Colchester United claimed victory at Grimsby Town in League Two
AFTER more than seven months of waiting, Colchester United finally registered an away victory in League Two.
And they were worthy of the three points, thanks to JK Gordon’s 78th-minute strike at a rain-sodden Blundell Park.
Prior to their 1-0 win at Grimsby Town, the U’s last triumph on the road came at Crawley Town last April.
It’s been a long time arriving for Colchester and their supporters - but there’s no doubt that it had been coming.
After all, the signs were there, following battling draws at Barrow, Chesterfield and Port Vale where the U’s showed plenty of grit and determination.
Indeed, the U’s have not lost on the road since September and in many ways, their triumph at Grimsby was the complete away performance – it featured attacking threat, a clean sheet and battling qualities, all of the ingredients needed to win on your travels in League Two.
DANNY Cowley often talks about the importance of his finishers, the players named on the bench tasked with coming on as substitutes and making an impact.
At Grimsby, it was very much a case of those finishers coming onto the field and finishing the job.
As Cowley said afterwards, the players who had started in tough conditions at Blundell Park paved the way for those who came on to win the game for Colchester.
READ MORE: David Artell - 'We didn't deserve to lose by a long stretch'
But the U’s head coach nevertheless deserves credit for his timing and choice of substitutions, after John-Kymani Gordon and Jack Payne combined to devastating effect to earn the U’s all three points.
It must be hugely satisfying for coach, even one of Cowley’s experience and knowledge, to make changes at the right time and see them have such a positive effect on a delicately-balanced game.
JOHN-Kymani Gordon led Colchester United’s celebrations with their jubilant supporters at Blundell Park.
The match-winner had a broad grin on his face as he lapped up the joyous post-match mood in the away end and rightly so, after striking the U’s late winner.
It was great to see, given that it has arguably taken the former Crystal Palace youngster a little time to settle into life at Colchester, after making a permanent move to the club in the summer.
Gordon found himself on the bench following Owura Edwards’ return to injury but the young winger responded to being out of the starting line-up in the best way possible.
IT’S fair to say David Artell felt his side deserved much more from their game against Colchester United.
"We've had more possession, we've created more and then we've got done with a sucker punch in the end, which we've done to teams away from home,” commented the Grimsby boss after seeing his side slip to a 1-0 defeat.
From an outsider’s point of view, it seemed rather a positive spin on a game which Colchester deserved to win.
READ MORE: Colchester United supporters have their say on Grimsby win
The U’s had the better of the opportunities and always looked the more likely team to secure a winner in a tightly-contested game, although goalkeeper Matt Macey did well to foil substitute Justin Obikwu in stoppage-time.
Things got a little heated at times in the technical areas, as both sides went in search of a winner but Colchester got the upper hand, in the end.
COLCHESTER United fans are having to clock up the miles to watch their team on the road in League Two once again, this season.
There are plenty of long trips for the U’s supporters including the 400-mile round journey to Grimsby Town but the 12.30pm kick-off due to the match being screened live on Sky Sports made this even more of a mission for those hardy souls travelling from North Essex and an early alarm call.
If that was not enough, Storm Bert did its best with its high winds and driving rain to make things even more difficult for the U’s fans but more than 200 were at Blundell Park to see their team claim their first away win of the season.
It was the perfect reward for their efforts and whoever made the journey to North East Lincolnshire deserved every bit of their side’s success.
COLCHESTER United’s players enjoyed some early seasonal festivities this weekend.
“I only let them go out on Saturday-to-Saturday weeks and we don’t have any of those, so we moved their Christmas do forward to Saturday night,” said U’s boss Danny Cowley.
“That performance and that win will no doubt mean that they have a good evening.”
It’s not been an easy opening three months of the season for Colchester but there are signs that better times are around the corner, as they head into the busy festive programme, where games come thick and fast.
The U’s are four unbeaten now and are proving a much more competitive force, despite their league position.
With players like Teddy Bishop and Owura Edwards returning from injury and the chance of boosting the squad further in the January transfer window, Colchester have plenty of reasons to be merry.
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