Match Report – Blackpool 2 V U’s 2

Delighted Yeates Is Sick Of Draws As U’s Make It Three In A Week

Blackpool (0) 2 Colchester (0) 2

Blackpool Goals:

Morrell, 54
Barker, 84

Colchester Goals:

Yeates, 64, 86

Saturday 22nd September 2007 Attendance: 7,959

Bloomfield Road

A delighted Mark Yeates admitted his pleasure at garbing a superb double against Blackpool but, as Colchester contrived to come away with a third successive draw, conceded he was “sick” with tied results.

“We’re not happy. We played three good teams over the week – Charlton, Southampton and Blackpool – and come away with three points – we should’ve picked up a lot me.” said Yeates of his team at the final whistle. He added: “We are sick of draws.”

Colchester have recorded five of them from eight matches while Yeates, now the club’s top marksman after two picture-book finishes from twenty five yard free-kicks, has just as many goals.

The Irish dead-eye twice planted the stunning strikes past Paul Rachubka from almost identical positions to ensure Colchester a share of the spoils, replying both times in quick-fire fashion to goals from Tangerines forward Andy Morrell and defender Shaun Barker.

Barker’s goal might have been the winner, although he too expressed exasperation that the headed effort that gave Blackpool the lead for a second time in the game was not a winner. “To concede late on is a kick in the teeth.”

The form-book, though, always suggested a tie. Blackpool have neither won or lost in the last three matches and their only Championship defeat to date was inflicted by an in-form Wolverhampton side. Indeed, the division’s pair of draw specialists only found the back of the net through set-pieces here.

Despite Yeates’ grievances, which come in light of his insistence in midweek that the U’s ought to be flirting in the league’s upper echelons, the result looked that stood looked merited.

Colchester fielded the same XI that took to the field against Southampton five days before, with Aidan Davison getting back-to-back games for the first time this year. Adam Virgo, sporting a bandage, continued in defence, while Clive Platt retained his place due to Teddy Sheringham’s inability to recover from a persistent thigh strain. There was, notably though, no room in the home side’s line-up for striker Scott Vernon, a former U’s hero.

Blackpool began, as most home sides usually desire, in the ascendancy with eventual star Yeates experiencing frustration where his early runs were blocked three times by the full-backs. The opening quarter of an hour was spent, as was most of the half, with both teams getting a feel for the other both tactically and physically.

The first moment either goal looked pregnable came when Wes Hoolaha tested Davison with a close-range drive that whizzed wide on the right.

It took a further ten minutes for Colchester to record a first goal-bound effort, which came through Virgo, via a corner. Yeates delivered in to the area and a kind ricochet felt to the Celtic loanee, who was unable to get any telling contact on the shot.

The scores remained blank as half time loomed, and it was not until ten minuets after the interval that Merrel broke the deadlock, although U’s skipper Karl Duguid was fortunate not to give away a penalty beforehand. The referee indicated that the ball struck his arm unintentionally.

A similar incident also occurred in the record period, with the scores still blank, as a ball ran along Adam Virgo’s arm, following his attempt to make a clearance with his chest. The referee was well-placed and, once more, said no penalty.

The second half exchanges were instantly of a higher octane, with Ben Burgess and David Fox, who assisted with the Blackpool opener a few moments later, both going close. A half-chance also presented itself to Kevin Lisbie.

Blackpool took the lead when Fox delivered a corner, met at the far post after a flick on by Merrell. His left footed toe-poke beat Davison as it flew into the roof of the net after some suspect marking from Colchester.

Yeates hit a venomous reply inside of ten minutes, with the first free-kick that was completely unanticipated. Kevin McLeod won the set-piece that deflected off the woodwork on its way over the line.

The hosts again took the lead through Barker after another pinpoint ball from a Fox corner, but Yeates completed his double with an even better effort perhaps that the first to salvage an unlikely point for Colchester.