Ward backs Harry Redknapp for the England job

Colchester United manager John Ward indicated he’d prefer the next England manager to be English and in particular Harry Redknapp.

After the mid-week resignation of Fabio Capello, the majority of the nation has jumped apon the ‘Harry for England’ bandwagon, and Ward is no different.

Ward, who worked with the England under 21 squad back in 1992, stated “I’d like it to be an Englishman. I’m a staunch English person myself and the best man for the job is Harry Redknapp.”

However he did also confirm that getting Redknapp in, as manager of the England national side, wouldn’t be as easy as many have predicted. “People tend to forget he is contracted with Tottenham Hotspur, and I think that’s going to be a major stumbling block, because they aren’t going to want to release him, and why would they?”

After much discussion about the week’s main talking point, the conversation got down to whether Colchester would have a game this weekend. And after the postponement of the home match with Sheffield United last weekend, Ward isn’t confident the away game with Walsall will take place. “I’m not very confident of getting a game on. I’ve looked at the overnight forecast and there is set to be a five inch snow due around Birmingham this evening, which leaves our game in doubt.”

Ward confirmed that the club have been preparing for the away trip as if they expect it to be on. “Yeah I’ve been in since 7:30 this morning and we’re chopping and changing our plans for the game, it’s all up in the air but we’ve got plans in place.”

Colchester’s game was cancelled the following day, meaning the Essex side’s last two League One matches have been postponed due to the weather.

Ritchie's strike edges Swindon through

A brilliant solo effort from Matt Ritchie was enough for Swindon to progress to the third round of the F.A Cup.

For a second round in a row Paolo Di Canio’s side defeated a League One club; following their impressive 4-1 victory over Huddersfield with a strong 1-0 away victory against a poor Colchester side.

In a tepid first half, neither side controlled the game; however Swindon came out of the traps the stronger and Ritchie’s second half strike meant the best team progressed.

Colchester missed the game’s real first opportunity as Ashley Vincent failed to hit the target when well placed.

Kayode Odejayi, the man who famously knocked Chelsea out of the cup in 2007, won the ball in the middle of the pitch and found Vincent with a perfect through ball; however the winger decided against squaring the ball for Ian Henderson and went for goal, only to blaze horribly over, must to the frustration of the willing Henderson.

Brian Wilson did brilliantly to ensure the game stayed goalless, clearing heroically off the line from an Aden Flint header, which gave Ben Williams no chance in the Colchester goal.

If Flint was unlucky to see his chance fail to break the deadlock, then Ritchie was wasteful as he somehow contrived to put wide after rounding Williams. Alan McCormack found Ritchie brilliantly, and once the striker rounded Williams the ground expected the net to bulge, only for Ritchie to put wide.

Colchester had lost both league games following their first round stroll away to Crewe and their poor form had continued into this match as it wouldn’t have been obvious to a neutral which side were the League One outfit.

Swindon deservedly opened the scoring in the second half as Ritchie cut inside with devastating effects. Swindon engineered a move down their right as Ritchie knocked the ball past Ben Coker before unleashing a curling effort past Williams in the Colchester goal.

With a tirade of abuse from the home faithful, a late Colchester onslaught never occurred and Swindon held on comfortably.

Andrade’s return helps QPR overcome Colchester.

After a loan spell with Aldershot, Bruno Andrade returned to inspire QPR's under 18 side to a deserved 3-1 win over Colchester.

Frankie Southerland’s smart finish gave QPR a deserved lead, however in the second half Colchester equalised with a long range effort. With the game looking like finishing level Andrade tapped home from close range to edge QPR ahead again, and with time running out Bradley Simmonds smashed a third home after more good work from Andrade.

Neither side created much during the opening exchanges with much of the action being played in the midfield.

The first real chance of the game went QPR’s way as Jordan Gibbons did well to get a cross in, however Andrade’s effort was easily saved by the Colchester keeper.

QPR where now in control and it wasn’t much longer before the opened the scoring.

Andrade did brilliantly to set the first goal up as he turned well and slid perfectly through for Frankie Southerland who audaciously chipped the ball over the onrushing Colchester keeper for a deserved lead.

A mix up in the QPR defence nearly allowed Colchester to level immediately, however Fred Chapman recovered in time to clear.

Half time came and went and Colchester levelled early on in the second half with a fine finish giving Gareth Keane no chance in the QPR goal.

At this stage the game could’ve gone either way, however Andrade scored from close range to edge QPR ahead for a second time.

After brilliant work from sub Manny, who ironically replaced fellow sub Connor Hubbell after he took a nasty blow to the face, Andrade couldn’t miss from inside the six yard box with the goal at his mercy.

With QPR now heavily on top, and playing some nice flowing football in the process, the Hoops added a third with another fine team goal. Southerland and Andrade combined brilliantly down the QPR right before the latter crossed perfectly for the onrushing Simmonds to smash a third home.

And not long after the third the referee brought an end to the game.

After the match QPR Under 18’s manager Steve Gallen commented “It could’ve gone either way, at 1-1 we dipped a little bit, however today we had Bruno Andrade it was his first game today, and when you’ve got him, I’m always thinking if we can get him the ball in the right area’s we had a chance.”

Zubar own goal ensures Bournemouth poor run continues

A second half own goal from Stephane Zubar extended Bournemouth's winless run to six games, ensuring the south coast side stay in the bottom four.

Bournemouth incredibly opened the scoring after just 16 seconds, after Wesley Thomas curled home brilliantly from long range. Colchester United rallied in the second half and grabbed a deserved leveller as Zubar, trying to prevent Kayode Odejayi from scoring, only succeeded in turning the ball into his own goal.

Colchester came into the game on the back of just one defeat in five, however six draws from their opening 14 matches, prevented any possible play-off push.

In their last home encounter Colchester trailed inside a minute and history repeated itself as Bournemouth struck after just 16 seconds. Thomas, on loan from Crawley Town, picked up on a loose ball and from distance, curled past Ben Williams in style.

The goal stunned the hosts and it wasn't until the 28th minute they created a chance of note as Anthony Wordsworth blazed over. Odejayi did brilliantly to find Colchester's top scorer, however well when placed he could only put over.

Bournemouth and Wes Fogden in particular blew a chance to double their lead. Marc Pugh did brilliantly to get a cross in, however Fogden's header was weak and Williams saved with ease.

Darryl Flahavan produced a world class save on the stroke of half-time to prevent Ian Henderson from levelling. Wordsworth chipped a teasing ball through, which Henderson did well to get to before the covering Zubar, however his left foot volley was brilliantly repelled by Flahavan.

Bournemouth should have repeated their first half feat in scoring inside the first minute of the half, however inexcusably Thomas headed wide with the goal gaping.

Having been accused of leaving his changes too late in games recently, Ward made two substitutions just five minutes into the second half with Lloyd James and Steven Gillespie entering the fray, with the later a change that the Colchester crowd took well.

Fogden had a goal disallowed mid way through the second half after the midfielder was adjudged to have been in an offside position as he finished from close range after an Adam Barret knock down.

Sub Gillespie was perhaps fortunate not to avoid a straight red card as his over the top challenge was only deemed worthy of a yellow card.

Moments later Gillespie made the most of his redemption by creating the equaliser. Gillespie did brilliantly to win the ball from Stephen Purches and his squared ball was converted into his own goal by the luckless Zubar.

Neither side threatened a late winner as both clubs had to settle for a point in a drab affair.

Massey rescues a point for Yeovil

Two goals from Gavin Massey helped strugglers Yeovil gain a creditable 2-2 away draw with Colchester United.

Massey opened the scoring inside the first minute after Steve McLean's shot was deflected into the path of the on-loan striker. Andy Bond levelled the scorings with half time approaching as his long range effort swerved in the air, however Jed Steer in the Yeovil goal probably should have done better.

Michael Antonio's back post header gave Colchester the lead their dominance deserved, yet Massey against the run of play levelled with his second after Max Ehmer's effort was only parried by Ben Williams.

Yeovil nearly stole all three points in the last minute when Kieran Agard headed against a post. Defeat would've been unfair on Colchester whose patient football was pleasing on the eye, if not clinical.

Coming into the game on the back of four consecutive defeats, Yeovil stunned the Weston Home Stadium as Massey beat Williams through the keeper's legs to give the Glovers an early lead. McLean collected the long ball well and his shot was superbly blocked by Pat Baldwin, only for the ball to find its way out wide for Massey who when one-on-one with Williams finished superbly.

A quick response from Colchester nearly saw the Essex side level the scorings when Brian Wilson's cross found Anthony Wordsworth, whose on target effort was blocked by his own team-mate in Kayode Odejayi.

Despite the miss Colchester were dominating the game, as Yeovil sat back with ten men behind every wave of Colchester attacks.

Ian Henderson, playing on the left of an attacking three forwards, cut inside Ehmer brilliantly and his curling effort was well saved by Steer, however the keeper's parry hit Odejayi only to bounce wide after hitting the post.

It wasn't long however until Colchester opened their account for the afternoon as Bond smashed home from distance. A Colchester short free-kick wasn't noticed by Yeovil and Bond made them pay as his effort swerved in the air, beating Steer in the Yeovil goal.

The leveller was deserved and Ben Coker nearly turned the game on its head before half-time as his curling effort went marginally wide after nice hold up play from Odejayi.

The full-back made up for his miss shortly after the break, as his cross was headed home by Antonio for his second goal in as many games. Henderson and Coker did well done the Colchester left, before the latter's back post cross was headed home by the on-loan Reading winger for a 2-1 lead. Despite the goal being announced as Wordsworth's, replays clearly show Antonio headed home.

Yeovil equalised shortly after as Ehmer was left with too much space and his shot parried right into the path of Massey who slotted home for his second.

Frustration was clearly evident amongst the Colchester fans, as it appeared they would drop two points from a game they merited three.

With time running out substitute Steven Gillespie thought he had won the game for the U's only to see his strike disallowed. The former Cheltenham man went it for a challenge with Steer, however the goal was struck off as Gillespie went in too hard with the keeper and was subsequently booked for the foul.

Undeservedly Yeovil nearly stole all three points as Agard headed against a post from a late free-kick. The miss brought an end to the game, as Colchester missed the chance to close in on the play-offs, whereas Yeovil stay in the relegation zone.