Colchester Utd. What was the score? Drew 2-2
I managed to listen to the commentary today, well eventually just as we went 1-0 down, and then after, quelle surprise Lisbie scored a 2nd, I almost turned it off but I perservered and it was nice to be able to follow a game more closely. We have the look, or should I say sound, of a team that is going to score goals and I think that the sending off decision ultimately went against us even though we equalised afterwards.
The problem of course is with the defence. It was often at sixes and sevens this afternoon, this against a front line of Lisbie, Sheringham, described by the BBC London commentator as
"still one of the best players in the country when given space," and the huge Clive Platt, last season's strike partner of Izale McLeod. Hardly the best in the division, although the U's are the division's top scorers.
Although Nicky Weaver made a couple of good saves, one from a Lisbie one-on-one, he was also culpable alongside McCarthorse and Fortune in almost throwing the point away when up against 10 men. Mills and Powell are a poor imitation of Moo2Kil and Thatcher and Pards needs to sort it out because we just can't keep giving teams 2-goal starts.
Reid was rested surprisingly but Ambrose cannot produce the killer ball like the Irishman, and he had to be introduced at half-time, although he seemed to lose his head late on and with Fortune ending the game playing up front after getting an injury a point has to be considered a good one. I would definitely taken one before the game.
The timing of Toddy's goal was crucial and was in fact the Addicks' first league goal scored before the half-time break this season. Food for thought for Pards and I can imagine there may be some changes for the game at home to Norwich on Tuesday, even though a point took us into 5th place.
We are well poised with two home games coming up and 5th place following two wins, two draws and a defeat proves that we haven't got to improve much in order to start dominating the league table.
As for the much welcomed BBC London radio commentary, I don't know how it slipped through the rights restrictions but don't tell anyone and why does Paul Parker hate us so much, what have we ever done to him?
Who was at Layer Road: Addicks Championship Diary;
Drinking During the Game;
100 Miles from Home;
Charlton Athletic Online.
Reports: Kent Online;
cafc.co.uk;
Sporting Life;
ColUonline.
What Pards' said: "I thought we had improved defensively against Crystal Palace two weeks ago but we were never solid against Colchester. I told the squad at the end of the match that the performance was not good enough for this club."A bottle of fizzy pop for: Zheng Zhi. He played in about 5 positions today, scored the important equaliser and never stopped driving the team on.