Non-League and Academy football writer

On Tuesday evening I traveled to Wadham Lodge, to watch Walthamstow FC take on Colchester United, in a fourth round tie of the Essex Senior Cup. This game was 0-0 after 90 minutes, however Colchester (they pretty much fielded an Under 21 side, with the exception of a couple of players), would win the game 3-1 on penalties. The opening stages of the game saw the visitors have much more of the ball than Walthamstow, and the first real chance of the game was created by Paul Konchesky’s side. After Kaan Bennett passed the ball to Owura Edwards, he took the ball into the Walthamstow penalty area from the right flank, before seeing his low effort on goal saved by Ashlee Jones, in the Walthamstow goal. A through-ball pass to Brian Moses-Songolo shortly afterwards, resulted in the Walthamstow player taking the ball into the Colchester penalty area, where he had only the goalkeeper in front of him. However, Colchester’s Will Greenidge sprinted back, to make an excellent last ditch challenge/block, to keep the score goalless. Brad Ihionvien had an effort from distance saved by Ashlee Jones, before Gene Kennedy hit an effort wide from distance, for the away side.

Colchester United continued to create chances in the first half, and towards the end of the first half Kaan Bennett had two efforts in quick succession blocked by the Walthamstow defence, inside their penalty area. A good passing move from Colchester to start the second half, saw Gene Kennedy pass the ball to Brad Ihionvien on the left flank, and the centre-forward then delivered a low cross into the Walthamstow penalty area, which was just put wide of the goal by Kaan Bennett, from close range. Brad Ihionvien then had a great chance to put Colchester ahead from, following another low cross into the Walthamstow box (this time by Al-Amin Kazeem), but from close range Brad Ihionvien couldn’t get any real power on the ball, and his effort was comfortably saved by Ashlee Jones. From a corner kick shortly afterwards, the ball ended up finding it’s way to Kaan Bennett inside the Walthamstow box, but he was unable to turn the ball into the goal, with it hitting the post, before then being cleared away. After winning the ball in a good area of the pitch for Walthamstow, Jordon Watson went forward with the ball, before hitting an effort over the Colchester goal, from the edge of their penalty area.

After excellently turning his way past a Walthamstow defender inside their penalty area, Brad Ihionvien had an effort well blocked, before Walthamstow went forward with the ball, shortly after. With Bilal Sayoud just missing Eman Okunja’s really good cross, which was delivered across the face of the Colchester United goal. Vinny Murphy’s Walthamstow side were working incredibly hard in the game, and after Jared Small managed to turn his way past a Colchester defender on the right side of their box, he hit a good effort which went just over the goal. A good run in behind the Walthamstow defence resulted in Colchester’s number 12 (a trialist) hitting the side-netting of the Walthamstow goal, from a difficult angle. The impressive Frankie Terry then hit a volleyed effort on goal from the edge of the Walthamstow box, which was saved by Ashlee Jones. And after Walthamstow substitute Callum Ibe had an effort saved by Tom Smith, Colchester tried their best to find a late winner. The Colchester trialist hit an effort over from the edge of the Walthamstow box, before then having an effort from distance saved, and in the end the cup tie would be decided by penalties.

Colchester United first team player Chay Cooper scored the first penalty kick for the away side, before Tom Smith saved Walthamstow’s first penalty kick. The Colchester trialist hit his resulting effort against the crossbar, before Bilal Sayoud found the goal to level for Walthamstow. However, after Archie Oliver scored from the spot for Colchester and Adalberto Pinto had his effort saved for Walthamstow, Will Greenidge stepped up to score, with Walthamstow then missing their final penalty kick. I would say that this was a deserved win for Colchester United, however, Walthamstow’s work off the ball and their defending throughout the 90 minutes was very good. It was a good and competitive game of football though, on a very cold night.