|
Dover Athletic 2 Colchester
United 1
Friendly Match
Thursday 21st July
2005
Dover
Athletic: Paul Hyde, Tony Browne (Dale Skelton,
46mins), James Rogers (Daniel Braithwaite, 66mins), Dean
Readings (Danny Chapman, 56mins), Craig Cloke, Nick Humphrey
(Sam Vallance, 72mins), Tom Hickman (Shane Hamshare, 56mins),
Lee Spiller (C), Craig Wilkins (Walid Matata, 46mins), Tommy
Tyne (Chris Wright, 72mins), Anthony Hogg.
Subs: Dale Skelton,
Daniel Braithwaite, Walid Matata, Sam Vallance, Chris Wright,
Darren Smith, Danny Chapman, Shane Hamshare.
Colchester
United: Anthony Hughes (Mark Bateman, 46mins), Matt
Paine, Liam Bailey, Tom Devaux (Steve Opoka, 37mins), Darren
O'Connor, Dean Cross (C), Aaron Best (Jamie Petts, 60mins),
Anthony Wordsworth, Craig Hughes, Tom Webb (Tom Devaux,
66mins), Dave Wareham (Curtis Haynes-Brown,
72mins).
Subs: Curtis
Haynes-Brown, Steve Opoka, Jamie Petts, Mark
Bateman.
Attendance:
266
Whites made it two wins out
of two in their pre-season games after defeating Colchester.
Although the visitors side was basically ex-White Joe Dunne's
under-19 side, it was a good workout for the Whites, who
played some encouraging one-touch football that showed signs
that a good season could be ahead of us.
The side was similar to the
one that won the Hoverspeed Trophy on Saturday. Paul Hyde
played the whole match in goal however, and James Rogers
started in the left wing-back berth after Daniel Braithwaite
was late arriving after getting stuck in traffic. The one
surprise was the inclusion of Danny Chapman on the bench. The
former White has been training with the side, but he was given
a run-out by Steve Nolan in the second half.
The game kicked off late due
to Colchester arriving late, and Whites took the opportunity
to get stuck into their young opponents from the outset. A
Wilkins header was saved from point-blank range, but the
corner could not be prevented. Rogers swung the set-piece
across right onto the head of Wilkins, and the ball sailed
past keeper Anthony Hughes.
With Colchester seemingly
still on the coach after their late arrival, Whites took a
firm hold on the game with a second goal after 12 minutes.
Spiller broke up play in the centre of the park, and lobbed
the ball into the path of Wilkins. He controlled the ball
20-yards out, and lobbed the keeper as he rushed out of his
area.
Whites were looking rather
impressive, and should have got a third midway through the
half. Again the ball was played through the defence, this time
to Tyne, but with all the time in the world he saw his shot
saved by the feet of the busy keeper.
Cloke went close after a
melee in the Colchester area, but it was the visitors who came
closest to scoring in the final few minutes of the half. Dave
Wareham hit the bar with a cross, and then Hyde was forced to
turn Anthony Wordsworth's shot around the post, but thankfully
it remained 2-0 at the interval.
Whites made two changes at
half time, as Craig Wilkins and Tony Browne were rested, with
Matata and Skelton replacing them. And the visitors could have
benefited from the reorganisation minutes into the second
period, as Liam Bailey shot through a crowd of players, but
his effort was well held by Hyde.
Substitute Walid Matata was
causing problems for the Colchester defence however, and could
have got on the scoresheet a couple of times. Firstly he
intercepted a short backpass from Aaron Best, but saw his shot
saved by sub keeper Mark Bateman. Then after a spell of superb
one touch football by the Whites, Matata's finish from a
Skelton cross went just wide, but the signs were very
encouraging.
The usual flurry of
substitutions that characterise friendlies broke up the flow
of the game, before the visitors got a goal back with fifteen
minutes to go. A short corner found the dangerous Liam Bailey
on the edge of the area, and his shot was deflected into the
goal by Steve Opoka.
Thankfully it was only a
consolation, and Whites could have increased their lead in the
final few minutes as Skelton and Hogg both went close. But the
game ended with a 2-1 win, and the signs were very promising
for the upcoming season. I for one can't wait for the season
to start now!
If you were unable to attend the
game and would like to make a donation to the club in its bid
to pay the CVA debt, click below:
|
