Colchester United won the FA Trophy at Wembley in 1992

Brian Waller tells the story of their FA Trophy success and a special time for the U's.

FRESH from thrashing Barrow 5-0 to clinch the Conference title on May 2, Colchester United travelled to Wembley a few days later to lift the FA Trophy and complete a superb non-league double.

But that event did not look very likely four months earlier when the U's trailed at home to Kingstonian, as the match went into stoppage time in the first round.

The local paper headlined read, “Lucky, lucky, lucky U’s let off the Trophy hook”.

Ronnie Biggs would have been proud of them as would Steve McQueen in the film, the Great Escape.

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In front of a crowd of 2,724 at Layer Road, three minutes into injury time, Colchester trailed 2-1 and it needed the efforts of their keeper, Scott Barrett, to save the day.

With literally the kitchen sink being thrown at the visiting goal it needed the Colchester’s keeper’s efforts to preserve them as he was up for a last-gasp corner. His header on from a Nicky Smith corner set up Tony English to net the equaliser to make it 2-2.

The U’s had gone behind on six minutes from a former trainee Richard Cherry, but soon equalised. This came as Warren Donald’s shot took a deflection, the visiting keeper could only push the ball up in the air and it was Steve Restarick who was on hand to head in from very close range.

However the equality was brief as a slip by Shaun Elliott proved costly as this gave Steve Tutt the opportunity to score from 25 yards.

It was a draw that the home team barely deserved.

In the replay, Colchester took the lead seven minutes before half-time with a goal by Nicky Smith after a keeper error.

The hosts equalised with a Cherry penalty soon after the interval but the visitors led again on 72 minutes as Gary Bennett netted with a header from a Restarick cross.

Steve McGavin hit a third before Cherry scored again with another spot-kick.

Round two sent Colchester to Merthyr Tydfil in Wales and once more Barrett was the real hero with some good saves in the 0-0 draw and in the replay, it needed a 86th-minute winner from McDonough to get them through to the next round with a 1-0 win at Layer Road.

Jason Cook’s cross found Steve McGavin and when his shot was saved, big Roy was on hand to blast his shot into the net.

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Things seemed to get a lot easier for the U’s after the two difficult early rounds, with Morecambe next up at home.

Despite a power cut at the ground early in the second half, the lack of floodlights could not halt U’s progress as they won 3-1.

On his home debut, new boy Ian Stewart was the star as he opened the scoring after linking up with McGavin on 12 minutes.

The visitors had levelled from a cross cum shot from Ian Cain on 26 minutes but six minutes later it was Stewart again as he headed in an Eamonn Collins cross.

Despite McDonough missing a penalty, skying the ball high over the bar, the U’s got a third goal from McGavin as he headed in Mark Kinsella’s cross.

As the paper reported, with the floodlights gone, the stadium was into darkness very soon after the final whistle.

With no lights at the ground, the visitors went off, still in their kit, to a local hotel to have their bath, whilst the U’s showered at the ground with the help of the local police constabulary who provided some torch lighting.

The U’s were now into the quarter-finals and with more home advantage they beat Telford, 4-0.

Colchester took the lead when from a Paul Roberts throw, McDonough headed on for McGavin to nod home.

The U’s went 2-0 ahead on 50 minutes. A similar Roberts and McDonough link up from a throw in allowed Kinsella to drive in a shot from the edge of the box.

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It was 3-0 when from McGavin’s header back across goal, Gary Bennett scored and a fourth goal came from Nicky Smith, after good work by McDonough, McGavin and Kinsella.

Now it was to be the two-legged semi-final and it was a dominant first-leg win for the U’s over Macclesfield, as they won 3-0.

Barrett made a vital save but the good win was gained as the U’s got a lucky first goal.

From a free-kick by Dave Martin, Stewart tried to pass to McGavin, but the ball bounced off referee Tony Ward back to Stewart whose shot bobbled into the net.

Two minutes later it was 2-0 as McGavin set up Tony English to score after the scorer had played a one-two with McDonough.

A third goal came from player coach McDonough’s penalty.

The U’s marched into the final with a 1-1 second leg draw, to win 4-1 on aggregate.

Timmons gave the home team the lead and then Colchester were put under severe pressure until Cook scored in first-half injury-time.

Having seen all their home Trophy games, I then set off to Wembley with my brother and sister-in-law and 22,000 other U’s fans where we saw the U’s beat Witton Albion, who had ended their Trophy dreams the year before with a 2-0 win at Layer Road, at the quarter-final stage.

It took Colchester just five minutes to take the lead as McDonough flicked on a long Roberts throw and American Mike Masters nipped in to score.

Albion fought back strongly but on 20 minutes, the U’s then made it 2-0.

Cook’s pass found Kinsella and although his cross eluded Steve McGavin, Smith was on hand to score.

Witton’s mood changed and several bad fouls were committed, and bookings ensued for both teams. Just before the hour mark Coathup scored from a Lutkewitch cross to make it 2-1.

Masters hit the post before Cook reacted to a challenge and was sent off.

However, the game was made safe as McGavin scored again in injury-time.

The 3-1 win saw the U’s complete the league and Trophy double and skipper Tony English lifted the cup at Wembley.