Youths Defeat Colchester

Colchester United 3 Woking 5
FA Youth Cup 1st Round Proper
Saturday 30th October 2010

Our Woking youngsters sprang a cup surprise on Saturday afternoon as they sent Colchester tumbling out of the FA Youth Cup.

Colchester got their noses in front within three minutes of the start of the game as a corner was swung into the heart of the six-yard box and Tom Bender slid home from close range.

However, with eleven minutes gone, talisman George Frith drifted into the Colchester box and calmly squared the ball into the path of Conor Close, who drilled the ball into the bottom left-hand corner of the goal to draw Woking level.

The Cards had been lifted by their goal but, on twenty minutes, were too busy lining up a defensive wall whilst Colchester, a move ahead, squared the ball to Alex Gilbey, who smashed the ball against the bar and, with keeper Kennedy still prone, Bender headed home from just outside the penalty spot.

The Cards' back four was regularly being called into action and Kennedy in the Cards' goal was put to the test a number of times as he was called upon to make some important saves.

However, Woking got themselves level just before half-time as Frith fed the ball to Bicknell, who broke the offside trap and forced a good save out of Phillips. The chance wasn't gone, though, as the ball ran straight into the path of Mazzone, who had all the time in the world to tap into the empty net.

Half time: Colchester 2 Woking 2

The goal on the stroke of half-time gave the young Cards hope, and they made the most of that with an impressive display after the break.

There was a determination about this Woking side born out of self-belief and they almost took the lead one minute after the re-start as Bicknell again broke the offside trap with his pace and forced a fine stop out of Phillips in the U's goal. In the aftermath the Cards had two shouts for a penalty, but the referee showed little interest in either.

Woking were not to be denied as a clearance from the back found its way to George Frith, who deftly lifted the ball over the U's centre half and, with the ball running through to Mazzone, he showed great composure to lift the ball over U's keeper to make it 3-2 to Woking.

The U's almost had an instant riposte as Ladapo wriggled past his man, but Kennedy yet again made a good save to turn the ball away.

Twenty minutes into the second half, Mazzone picked up the ball on the edge of the U's box. His first shot was blocked, but it was then passed to substitute Max Blackmore, who curled home a fine effort into the bottom corner.

Ladapo tried to drag the U's back into it, forcing two good saves out of Kennedy in relatively short succession.

But the young Cards sealed victory with eight minutes remaining, as Moore got through and, although Phillips was first to the loose ball thirty-five yards from goal, the ball cannoned off the Woking man and he regained his feet to tuck home before Mafuta could get there.

The U's made it 5-3 in the final minute, as Jack Folan reacted quickest to a loose ball in the six-yard box to smash home.

But it was too little, too late for Colchester as our Woking youngsters carved out another notch in their FA Youth Cup belt.

The Woking youngsters showed such a tremendous work ethic and team spirit that to single one player out for 'Man of the Match' somehow seems inappropriate This was a performance of which each of the lads in the squad can be justly proud.

Squad: Jordan Kennedy, Tim Taylor, Lewis Martin, Ryan Alderman, Aaron Turner, Jordan Junior Smith, Conor Close, Jon Coussens, Adam Bicknell, George Frith, Jack Mazzone.

Subs: Max Blackmore, Phil Moore, Shane Cheeseman, Adam Bellmaine, Niall Wright.

Woking have been drawn at home to either Oxford or Cheltenham in the Second Round Proper.