Colchester 0 Walsall 0 - Report

Both Colchester United and Walsall huffed and puffed and tried to be creative but there was that little bit of magic or class missing in either team’s forward line that on other nights may have turned the game their way.

Jamille Matt for Walsall was lively and had a few half chances and Tom Knowles and Liam Gordon were full of running, as was Isaac Hutchinson but there seemed to be no end product to the attacks.

Both defences were on top and credit to both sides who tried to play football but it wouldn’t have been deserved if either side had snatched it.

One of the Walsall supporters’ coaches was delayed until half-time and while you could say they missed very little in the first period, your heart had to go out to then after a nightmare journey – long at the best of times – but even worse here.

Walsall made two changes from Saturday’s draw with Leyton Orient. Jacob Maddox came into the squad after a slight injury. Manny Monthe was back from illness. Robbie Willmott and Matty Stevens dropped to the bench.

The Saddlers were on a run of four league games without a win – as good a result as points at Northampton and against Orient were, they needed to put a run of wins together if they are to really challenge for the play offs.

When Matt Bloomfield was appointed at Colchester in October last year, the U’s were only one point clear of the relegation zone after ten games. While they are still struggling to an extent a good transfer window, in which they added four players has seen them unbeaten in the last four games,, winning two of those.

As on Saturday, Walsall started the more positive, taking the game to the Essex side in hanging fog and freezing conditions. They had the first chance on nine minutes when good work by Hayden White got a cross into the box, Walsall players in there but nobody could reach it.

The home side’s danger man seemed to be forward Tom Hopper though and he came closest in the first 20 minutes when on 18, Juniro Tchamadeu put the ball into the box and he got a leg to it, sending it just into the side netting.

Isaac Hutchinson for Walsall got the ball on the edge of the area on 24 minutes after a nice pass from Liam Gordon and saw his curling shot well saved by Kieran O’Hara in the Colchester goal.

Hopper again threatened through and on 33 minutes put a low cross in that was deflected away by the foot of Owen Evans and five minutes later Connor Wood laid the ball off in the area for Hopper whose shot hit the outside of the post.

Walsall were looking creative on the break, Tom Knowles holding the ball up well and when he received a Donervon Daniels pass on 40 minutes he put a ball in which Matt got a foot to but he couldn’t deflect it past the defenders.

It looked like the Saddlers just needed that bit of composure in front of goal that they have been lacking recently and which has frustrated fans and management, although the same could be said for Colchester in what was a poor first half.

The same pattern followed in the second half, both teams trying in vain mainly to create clear-cut chances and defences cancelling the forwards out.

Knowles again was the instigator of Walsall’s main attacks, covering plenty of ground and he was brought down on 58 minutes but got up to deliver a free kick from the edge of the box which was cleared. Colchester broke away through Matt Jay and Evans was again forced into action, just about clearing the ball at the last gasp.

Walsall had a good period of pressure around 70 minutes, Knowles again tried to use his long throw to their advantage, the ball eventually coming back out to him and his cross eventually caught by Kieran O’Hara in the Colchester goal.

Willmott, who came on as substitute seemed to make a bit of an impact and his long free kick was cleared by the Colchester defence on 81 minutes and despite a frantic last ten, again neither sides’ goal was really threatened.

Teams

Walsall: Evans; White; Gordon (Stevens 75); Daniels; Month; Knowles; Comley; Maddox (Willmott 53); Matt (Williams 88); Hutchinson; Low

Subs not used: Smith (GK); McEntee Allen; Songo'o

Colchester: O'Hara; Chambers (Read 75); Chilvers; Kelleher; Ashley; Jay (Newby 84); Tchamadeu; Wood; Akinde (Appiah 75); Hopper (Tovide 75); Hall

Subs not used: Smith; Greenidge ; Newby; Marshall Miranda;