ITFC v Colchester United Match Report
On this atmospheric derby night in Ipswich, around 25,000 supporters filled Portman Road for the Ipswich-Colchester derby. Ipswich’s rivals from over the way had already won a hard match against West Brom 3-2 and they were buoyed up and ready to face Ipswich. The referee that night was a certain Keith Stroud, a capable referee who had refereed premiership matches before now. Everyone was ready for the Essex-Suffolk derby that would soon begin.
Colchester were determined to break Ipswich’s strong home form and Ipswich were determined to keep their record. It had all the makings of a great game. Very soon, the man in black, the referee, started the game. Ipswich began well; an early attack down the wing by Jonathan Walters ended in a tackle by George Elokobi and a shot by Pablo Counago being fumbled by Aidan Davison. No one followed up. Colchester then replied with a number of shots, including a header at Alexander’s goal and a number of attacks on the Ipswich goal. Lee then played Walters through, but Walters was unable to cross. Counago had excellent ball control and turning ability all throughout the match, troubling the Colchester defence on numerous occasions.
In the 31st minute, Clive Platt drove the ball past Alexander into the Ipswich goal, after the ball was chested down to him just outside of the Ipswich area. Stroud’s first card was given to Ipswich’s Dan Harding, after a tackle that probably wasn’t bookable. After that Ipswich seemed to lose spirit for the remainder of the first half, Colchester just missing a goal completely devoid of Alexander and by the end quite a few fans were beginning to wonder if they would be hearing Chelsea Dagger echo through the stadium that night.
After half time, Ipswich carried on as they had in the first half, without the flair and imagination needed to break the U’s; the best chances fell to Owen Garvan, who forced Davison into a save low down. Alexander did well, making some good saves, notably making some good saves from crosses and corners. It was at that point in the game that the action really started, Colchester breaking through into the Ipswich box where their striker was brought down by Alexander. The ref deemed Alexander to have brought him down unfairly and awarded Colchester the penalty. He seemed to be unable to make his mind up over whether it was a penalty or not, because if Alexander had brought down the Colchester striker then he was denying a goal scoring opportunity, so he should have been sent off. On later replays it shows that Alexander never touched the player who, incidentally, was the same person to have fallen under Fabian Wilnis’s tackle when he played for Norwich in their 1-0 victory at Portman Road a couple of seasons ago and which, under replay, showed that he wasn’t even touched by Wilnis. Ipswich fans all around the stand held their breath as Yeates stepped up to take the Colchester penalty. He hit it and Alexander leapt to his left, parrying it away for a corner.
That served as an incentive for Ipswich, who really came to life and played just like the super blues we know that they really are. Ipswich’s break through came in the 71st minute, when Jonathan Walters was hit by Harding’s cross, before firing in from close range. The previously quiet Ipswich fans exploded into life, cheering this success. Buoyed up by this goal, Ipswich kept up the pressure which then finished in Colchester’s dissolving when Liam Trotter scored on his home debut, heading in an Ipswich corner. After that, Colchester seemed to collapse, Haynes heading in three minutes later. Colchester never really threatened after that, and you knew it was over when you saw the Colchester fans leaving in droves.
by Tom Wyer - Aged 12
