Back to Maldon

Friday 24 March 2023, Colchester United Under 21s 1 Watford Under 21s 2- Professional Development League, Park Drive, Maldon

My third visit to Maldon to see Colchester Under 21s play, and all 3 games have been ruined by niggly moments. This time we we saw the Colchester centre forward get his second yellow card and his marching orders in the last minute of the game.

At least it was warmer than my last visit and glad it was at Maldon, not Florence Park when we had second half, heavy showers.

At least it did not rain!

Tuesday 21 March 2023, Colchester United Under 18s 1 Charlton Athletic Under 18s 2 - Professional Development League, Florence Park

Game played on bottom pitch, fully railed. Pitch quite heavy and that with a strong wind meant not a great first half of football. Second half improved, with Charlton dominating  and scoring in the 47th and 57th minute. Colchester got one back on 77, which meant we had quite a hectic last 10 minutes.

Clean sheet kings

Saturday 18 March 2023, Ipswich Town Shrewsbury Town - Portman Road, League One

6 wins on the trot and seven clean sheets - Club record! 

South Essex Derby day

 Wednesday 15 March 2023, Romford Under 19s 'Blue' 2 Barking Under 18s 'Blues' 3 - National Alliance League, Division 'A', Noak Hill Sports Complex

G4 Cage in a rural setting on the edge of Romford, a bit chilly but a decent game, with a few good players on show.

Back to winning ways

Tuesday 14 March 2023, Ipswich Town Under 21s 4 Cardiff City Under 21s 1 - Professional Development League, Bent Lane Training Ground

For once we saw the Under 21 team win and win well - poor officiating meant the game finished on a sour note as both teams wanted to fight each other rather than play football. 

By the Range

Saturday 11 March 2023, Hythe Town 1 Chichester City 0 - Isthmian League, South East Division, Reachfields Stadium

100th game of the season and probably the worst! Chichester were the better football team but once they got to the penalty area, seemed to have rune out of ideas, Hythe had no midfield and bit more direct and managed to get the points with a scrappy goal.

Strange to hear no sound of gunfire, the ground sitting next to the Army Hythe range complex, where I spent much of my first year in the army.

Quirky ground, friendly crowd but poor football, not helped by such a poor pitch.

Easy win but Plymouth also keep winning

Tuesday 7 March 2023, Ipswich Town 3 Accrington Stanley 0 - League One, Portman Road

A good win, now on a good run- but will it be too little, too late?