Norwich City 1 v Colchester United 7
Before the game kicked off there was a rousing and stirring minute’s applause held in memory of Sir Bobby Robson, who died recently after a long battle with cancer.
Colchester kicked off towards the River End and had the first sight of goal with a free-kick to left of the City D, but it went well over.
City’s keeper, Michael Theoklitos got his first touch in the fifth minute, superbly taking Kevin Lisbie’s cross from the right.
City come to life in the 7th minute with Ostemobor getting in a cross from the right had side, causing uncertantity in the United area and giving possession back to the Canaries. Wes Hoolahan made the most of it, putting in an inviting cross from the left.
Then Hoolahan’s left wing cross was just headed out for a corner before Grant Holt had a chance to opening the scoring with his head.
Hoolahan’s in-swinging corner was an easy claim for the keeper at the near post.
Chris Martin then collected a long through ball down the left, but his pass across the field was too strong for Simon Whaley.
For all that momentum, however, it was Colchester who took the lead in only the 10th minute. Theoklitos came out to meet a lofted back pass from Ostemobor and missed, giving Kevin Lisbie, on loan from City’s rivals Ipswich, the easiest and simplest of tap-ins.
Then within three minutes Lisbie caused mayhem in the Canaries’ penalty area again, wrong footing City’s Captain for this season, Gary Doherty. Theoklitos could only parry the on-loan striker’s shot into the path of Clive Platt, who again could make no mistake from 5 yards.
After only 15 minutes of their first game for fifty years in League One, Norwich found themselves two nil down and struggling to stay in the game.
Colchester won their first corner of the game on 18 minutes. Although too deep, Simon Hackney picked up the loose ball and crossed to the far post, which the home defence failed to deal with and Platt made no mistake from just outside the six-yard area from a tight angle, rifling his right-foot shot in to the roof of the net.
Vincent then tried his luck running at a disheartened City defence, with only a foul by Nelson stopping him. However, David Fox curled his free-kick over the wall and past Theoklitos to give the very unlikely scoreline of 4-0 to the away team!
The game was then interrupted by two fans running onto the pitch and making a bee line for City’s shell-shocked manager, Bryan Gunn. This provoked chants from the home fans of ‘what a load of rubbish’.
Hoolahan, one of the few City players showing any fight so far, won a corner and although Doherty got his head to Gill’s cross, it was two-yards over the cross bar.
There were very strong shouts from players and supporters alike for a handball in the Colchester area when Hammond appeared to handle, but the referee was very quick to wave away penalty appeals.
But then, normal service was resumed as Ostemobor, rather than risk another back pass, conceded a throw in. Tierney’s long throw was flicked on by Platt into the six-yard area where Lisbie was lurking and out-jumped his marker to head past Theoklitos to make it five!
City won a corner, from Whaley’s right-wing cross, which Hoolahan took short in front of the snakepit, playing a one-two with Tudor Jones, who overlapped the Irishman, received the ball back and from outside the area tried to curl the ball goalwards, but it sailed harmlessly wide of the far post.
The half ended with Colchester on the attack and the home fans roundly booing their players.
Second Half:
The City boss resisted making any changes as City began the second half with an almost impossible task of over-hauling Colchester’s five-goal lead.
Whaley chased Hoolahan’s through ball into the opposition area but Ben William’s who had had so little to do, showed he was still awake and very alert to claim the ball at Whaley‘s feet.
Hoolahan’s cross from the left was put out at the expense of a rare City corner, but Gill’s kick was deep and although Doherty got his head to it, it once again sailed harmlessly over.
After only 13 minutes of the second half Gunn brought on fresh legs with Cody McDonald and Tom Adeyemi replacing Martin and Gill, respectively.
Hoolahan was pushed by Tierney, who became Mr Shoebridge’s first booking of the game. From the free-kick, Colchester conceded a corner and from Whaley’s cross, a powerful header goalwards by Tudor-Jones was met by Williams who pulled off a wonderful reaction save to deny the Canaries an unlikely goal.
Then a foul by Doherty in the 62nd minute earned him a caution from the referee, but the resulting free-kick from the halfway line was easily dealt with by City.
Holt’s persistence as he bore down on the Colchester area, earned City a rare free-kick within striking distance of goal. Whaley, Hoolahan and Ostemobor all stood over the ball, with Hoolahan and his trusty left foot looking favourite to take it. But it was Ostemobor who powered his shot well over.
In the 71st minute, a rare lack in concentration from the Colchester defence, saw McDonald open his goal-scoring account for the Canaries for the new season, with a low right foot underneath the keeper from close range.
Norwich showed more fighting spirit with another attack, culminating in young Adeyemi trying his luck from 30 yards and his shot was only narrowly wide.
However, Colchester were immediately back on the offensive, with substitute Vernon getting in a shot that Theoklitos saved well low to his left that brought a loud ironic cheer from the home crowd.
In the next minute, another of the Essex side’s substitutes Perkins went one better producing a dipping volley from outside the ‘D’ to restore Colchester’s five-goal advantage.
City earned only their fifth corner of the game as substitute Adeyemi showed close control to get a shot in from a narrow angle that Williams pushed out. Unfortunately it was the same story of it finding a Canary shirt but the header flew over the bar!
Mcdonald then threatened to score his second as he broke into Colchester’s area, only to be denied by Beevers who appeared to push him over but the well-positioned ref saw nothing wrong with the challenge.
Another in-effective delivery from a Norwich corner, this time Whaley, with two minutes to go did nothing to trouble the opposition!
A Whaley free-kick to the left of the ‘D’ showed the influence of City’s Assistant Manager Ian Crook, as he fooled the opposition by playing the ball smartly to their right to find an unmarked Nelson, but his shot was comfortably saved by Williams.
Colchester had the last laugh though, with the third of their substitutes also making an impact. He cut the ball back across the area and away from the advancing Theoklitos to find Vernon who calmly side-footed the ball into an unguarded net.
As the referee blew for the end of Norwich City’s first game in League One since 1960, it was the 1,700 away fans who quite rightly celebrated their side’s deserved victory with the home fans repeating their chants from earlier of “what a load of rubbish”!
After the game, Bryan Gunn said “We would like to apologise to the supporters after the good and hard work that had been put in during pre season. Everyone had high hopes and after the good results we’ve had, we have learned a hard lesson on life in League One.”
Attendance: 25,217
Norwich: Theoklitos (GK), Ostsmobor, Drury, Gill (Adeyemi 58), Nelson, Tudor Jones, Holt, Whaley, Doherty ©, Hoolahan, Martin (McDonald 58)
Unused Subs: Alnwick (GK), Cureton, Spillane, Lappin, Maric
Goalscorers: McDonald (72)
Bookings: Doherty (62)
Colchester: Williams (GK), Beevers, Okunonghae, Baldwin, Vincent (Izzet 70), Hammond ©, Platt, Hackney (Vernon 66), Fox, Lisbie (Vernon 63), Tierney.
Unused Subs: Cousins (GK), Maybury, Holt, Thomas.
Goal scorers: Lisbie (10, 38); Platt (13, 19); Fox (22); Perkins (76); Vernon (90)
Bookings: Tierney (59), Fox (65)
Referee: Mr R Shoebridge