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Reply | Oxford tonight
at 08:49 13 Aug 2025
A decent performance against a competent Championship team that defended deep whilst we attacked at pedestrian pace. We were never going to score by walking the ball into the net after overly intricate passing. We needed to shoot on sight (as they did) and get down the flanks at pace, which Thorn and Edwards ultimately did. Oxford were similarly guilty of over complicating attacks, but retained the ball better and were prepared to test Macey rather than add an unnecessary pass.
A gate under 4,000 at a Championship venue sums up this competition. Frankly few care, and no apparent injuries is perhaps the best outcome.
Crazy journey home. M25 closed and (CUSA Coach) driver seemingly twice lost his way. We ended up heading north on the A1 and turned onto the M11 by Duxford Airfield, finally home at 01:15. |
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Thread | Castle Park Concerts
at 16:21 12 Aug 2025
Colchester & East Essex Cricket Club will be open on the following evenings.
Free admission, cheap alcohol, all welcome. Some cricket too on a few days.
The following are playing in the adjacent field…
Thursday 14th - Smashing Pumpkins
Friday 15th - Busted
Saturday 16th - Craig David
Sunday 17th - UB40, Aswad and a few more
Monday 18th - Tom Jones
Thursday 21st - Texas, Natalie Imbruglia
Friday 22nd - James, Happy Mondays, Lightning seeds
Saturday 23rd - Madness |
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Reply | Super U's get off to a great start at Boundary Park with three valuable points
at 09:00 9 Aug 2025
Sadly, I’m committed to cricket on Saturdays for another few weeks but will be heading for Oxford.
Oldham was always an away trip that I enjoyed, but last time there it was depressing. A club in turmoil, but a fantastic following of fans that deserve better than a half finished new stand and an otherwise dilapidated arena. Hopefully success in the National League has brought improvements, but not too many on the pitch. They were terrible against Accrington Stanley mid-week, so I see this fixture as a benchmark for U’s 2025-26 status. |
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Reply | Lyle Taylor gone.
at 18:08 7 Aug 2025
It suggests to me that nobody will meet the valuation for Tovide, who consequently stays.
Cowling won’t pay wages for both Tovide and Taylor (and why should he?).
I’m surprised Taylor has signed for Chelmsford, but maybe he too has few options. A move to the USA MFL might have been more appealing. Footballing is a short career. That’s why HMRC permits a pension retirement age of 35, when it is 55 minimum for most of us. If sensible, he’s stashed away enough cash into his pension fund when playing for bigger clubs. |
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Reply | Castle Park - the place to be…
at 22:55 3 Aug 2025
Presume you were watching the live stream Bewildered.
As the ‘last hour’ commenced late there was never going to be more than the 17 remaining minimum overs bowled. There was therefore no incentive for Joe MacGregor to slow proceedings down, but there is an explanation….
There was a moment of late controversy when two Brentwood players fielding the ball collided on the boundary outside of my camera view. My video cannot be employed in any decision making without proper DRS kit and protocols so I mention this solely to explain why you didn’t see what was occurring . One Brentwood player was briefly concussed and the question then arose, was it four or two runs?
A Brentwood fan had apparently signalled four, but the Brentwood fielders argued only two, whilst Colchester inevitably wanted four. After a bit of debate, plus time for the concussed player to be assessed, the umpires judgement was merely two (fair enough). But that probably explains the apparent delays, which were not Joe MacGregors fault.
Was a thrilling nail-biting end to the game. I was simultaneously following the Wanstead live stream where Fives & Heronians miraculous scored 47 for the ninth/tenth wicket to defeat Wanstead. As I have said all season, the Essex Premier League is very entertaining, and free admission. |
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Reply | Castle Park - the place to be…
at 12:35 3 Aug 2025
Saturday 02/08/2025
Colchester beat Brentwood to gain 20 points.
Chelmsford beat Hutton to gain 20 points.
Wanstead lose to Fives & Heronians gaining merely 12 points.
This means Colchester now lead the Essex Premier League table by 22 points.
Crucial was Joe MacGregors’s 125 not out, whilst veteran Ben Stephens in his first appearance of 2025 rolled back the years and bowled 16 overs, taking 3-55 at an economy rate of 3.44. What is notably remarkable was he conceded 19 runs in his first two overs , then having removed both openers, he bowled the next 14 overs for merely 36 runs. |
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Reply | Castle Park - the place to be…
at 21:14 27 Jul 2025
Glad you enjoyed the live stream (which is my work). The software is identical to that used by Essex CCC with the main difference being me being the sole scorer/video/editor operative which means I can employ only two static cameras, including one wide angle. But I’m proud of the results we achieve.
I no longer add audio because of repeated problems with the YouTube copyright police moaning that we are broadcasting Castle Park music concerts. If they turned their volume down it would assist!
I winced when umpire Courtney Perry took the camera end. I have no control over this. By contrast, tiny Raf Patel is a camera end dream. Frankly, if we had a Cherry Picker to get the camera higher the view would be better, but I am limited to about 4 metres on top of the sight screen.
We enjoy a decent live audience, but views soar to between 600 to 1,000 post match as clubs then analyse the content. However, it’s more about entertainment and sponsorship. Our record audience is for one funny clip that went viral topping 1 million views after being circulated by mainstream cricket broadcasters. Two others have topped 250,000 views. [Post edited 27 Jul 21:15]
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Reply | Castle Park - the place to be…
at 07:17 27 Jul 2025
In a hard fought contest, Wanstead emerged as winners, so Colchester’s lead at the top of the Essex Premier Cricket League was cut to 15 points.
Another huge game in Castle Park next Saturday when Brentwood CC are the visitors. |
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Reply | Posh pre-season friendly - 7pm Friday 25th July
at 08:35 26 Jul 2025
I was at the game. Very entertaining for a pre-season friendly.
When we went 0-2 down to soft goals I was thinking “here we go again”, but the revival was encouraging, indeed thrilling. The U’s looked a tad sharper than their Division One opponents and once Tovide and Lisburn entered the fray, were the most likely to snatch a winner.
Both managers have some difficult selection choices to make ahead of the first EFL fixtures, Cowley’s decisions perhaps a tad easier than Fergusons.
The new boys looked good, but Oscar Thorn was tormented by Posh’s best attacker. I’m not convinced with him at full back, but trust Cowley. Posh didn’t score from down that flank and whilst beaten on the outside by a few clever dribbles, he didn’t make a mistake and I don’t recall a dangerous cross from his flank. |
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Reply | Summer 2025 - Ins, Outs & Maybes
at 06:08 25 Jul 2025
Scully and the Shrewsbury manager were together at Lincoln, but since then, Scully has played comparatively few games. Always crocked. Too much of a risk in a tight squad like Col U. I think we have dodged a bullet. He never impressed me. |
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Reply | Castle Park - the place to be…
at 07:52 24 Jul 2025
Saturday’s Colchester & East Essex team versus Wanstead in Castle Park (11:00 start) has been published, and includes Essex CCC contracted players, Charlie Allison and Simon Fernandes.
Wanstead are likely to feature Essex star, Robin Das and former Essex Second XI Captain, Joe Ellis- Grewell.
FREE ADMISSION!
FREE ACCESS TO THE BAR!
There is now added spice to the title race as Chelmsford CC have crept into second place after securing 14 points last week, not the 7 points I reported in yesterday’s Gazette. This discrepancy was entirely my fault as I originally took the information from the automatically calculated published league tables not anticipating a belated manual 7 additional bonus point adjustment benefiting Chelmsford resulting from an extreme time/over reduction due to rain.
Colchester must now play Wanstead both home and away, whilst Chelmsford have already played both Colchester and Wanstead twice, so have (arguably) the easiest run in against teams below them. Saturday is therefore probably a must win for Wanstead, and it is a must not lose for Colchester given their healthy points advantage over both Wanstead and Chelmsford. But with this powerful line up, Colchester won’t be seeking a draw. [Post edited 24 Jul 7:55]
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Reply | Worst penalty shoot out of all time on TV?
at 00:30 23 Jul 2025
Gifted a penalty, saved (again) then tap in the rebound. A win,, but not convincing.
What has impressed me most is the no-nonsense standard of refereeing. No being fooled by those rolling about feigning injury. Yes, the Italians wasted time, but they have not yet mastered greater skulduggery. |
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Reply | Castle Park - the place to be…
at 06:47 21 Jul 2025
After this weekend…..
1. Colchester & East Essex CC First XI top of the Essex Premier Cricket League.
2. Second XI top of Essex League Second XI Division Two.
3. Women’s XI top of the Essex Women’s Premier League Hundred.
Wouldn’t it be great if Colchester United mirrored this success!
A massive day on Saturday when second placed rivals, Wanstead, come to Castle Park (11.00 start). Even if Colchester lose, they stay at least 1 point clear. However, a win could take them up to 51 points clear. Free admission, and a super selection of (bottled) real ales in bar at club prices.
Also free pavilion admission during the August Colchester Music Festival Evenings. OK, you can’t see the stage, but you can hear Madness, Texas, UB40, Tom Jones etc for free. |
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Thread | New Shirts and Open Day
at 11:38 20 Jul 2025
I never stay long at the U's Open Day, typically just suffice to pay my CUSA annual subscription and a single circuit to see what's on offer there, but today I left in under twenty minutes.
Frankly, I didn't want to view the inside of an Arriva Bus, I didn't want to buy a cruise, I didn't want to buy a bike, I didn't want to buy a First Aid Course (I already have qualifications) and I certainly didn't want to buy the new yellow alternative strip with its psychedelic (drawn by a kid using a spirograph?) pattern. Anybody suffering from Epilepsy or similar sensitivities should stay away from the club shop.
The pitch looked as lush as my pristine artificial lawn, and would grace any bowling green or cricket square. How long it lasts in that condition once the weather changes with it additionally being violated by Ipswich U21's and Ipswich Women is anybody's guess, but I've never seen it looking so good.
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Reply | Tigers at Layer Road
at 22:24 19 Jul 2025
At her request, I booked a wing walk for my wife’s 60th birthday. That is for her, and not for me. She is fearless and when in the RAF she apparently did parachute jumps over the ocean. I get dizzy coming down the Stadium Steps in sunshine.
The week before said booking, the aircraft engine had failed, and it had to be shipped to the USA for repair and hence the wing walking event didn’t happen. It took me six months to get my money back. But, I instead took her indoor parachuting.
They wouldn’t let me do it as I’m a tad over the weight limit (hmmm!). However, in an Emma Peel like cat-suit she skilfully spread-eagled herself over the huge fan and then when the full power kicked in she soared 20+ feet upwards, doing all manner of weightless aerobatic paragliding stunts, and the instructor just let her go. She had been well trained in the military. She kept her clothes on.
I wonder, anybody else here have a wife with a wholly unexpected blow your socks off talent? |
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Reply | Castle Park - the place to be…
at 16:58 14 Jul 2025
Colchester & East Essex Cricket Club is a charitable status community cricket club where members of the public are admitted free of charge, including into the Bar/Pavilion, which offers competitively priced drinks, including a decent selection of real ales. There is usually a tea bar and a BBQ post match. Many Colchester Utd fans regularly support the club.
The club plays in the Essex Premier League which is the highest standard below the professional game. Matches feature many county second XI players, plus some First XI where county commitments permit.
“Ipswich & Colchester Cricket Club” (Ipscol cc) was only established in 2020. They play in Division Six of the Two Counties Cricket Championship. Ipscol has no affinity with the historically long established “Ipswich and East Suffolk CC” or “Colchester and East Essex CC”. Frankly, their name is rather pretentious, but there is no copyright infringement. Maybe they should play at the Jobserve Stadium….. |
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