Colchester United 5 Exeter City 1.
Saturday 26 March 2011.

On the road by Kirstie Bowden 

Every Match Tells A Story

There is always more to a match than its score-line. On no other occasion has this been more apparent than last weeks trip to Colchester. There is no other way to put it. We were robbedIt all started well. We took the lead in the 21st minute and almost scored a second shortly after.

Then the alarm bells started ringing. The lino in front of us was causing consternation with his (lack of) decisions. "Get that flag moving lino" one Grecian shouted. The ref was no better, notably awarding a corner from which Colchester equalised that should blatantly have been a goal kick.

You got the feeling that he was waiting for his 'Football League Show' moment to come. Soon enough, it did. In the 35th minute he made a truly ludicrous decision that changed the path of the game.

Tulls was sent off for "denying a goalscoring opportunity". The only trouble being that he very clearly got the ball and Ashley Vincent very clearly dived. Understandably the away end was on their feet incandescent with rage, and unfortunately it wasn't to be for the last time.

At half-time light relief was provided by a performance by The Red Barrows, a group of women dancing with wheelbarrows. We didn't know what to make of them.

The display of flight formations was bad enough but when they started dancing around them to 'Dancing Queen' I started to think that the early start (4am - it was a 1pm kick-off) was affecting me more than I thought.

Stillit gave me an idea that received support from fellow GreciansI suggested 'borrowinga wheelbarrow, putting the ref in it and driving it off the nearest steep pointIn hindsight, I probably should have.

With 72 minutes on the clock it was game overAlleged Olympic diver, sorry, Colchester footballer Ashley Vincent ended up horizontal again, this time the result of a "challenge" from Golborne.

The ref was some distance away, yet pointed instantly to the penalty spot and sent him offToo far away to really comment on the validity of the decisionit was the players' protests that indicated to me that he was probably wrong again.

City are a disciplined team and just don't argue to the extent that they were. Of course, it was to no avail and they were brushed away with the repeated brandishing of his yellow card.

The penalty was scored and Colchester wasted no time in utilising their considerable numerical advantage, scoring twice more before 3 minutes had even passed.

The remainder of the match was a performance to be proud of. City never once let their heads drop, worked hard and kept pushing forward.

Stillit gave me an idea that received support from fellow GreciansI suggested 'borrowinga wheelbarrow, putting the ref in it and driving it off the nearest steep pointIn hindsight, I probably should have.

With 72 minutes on the clock it was game overAlleged Olympic diver, sorry, Colchester footballer Ashley Vincent ended up horizontal again, this time the result of a "challenge" from Golborne.

The ref was some distance away, yet pointed instantly to the penalty spot and sent him offToo far away to really comment on the validity of the decisionit was the players' protests that indicated to me that he was probably wrong again.

City are a disciplined team and just don't argue to the extent that they were. Of course, it was to no avail and they were brushed away with the repeated brandishing of his yellow card.

The penalty was scored and Colchester wasted no time in utilising their considerable numerical advantage, scoring twice more before 3 minutes had even passed.

The remainder of the match was a performance to be proud of. City never once let their heads drop, worked hard and kept pushing forward.

Referee Karl Evans

Attendance 3629 with 245 City fans.

BBC Match summary and information 

Steven Gillespie scored twice as Colchester routed nine-man Exeter City.

Daniel Nardiello's far-post finish gave the Grecians the lead, but Gillespie made it 1-1 when he flicked in Matt Heath's header from a corner.

Steve Tully and Scott Golbourne were sent off for fouls on Ashley Vincent. Golbourne's resulted in a penalty scored by David Mooney.

Vincent finished from Lloyd James' pass, Gillespie slotted in and Andy Bond made it five from close range.

Colchester United manager John Ward told BBC Essex:
"Absolutely enjoyed it as did the supporters, I think it is a reward for everybody's patience, particularly the team and the supporters.

"Even at 1-0 down it was a test for the team, how were we going to deal with this situation.

"We lifted our game and at halftime we talked about keeping the pace of the game going."

Exeter manager Paul Tisdale told BBC Radio Devon:
"The second red card was the decisive moment, if it wasn't hard enough going 3-1 down and having a man sent off is curtains really.

"The circumstances left us with nine men for the last 20 minutes and it was very hard for the players."


Exeter City Reserves 7 Plymouth Argyle 0

Daniel Nardiello helped himself to a hat-trick as City Reserves strolled to a 7-0 victory over ten man Argyle at The Park last Monday

There were also goals for Billy Jones, James Norwood, Scot Bennett and an own goal in a comfortable victory for the second string

Kallum Keane who joined on a non-contract basis days later, started at centre back with trialist goalkeeper James Wood behind him.

After a quiet 20 minutes the Grecians moved up the gears and it wasn't long before the opening goal game, Nardiello's cross from the left-hand side was diverted into the back of the net by Argyle left-back Ben Clarvis' shin.

Just one minute later a stunning effort gave Nardiello his first of a productive night on 21 minutes. A lovely cross-field pass from Elliot Frear was controlled expertly by City's number 10 who steadied himself before firing a left-footed drive into the back of the net via the crossbar.

Just seconds later Ollie Chewoweth in the Argyle goal made his first of many saves, tipping Frear's effort over the bar. But he was soon picking the ball out of the back of his net for the third time in the opening 25 minutes when Scot Bennett rose to head home Jones' corner.

Nardiello had City's last chance of an impressive first half but the goals just kept on coming after the interval, Billy Jones crashing a first time left-footed finish past Chewoworth on 48 minutes to much applause from the 264 present.

O'Flynn then made way for Norwood who had a chance shortly after entering the field of play after Bennett's lovely raking pass put him in on the right hand side of the box.
But it was Nardiello who grabbed goal number five of the night as he rolled a low shot into the bottom corner shortly afterwards.

Argyle then made their already difficult night even worse when Simon Walton saw red for foul and abusive language, referee Andy Bennett taking offense to the former Charlton man's protests at the placement of a free-kick.

On 66 minutes his 10 beleaguered team-mates found themselves six down, Nardiello completing his hat- trick with a soft effort after cutting inside that trickled over the Argyle shotstopper.

Two minutes later Norwood completed the rout - rolling a shot into the far corner from a tight angle but the chances continued to come after that- Ben Watson's long distance effort flew wide before Frear and Norwood both fired efforts right at the keeper when well placed.

The Reserves' next match is the visit of Swindon on Tuesday April 12th.