I’m due to start the relatively short journey from Norwich to Colchester. I’m expecting us to win, despite our poor recent form as I think that despite the players’ unfamiliarity with each other’s game, that we will have too much quality for Colchester. I expect Colchester to have problems with Koumas running from midfield and I expect him to play as he needs match fitness.
However, I’m also scrolling down the message board to find if Boyd has yet signed from Kilmarnock; I feel from what is reported that it will probably go through, but an announcement from the Club is probably unlikely with everyone en route to Colchester. The Club took ages to confirm the signing of Purse and I’m still not sure that Ferretti has officially been reported as signed! I’m particularly hoping to see him play tonight and to judge his quality against competitive opposition. I reckon Ferretti is the most surprising signing in the close season and certainly the first notable Italian import to Wales since Joe Berni starting up in Caerphilly. The lad looks to have quality written all over him.
I see that the Colchester management reckon it’s a good time to play the Bluebirds and I think that they are probably right about that as well. I’ve got good memories of Layer Road, one of the most exciting games I’ve seen was a 3-2 win in the Rick Wright era with Chris Pike and Co. on top form and about 7,500 at the game, about half from Cardiff. Anyway, it’s time to put on my coat and head for the car.
One and a half hours later I’m at drizzly Layer Road and purchase a seat in the Clock End for visiting fans. There are around 30 people in this section and the bulk of the City fans – around 200 or so – are in the far end. The crowd seems quite small, but there’s a pleasant enough atmosphere and as the brass band marches off, on come the teams. The Bluebirds are in their yellow change strip. There are few surprises on the team sheet, I don’t propose to set out the team, which lined up 4-4-2 and attacked the end with the bulk of the fans.
The game started at a quick tempo and both City and Colchester were easy on the eye, spreading the play across the pitch. City applied the early pressure, a Willie Boland shot was saved low down on 5 minutes and a near post corner for City cleared after 8 minutes. Alan Lee seemed to be on good form, running for everything and looking slimmer and fitter than last season. After 12 minutes Cameron Jerome shot tamely and wide from the edge of the Colchester box and at the other end Purse got in a good clearing header for a corner to Colchester which went straight out.
As the first half reached the mid-point Colchester had a series of attacks on the right, players overlapping and on two occasions getting in good crosses into the centre and on both occasions City clearing and counter-attacking with no end result. A third attack, this time down the Colchester left gave a free header to Iwelumo, the Colchester striker who wasted the chance by heading well off-target.
At this point three City fans near where I was sitting were mysteriously moved out and down to the far end for what seemed to me to be simply good-natured banter with the Colchester support. Why the Colchester fans seemed to think Cardiff fans live in caravans is beyond me, but a reasonably witty response back and the stewards moved in. Outrageous.
However, there was no time to delve for my copy of the Human Rights Act as City started to apply sustained pressure. Koumas did some good work breaking up a Colchester attack just before the half-hour mark. The ball was moved down the City left and in the drizzly gloom there were suddenly boots and legs up in the air, someone falling over, couldn’t make out who it was and the referee was pointing to the spot.
No surprise to see PURSE run up and smash the penalty to the keeper Dear Gurken’s left, the keeper obviously not having watched the video of the Leeds game went to his right, much joy all around me.
Then no sooner had the ferment at the far end died down than it was Alan Lee on the ball in the inside right channel. Excellent work by Lee as he moved the ball forward, slipped it to Cameron Jerome who ran across the penalty area, the keeper committed himself and JEROME chipped it into an empty net. His run continued to the City support who chanted “easy, easy” with the new flashy hand movements, you can picture the scene I’m sure.
At this point there was some good midfield battling as Colchester tried to come back before half time, Willie Boland notably getting stuck in. There were clean headed clearances by Purse and good kicking by Alexander as he fielded some long balls. At half time Colchester had not had a single goal attempt on target.
H T U’s 0-2 Bluebirds
At half time I asked the fan next to me why he was wearing a West Brom top, “Was it very cheap?” I asked. Turns out he was given it by his son Darren. We had an interesting chat and Dad runs a youth club which has brought through several well-known Premiership players and two who were playing for Colchester. Knows his onions and says Darren will be a lot more commanding and will need to play around 8 matches before he gels in the team. So there we have it although Darren was playing well enough for my liking. It then turns out that 18 other people in the block are Darren’s family all up from deepest Essex to watch him play. Three others are Liverpudlians doing the 92 League grounds, nice lads.
Back to the action. Colchester came out and took the game to City - a great run by Izzet took him past several City defenders after 55 minutes, but the final ball was wasted. The game started to get scrappy, which was no surprise. Colchester were pressing forward and City lobbed balls over the top of the defenceinto the space behind to set up runs for Jerome, which generally took him down to the corner on the City left.
On 63 minutes Loovens headed out weakly, but Colchester failed to capitalise as their attack was offside. Purse was off for a change of shirt after 65 minutes, returning without a number.
Iwelumo shot wide at full stretch on 70 minutes then there was slightly better quality from City, Cameron Jerome darted between the keeper and a defender, but the ball had too much pace and went out on the far side. The keeper was then given a run for his money rushing out before the killer touch from Jerome again. At the other end Alexander was showing what excellent kicking ability he has, fielding several less-than-ideal back passes with total confidence.
It then was suddenly at the stage where time was running out. Parry was involved in a couple of attacks down the wing, then on came Ferretti after 86 minutes. He almost got lucky straight away as a mix-up resulted in the U’s keeper collecting the ball at the second attempt at Ferretti’s feet.
In the last minute of injury time, Colchester at last got their first shot on target, Alexander dealing with a full-blooded shot from an angle with his body behind the ball.
And that was that. Round 2. Darren Purse came over at the end and handed his shirt to a young girl who I think was his niece.
A competent performance from City, there were a few good runs from both Koumas and Cooper which I’ve not specifically mentioned and no-one played badly. All four defenders had good games and 1 shot on target for the opposition away from home tells its own story.
Report from FootyMad
Cameron Jerome helped himself to his third goal in as many games as Cardiff City eased into the second round of the Carling Cup at the expense of League One hosts Colchester.
Two goals in a three-minute spell midway through the first half put Cardiff in complete charge and they never looked like relinquishing their hold on this match.
After a quiet first half hour, Cardiff took the lead via the penalty spot in the 31st minute. U's defender Pat Baldwin shoved midfielder Jeff Whitley in the back, inside the box, and referee Richard Beeby was in a good position to award a penalty.
Up stepped cool customer Darren Purse and City's defender sent keeper Dean Gerken the wrong way with a precise penalty.
Three minutes later and this cup tie was effectively over. Cardiff striker Alan Lee raced past a couple of Colchester defenders and slipped the ball through for his strike partner Jerome, who rounded keeper Gerken to sweep into an empty net.
Cardiff have struggled in the Championship of late, losing their last two league fixtures to Watford and Derby. Yet Jerome had scored in both these fixtures as well.
Colchester could not find any spark and they rarely threatened Cardiff keeper Neil Alexander, who was not actually required to make a serious save until injury time.
Alexander was in the right place to catch an angled shot from Tottenham loanee Mark Yeates. Otherwise, Alexander enjoyed a very quiet evening.
Greg Halford was narrowly off target with a couple of earlier shots, but Colchester could not make any serious in roads, with Cardiff content to sit on their two-goal lead.
It was disappointing for the Essex hosts, especially as they'd enjoyed a good run in this competition last season, when they beat Premiership side West Brom and were unlucky to lose in the third run 3-2 at Southampton.
Cardiff reached the last 16 of the Carling Cup last term, but they were taken to penalties in two matches. Colchester never looked like threatening them this season.