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Two legged games are strange affairs. Most of us accept that there will be more ‘action’ in the second leg rather than the first. Tonight to me was much like two heavyweights sparring ahead of the real contest next Tuesday. Swansea will go into that second leg with a slight advantage but there can be little doubt that we know Colchester will prove to be a serious threat of our ambitions of appearing at the Millennium Stadium on 2nd April.
The Swans in truth may just be able to lay claim to deserving the lead but to get it they were helped by a linesman who flagged when you were onside, didn’t flag if you were offside and had no idea at all that goalkeepers are not allowed to handle outside their penalty areas. Other than that the linesman in front of the East Stand had a very good game!
Changes had to be made die to the ineligibility of both Tom Williams and Rory Fallon who had played elsewhere in this season’s competition. And with Kris O’Leary beginning a two match ban, it was major changes from the side that gained a point at Barnsley on Saturday
Willy
Forbesy Monk Tatey Sam
Big Leon Way Robbo Macca
LT10 Bayo
Subs: Murphy, Bond, Old Macdonald, Roberto, Little Leon
Colchester can for sure lay claim to the best of the opening exchanges and they looked dangerous going forward with Iwelumo and Williams a constant threat to the back line excellently shepherded throughout by skipper Garry Monk. Plus point of the defensive performance was a full blown effort from Forbes alongside the afore mentioned Monk showing.
In midfield we struggled to get hold of a ball and control the game and one thing that was noticeable was a lack of real width or any support to Leon and Macca from either Sam or Forbesy. But as already mentioned there were long passages of play where Swansea and Colchester were just sparring with each other – it seemed a showing of two sides who wanted to ensure that they had something to play for next week.
The only goal of the game came five minutes before half time. Bayo picked up a loose ball, shot and somehow (I assume a deflection?) the ball ended in the back of the net and the Swans were a goal up. Colchester had had what seemed a perfectly good goal disallowed fifteen minutes before but quite frankly who cares (!!!)
Half time came, Half time went, no changes and little change to the pattern of play. Swansea jabbed, Colchester jabbed back but neither were striking knockout blows. LT10 missed a one on one just before he asked to come off to be replaced by Knight – an incident that immediately followed Martinez replacing McLeod.
Martinez’s influence made a difference in midfield but it almost seemed by that moment (25 minutes to go) that both sides had just about settled for a 1-0 Swans victory such was the play between two of the division’s best sides.
For some reason a large cheer accompanied Chelsea going a goal down in the Nou Camp – I assume somewhere along the line it has a bearing on this tie maybe? Or maybe it was testament to the warm up for the main event taking place on the pitch.
Five minutes of extra time could have been five hours and I don’t think either side would have looked like scoring. Concerns from the night from our point being injuries to Trundle and illness to Ricketts. We need them both for Sunday
Next week will be a different kind of game for sure – what we can hope for is the same result. Halfway there?
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