with two goals in barely a minute.

It was particularly hard to take for the 1,232 Colchester fans who had made the short trip over the county border to watch their side and had provided such great support throughout.