Colchester United 0 – Brighton & Hove Albion 0
By Tim Hodges
Albion will feel this was a game they could have won. Murray, El Abd and Calderon all had great chances to score in the first half, as did Murray again a couple times in the second period.
In fact, Murray’s free header inside the first two minutes was Albion’s best chance of the entire match. The Cumbrian however headed wide from just outside the six yard area.
Albion looked more composed and technically superior to the team 14 odd places above them in the league.
Colchester took a while to become effective, however midway through the half Odejayi and Wordsworth began to cause the seagulls some problems. A superb interception by El Abd from a Wordsworth cross denied Odejayi or Prutton a simple tap in.
Gary Dicker was becoming more instrumental in Albion’s creativity. From a well worked free kick Adam El Abd forced a good save from Colchester keeper Williams.
Odejayi and Prutton were trying to cause problems where possible, but as per many recent matches Albion’s now established back four coped well.
Odejayi had a great chance after Navarro gave the ball away but the commanding Brezovan smothered the shot well and the danger was cleared.
At the other end and after a patient build up, Dicker held the ball up and played a short but superb pass through to Calderon, who brought a great save from Williams, as he shot from a tight angle in the penalty area.
At half time, Albion were on top, but not ahead.
Early on in the second half it was clear that Gus Poyet’s plan was to get Lua Lua and Bennett in the match more. Both the wide men provided good crosses, which Murray and the on rushing Crofts couldn’t convert.
Bennett produced an angled free kick which Murray got on the end of, but which spun off his toe to a grateful Williams
Lisbie on as a substitute began to get the U’s more involved. But still most crosses were simply plucked out of the air by Brezovan. Holroyd replaced Lua Lua as Albion appeared to toy with the idea of two up front.
Bennett provided a couple of crosses which created goal mouth scrambles, one of which saw Murray produce a clever dummy six yards out, but which no one else read.
In the last 10 minutes Colchester came to life more. Stephen Gillespie complementing the other two substitutes Lisbie and Vincent. All three forced Peter Brezovan to finally get his knees dirty.
Both teams had half hearted efforts in injury time. But the result seemed destined for a draw, before the board announcing three minutes was displayed.
Albion;
Brezovan; Calderon, El-Abd, Elphick, Painter; Bennett, Navarro, Crofts, Dicker, LuaLua; Murray.
Subs: McNulty, Forster, Hart, Carole, Hoyte, Holroyd, Walker
Colchester: Williams; White, Okuonghae, Heath, Tierney; Prutton, O’Toole, Izzet, Wordsworth; Odejayi, Platt.
Subs: Cousins, Batth, Gillespie, Lisbie, Henderson, Vincent, Ifil
Referee : T Bates
Attendance : 3914
