Founded: 1937
Nicknames: The U’s
Honours: Conference (1991/92), FA Trophy (1991/92)

Colchester United formed in 1937 when a number of enthusiasts of the much older Colchester Town F.C. decided to establish a new professional club in the area. The new team decided they would stay at Layer Road, the original home of Town since 1909.

The town itself lays claim as the oldest recorded establishment in Britain. It was also the first founded Roman outpost in England after Emperor Claudius’ invasion in 43AD. It served as the Roman Capital of Britain for 20 years until Boudica’s rebellion in 61AD which destroyed the town. In a more modern setting Colchester is regarded as one of the country’s fastest growing towns, after a considerable rise in population since the turn of the 20^th century.

It took 13 years after the Clubs formation to join the football league, gaining promotion to Division 3 (South) in 1950. After bouncing between tiers 3 and 4 for the best part of 30 years, Colchester were relegated back into the Conference ahead of the 1990/91 season. The U’s were unable to make an immediate return to the football league as they finished runners up to Barnet, but the season later would be regarded as one of the most successful in their history.

Under player/manager and top scorer Roy McDonough, Colchester won the Conference title on the final day of the season and beat Witton Albion at Wembley in the FA Trophy final (although they did lose to Exeter in the first round of the FA Cup).

At the turn of the 21^st century Colchester had stints in the second tier. Between 2006-2008 they were in the Championship, but after eight years in league one, the U’s were relegated back to the Football league basement tier.

PRE-SEASON – Cheltenham 2 The Cobblers 0

Northampton Town’s pre-season schedule concluded on Saturday with a trip to League 1 side Cheltenham Town. The Cobblers started brightly at The Completely-Suzuki Stadium and having already had an appeal for a penalty turned down, the referee did point to the spot on ten minutes when Danny Hylton was bundled over in the area.

Hylton stepped up to take the penalty himself but his spot-kick struck the post in a reprieve for Cheltenham who had the woodwork to thank again a few minutes later when Louis Appéré saw his shot from the edge of the area also come back off the post.

Having survived those two chances Cheltenham took the lead on 34 minutes through Alfie May who cut inside and fired a fine strike into the far corner.

Ryan Haynes saw a shot deflected behind as the Cobblers looked to respond while Ben Williams headed over for the Robins who doubled their lead just before half-time, Dan N’Lundulu with a sharp strike on the turn to beat Lee Burge.

Sam Sherring made a good block to deny goalscorer N’Lundulu at the start of the second half, the Southampton loanee prevented from getting a clear strike on goal.

The Cobblers first change saw Sam Hoskins replace Haynes before Mitch Pinnock went close to pulling a goal back for Jon Brady’s side, driving a shot narrowly wide after latching onto a loose ball.

Liam Cross and Peter Abimbola came on for the final few minutes with Brady giving some more game time to some of the Cobblers youngsters as pre-season drew to a close.

Bingham put his side ahead on the hour mark with his second, but Sears made it 2-2 with a clever lob seven minutes later.

It was competitive match against the Kent side, with the U’s seven days away from the League Two opener at Northampton.The U’s started the game on the front foot, and almost scored within the first two minutes. John Akinde got clear on the left, the ball was transferred quickly, but Freddie Sears couldn’t quite find the target following Alan Judge’s miscued shot. The visitors went even closer on five minutes, Judge’s free kick pushed onto the bar by former U’s keeper Mark Cousins.

It was no surprise that the first goal of the game came for the U’s, with Noah Chilvers sidefooting his effort into the bottom corner on twelve minutes after good work from Judge and Sears. Sears should have doubled the lead four minutes later, clipping his effort over the bar after intercepting a pass from Cousins. The home side had their first real effort of the game just before the half hour mark, with Sam Hornby untroubled as it sailed over the bar. Chilvers had the next chance for the U’s, but pulled his shot wide – with Ryan Clampin starting the attack with a great run down the left wing.

The scores were level three minutes before half time, with a training ground corner routine ending with a Bingham shot from the edge of the box arrowing into the bottom corner. Just before the whistle went for the break, Ryan Clampin was booked for a late challenge, following two home players going into the referee’s notebook.

Like the first half, the U’s started well in the second, with Sears causing problems for the home defence. First, he crossed for Chilvers, but the near post header went wide, then he shot himself after again intercepting a Cousins’ pass from inside the home box but the shot went just wide. At the other end, Hornby made a strong save to deny the hosts when a goalbound shot was hit from the edge of the box.

The hosts did beat Hornby on the hour mark though, Bingham drilling his angled shot across the U’s keeper and into the bottom corner. That lead only lasted seven minutes, with Sears netting to make it 2-2. Hornby’s long clearance was flicked on by Akinde – Sears controlled instantly and lobbed Cousins, who couldn’t backtrack enough to prevent the shot going in. he U’s made their first change of the game on seventy two minutes, Al-Amin Kazeem replacing Clampin at left back.

Akinde almost went from provider to scorer a minute later, but he couldn’t quite find the target with an awkward finish with his knee from a Hannant cross which came in at a difficult height for the U’s forward. A number of subs for the home team slowed the game down, but it was Ebbsfleet who had the next chance. Hornby was able to fall to his left to get on the ball, after a near post shot was smothered by a couple of U’s defenders.

With eight minutes to go, Nouble, Tovide, Newby and Cooper were introduced as the forward four for the U’s – Sears, Akinde, Hannant and Chilvers replaced. Bingham put his side ahead on the hour mark with his second, but Sears made it 2-2 with a clever lob seven minutes later.

John Akinde got clear on the left, the ball was transferred quickly, but Freddie Sears couldn’t quite find the target following Alan Judge’s miscued shot. The visitors went even closer on five minutes, Judge’s free kick pushed onto the bar by former U’s keeper Mark Cousins. It was no surprise that the first goal of the game came for the U’s, with Noah Chilvers sidefooting his effort into the bottom corner on twelve minutes after good work from Judge and Sears.

Sears should have doubled the lead four minutes later, clipping his effort over the bar after intercepting a pass from Cousins. The home side had their first real effort of the game just before the half hour mark, with Sam Hornby untroubled as it sailed over the bar.

Chilvers had the next chance for the U’s, but pulled his shot wide – with Ryan Clampin starting the attack with a great run down the left wing. The scores were level three minutes before half time, with a training ground corner routine ending with a Bingham shot from the edge of the box arrowing into the bottom corner.

Just before the whistle went for the break, Ryan Clampin was booked for a late challenge, following two home players going into the referee’s notebook. Like the first half, the U’s started well in the second, with Sears causing problems for the home defence.First, he crossed for Chilvers, but the near post header went wide, then he shot himself after again intercepting a Cousins’ pass from inside the home box but the shot went just wide.

At the other end, Hornby made a strong save to deny the hosts when a goalbound shot was hit from the edge of the box. The hosts did beat Hornby on the hour mark though, Bingham drilling his angled shot across the U’s keeper and into the bottom corner.

That lead only lasted seven minutes, with Sears netting to make it 2-2.

Hornby’s long clearance was flicked on by Akinde – Sears controlled instantly and lobbed Cousins, who couldn’t backtrack enough to prevent the shot going in. The U’s made their first change of the game on seventy two minutes, Al-Amin Kazeem replacing Clampin at left back.

Hornby was able to fall to his left to get on the ball, after a near post shot was smothered by a couple of U’s defenders. With eight minutes to go, Nouble, Tovide, Newby and Cooper were introduced as the forward four for the U’s – Sears, Akinde, Hannant and Chilvers replaced. Neither side could find a late winner, and the final whistle went with the scores level at 2-2.

Sky Bet League Two – The Cobblers 3 Colchester 0

Northampton moved back into the top three with a comfortable 3-0 victory over relegation-threatened Colchester.

Fraser Horsfall, Sam Hoskins and Benny Ashley-Seal were all on target and a 16th clean sheet of the season meant the three points were never in doubt.

Hoskins was expertly denied by goalkeeper Sam Hornby inside 90 seconds before Northampton showed why they are set-piece specialists with the opening goal in the 16th minute. Mitch Pinnock delivered another pinpoint corner and Horsfall stooped to head home.

Colchester saw a lot of the ball but did not do much with it, while Northampton occasionally threatened to add a second goal before half-time with Jon Guthrie going closest when his header was hooked off the line.

The home side doubled their lead with a brilliant goal four minutes into the second half. Jack Sowerby, Tyler Magloire and Paul Lewis all combined to set up Hoskins and he curled a superb shot into the top corner.

Alan Judge hit the woodwork for Colchester but Northampton’s win was wrapped up when Ashley-Seal turned in Hoskins’ cross in stoppage time.

Games Played – 20

Games Won – 9

Games Drawn – 2

Games Lost – 9

PLAYED FOR BOTH

We look at a selection of players that played for the Cobblers and Colchester.

MARTIN WOODS
Garry Maskell and Declan O’Shea
Fourth Official : Anthony Da Costa

This is Martins’s first Cobblers game.

Date	Home Team	Result	Away Team
	Salford	2:2	Northampton
23.01.2021		2:1	Northampton
27.04.2019		2:2	Yeovil Town
27.01.2018	Blackburn	1:1	Northampton
19.09.2017	Wigan	1:0	thampton

1	Northampton won both league meetings with Colchester last season, last beating them in three consecutive games between 1985 and 1987.
2	Northampton have won just one of their last 15 away league games against Mansfield (D6 L8), winning 2-1 on the final day of the 2003-04 fourth tier campaign.
3	Northampton beat Port Vale 1-0 in their opening league game last season, ending a five-game winless run in such games (D2 L3).
4	Colchester haven’t won their opening league game of a season since 2013-14 (1-0 at Gillingham), though seven of their eight season openers since then have finished level (L1).