Colchester match report

[Eastside Urchin]

http://www.cu-fc.com...2110205,00.html

 

Colchester United took a side full of professionals to their Essex Senior Cup final, but it was a youth team hopeful who grabbed the headlines on Tuesday night.

 

Coming off the bench with half an hour to go, young striker Freddie Ladapo hit two classy goals to give the U's their first ever Essex Senior Cup victory.

 

The U's victory came on the club's 73rd birthday, whilst Ladapo had only recently celebrated his 17th birthday earlier this year.

 

Whilst it's still early days for the young forward, he'll be hoping those goals will have impressed the watching John Ward in the stands as the U's look to bolster their striking ranks ahead of the new season.

 

The U's named a strong side to take on the Urchins, with their starting eleven made up of ten professionals, plus young striking hopeful Craig Arnott. The visitors should have taken the lead within two minutes. A ball forward got Arnott in down the right and he rounded the keeper and unselfishly squared to Rafter.

 

Not helped by the lengthy surface, the Irishman's shot never really gathered pace, and ended up going wide.

 

Three minutes later, Corcoran sent over a delicious cross found the only man waiting in the box and Hackney forced a good save out of Behcet in the Hornchurch goal.

 

Hornchurch captain Styles went in the book around the ten minute mark, after coming through the back of Rafter in an aerial challenge.

 

The home side then had a free kick from a dangerous position on 14, with Dormer putting a relatively comfortable shot into Williams arms.

 

The U's keeper had to be quick to get the ball away from Flack, who half blocked his clearance but didn't get enough to send it back towards the exposed goal.

 

The U's next chance came on 20 minutes, as Hackney sent over a dangerous cross from the byline that Arnott almost got onto, but was denied by a good header.

 

Just after the half hour mark, Williams' swift bowl out sent Hackney away down the left, and he sent a fine cross that Rafter got his head to and forced a good save out of the keeper.

 

Five minutes later and Arnott really should have put the U's ahead. Hackney's run, which was halted abruptly by a challenge, saw the ball then knocked onto the striker who, when centrally placed, fired well over.

 

The challenge on Hackney earned Fletcher a booking.

 

A long throw was only half cleared for the U's just before half time, but as Black struck a volley on the turn for the home team, he was unable to get it on target.

 

The Urchins finished the half on top, but the U's remained resolute at the back and went in all square at the interval.

 

The U's made their first change as expected at the break, with Baldwin replacing Okuonghae for the second forty-five minutes.

 

But the experienced defender could only watch as the Urchins took the lead five minutes after the restart.

 

Williams pulled off a great save to deny Styles from close range, but he could do nothing about Black's follow up as he slotted home.

 

The game had opened up as a result of the goal and became a more end to end affair compared to the first forty-five minutes.

 

On the hour mark, the U's made their second change as they looked to get themselves into the game.

 

They introduced the physical presence of Ladapo for the final half an hour in place of Rafter.

 

Less than a minute after coming on, the young front man showed tidy footwork on the edge of the box to smash home an equaliser.

 

And Corcoran clipped the bar with an audacious effort not long afterwards as the U's stepped things up.

 

Midway through the half and White delivered a fierce cross to the far post and Beevers almost met the ball.

 

The U's were piling on the pressure as fitness began to tell, and they went in front on 72 minutes.

 

A defensive slip allowed Ladapo in on goal and, although he had time to take a touch, a confident finish saw him slot the ball first time beyond the onrushing keeper.

 

The U's introduced Hamilton for Elito for the last five minutes, as White moved forward to right wing.

 

But the Urchins had a late chance as good wing play set up a shot from the edge of the box that was deflected only inches wide of the post.

 

[blackballed]

Well I was very proud to be an Urchin last night, great performance by every player. :excited:

 

But its not just the players we have to thank, it's every one that has been involved with The Club this

last year, you all know who you are and a big slap on the back to all of you for saving "Our Club"

[Ian_W]

http://www.essexcountystandard.co.uk/sport/8311516.Ladapo_bags_brace_as_Colchester_United_win_Essex_Senior_Cup/

 

Teenager Freddie Ladapo scored twice as Colchester United celebrated their 73rd birthday by winning the Essex Senior Cup for the first time in their history.

 

Ladapo came off the bench on the hour mark and helped the U's come from behind to beat AFC Hornchurch 2-1.

 

The U's, who fielded a starting line-up containing mostly senior players, started well on a bobbly pitch.

 

Michael Rafter dragged his shot wide and then Hornchurch goalkeeper Darren Behcet saved Simon Hackney's header from close range, in the opening minutes.

 

Colchester were allowed little time on the ball by their enthusiastic Ryman League Premier opponents, who constantly hurried and hassled their visitors.

 

But the U's came even closer to taking the lead just after the half hour mark.

 

Goalkeeper Ben Williams' long throw allowed Hackney to run at his marker and deliver a fine cross which Rafter headed towards goal, only for Behcet to save again.

 

Williams was rarely tested in the first half, although Tommy Black hooked over for the Urchins just before half-time.

 

It proved to be a warning the U's failed to heed, as five minutes after the break they were behind.

 

After the Colchester defence had failed to deal with a ball into the penalty area, Hornchurch captain Elliott Styles was somehow denied by Williams from close range at his near post but Tommy Black was on hand to convert the rebound from a few yards.

 

But a substitution on the hour mark proved the turning point for the U's.

 

Young substitute Freddie Ladapo replaced Michael Rafter on the hour and needed less than a minute to make an impact, receiving John White's pass before controlling and then drilling a low shot past Behcet from the edge of the area.

 

Sam Corcoran came close to putting Colchester ahead seconds later before Ladapo grabbed the all-important winner with 18 minutes to go.

 

Hackney's long pass from just inside the Hornchurch half dissected the home defence, allowing Ladapo to execute a smart, first-time finish low into the bottom corner.

 

There were few other chances after that, as Colchester saw the game out to seal a piece of silverware ahead of the new npower League One season starting this weekend.

 

Colchester United: Williams, White, Okuonghae (Baldwin, 46), Heath, Bender, Beevers, Corcoran, Elito (Hamilton, 85), Hackney, Arnott, Rafter (Ladapo, 60). Substitutes (not used): Sanderson, Cousins (gk).