All in all a fair result I thought.

Town started slowly, and for the first 20 minutes there was only really one team in it, wearing blue and white stripes which was disconcerting at times.

Towns defence was caught square and napping on several occasions and it would have been no real surprise to have been 3 down, but for Rabs.

After this initial period Town came back into it, and Boothy had 2 or three header which beat the crossbar by varying distances, with one bouncing on top of it. Those aside, we didn't actually make Davison make a save in the first half. Iwelumo gave us problems throughout the game with his dominance in the air, and in Halford Colchester had a beanpole of a player who could get the ball to the back post with pace from throw ins, which again troubled Town all afternoon.

We started the second half slowly again, and Colchester scored from a header after a flick on by the beanpole.

As in the first half Town fought their way back into the game, although until the goal we had only one shot (from Schofield) which caused the keeper to make a straightforward save.

Abbot, who had been fairly ineffective, was replaced by Taylor-Fletcher, and he scored from a tight angle after a good through ball from Carss. It looked as if he had taken it to wide round the keeper. but he stuck it in from a very tight angle.

After that it could have gone either way, with Rabs making (what looked like from the other end of the ground) a stonking save from Williams, and Boothy smacking a header against the bar.

Town had great support, considering the distance, the tea was fair to middling, the sun shone and I was back in Felixstowe by 6.

We looked okay when we had the ball, but the defence did seem to be troubled by pace and height, but then most defences at this level will be.

By Simon Evans from the HTFC mailing list.