Date: Tuesday 24th July, 2007
Competition: Pre-season friendly
Weather: clear, mild
Goals:
United: Boylan 9'
Colchester: Wordsworth 81'

Line-ups:

Cambridge United
1. Danny Potter (13 Luke McShane 69'); 2 Michael Morrison, 6 Mark Albrighton (22 Mark Peters 58'), 5 Gavin Hoyte (19 Josh Coulson 58'), 4 Daniel Gleeson (18 Michael Hyem 58'), 7 Mark Convery (17 Courtney Pitt 64'), 11 Stephen Smith, 8 Rob Wolleaston (8 Darren Quinton 50'), 3 Stephen Reed, 9 Nick Ward (14 Scott Rendell 58'), 10 Lee Boylan (17 Jordan Collins 80').

Colchester United
1. Dean Gerken (Mark Cousins 62'), 2 Danny Granville (George Elokobi 62'), 3 John White (Tom Devaux 62'), 4 John Jackson (Anthony Wordsworth 64'), 5 Bela Balogh (Pat Baldwin 62'), Matt Connelly (Gary Richards 62'), 7 Karl Duguid (Medy Elito 64'), 8 Kevin Lisbie (Jamie Guy 64'), 9 Clive Platt (Tom Webb 64'), 10 Kemi Izzet (Luke Guttridge 64'), 14 Kevin McLeod (Mark Yeates 64).

The United line-up included trialist Nicky Ward, who has spent the last seven seasons with Welsh Premier champions TNS, and he started up front alongside Lee Boylan.

United started brightly towards the Newmarket Road end and earned a second minute corner, although Clive Platt forced Danny Potter into a smart early save after a flowing move. Both sides showed their intent to play neat attacking football and Dan Gleeson nodded a deep cross over the bar, but it was United who drew first blood after nine minutes, Lee Boylan darting onto Reed's cross-field pass and driving a fine volley beyond Gerkan and inside the far post from 20 yards.

The lively Boylan was allowed space to try again four minutes later after a good U's move, but he lifted the ball over the bar from the edge of the area. At the other end former Canvey team-mate Potter had to be alert again on 16 to block a shot from the towering Clive Platt and then push Lisbie's follow-up shot away.

With two busy forwards of similar movement and stature, United continued to look lively on the attack but were occasionally vulnerable on the break and in the 25th minute Potter parried a low shot from trialist and former Charlton striker Kevin Lisbie while winger McLeod blazed over at the far post on the half hour.

There was a 10 minute spell where both sides cancelled each other out and defences were on top, but four minutes before half time Boylan was released into the area but lost his footing and was closed down, the ball hacked away before the supporting Ward could get there.

A minute later the two forwards broke away on goal again and Ward's run drew a defender, but Boylan's shot from the edge of the area curled narrowly wide in the final goalmouth action of the half.

Half-time 1-0

Both sides emerged unchanged and Potter had to turn McLeod's stinging volley away in the 49th minute, while Darren Quinton replaced Wolleaston a minute later. A quick counterattacking move on 52 saw Lisbie break into the area but Potter was out fast and spread himself to smother the close-range shot.

Jimmy Quinn made four changes in the 58th minute, bringing on Josh Coulson, Mark Peters, Michael Hyem and Scott Rendell for Dan Gleeson, Gavin Hoyte, Mark Albrighton and Nick Ward. Stephen Smith moved to right wing back with Hyem slotting into his place in midfield.

Colchester then changed their entire side over the course of two mass substitutions in the next four minutes, including the introduction of former U's midfielder Luke Guttridge who received a less than rapturous welcome back, while for United Courtney Pitt replaced Convery on 64'.

Colchester sub Mark Yeates had a shot blocked soon after joining the fray and then floated a free kick inches wide, while Danny Potter was next to be replaced in the 69th minute, leaving the pitch to deserved applause to be replaced by Luke McShane.

Play was still subdued, with Guttridge's every touch being booed by some of the home supporters, but summer signing Stephen Reed showed some intelligent play from the centre of midfield, where he had moved after Pitt's introduction. One Reed through ball on 74 released Pitt into space behind his fullback but the winger's low cross was hacked away.

Michael Morrison gave the ball away moments later but recovered and strode out of defence at pace, eventually firing a low shot at the substitute keeper, and on 78 Pitt produced a much better cross that was headed powerfully away.

The excellent Boylan was replaced by Jordan Collins with ten minutes remaining, with Pitt moving further forward while Collins took up his left wing back role, but a Colchester equaliser followed almost immediately when first year pro Anthony Wordsworth seized upon hesitation in the United defence to meet Elokobi's cross and rifle a shot home.

There was still time for Reed to drive a 20-yard free kick into the wall before a thrilling passage of play saw Quinton and Rendell burst clear and a series of crosses and blocked shots followed before Rendell rose to meet a deep cross from Pitt but had the ball cleared off his forehead,

Most of the ground thought United had snatched a late winner when Rendell nodded home Reed's quick free kick, but the celebrations were cut short by the offside flag, and at the other end former loanee Jamie Guy led the U's defence a merry dance but after twisting and turning his way into the box he poked the ball wide.

Full-time: 1-1

Man of the Match: Lee Boylan's shot was a goal from the moment it left his boot, but former Canvey teammate Danny Potter was outstanding in the U's goal with several excellent stops.

Att: 1,369 (away 188)

Ref: Mr Gary Lewis

Andrea Thrussell

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