The League One game between Colchester United and Norwich City.
The hosts, enjoying a fine time of it under Aidy Boothroyd’s management, were shredded by their own defensive ineptitude as much as their opponents’ forcefulness on a pitch which was saturated by water, making football treacherous.
The conditions intensified a feistiness puncturing a fixture riddled with tantalising sub-plots. Boos rang around the ground when Paul Lambert walked out sporting a wry smile.
He instigated Norwich City’s 7-1 trouncing at the hands of Colchester on the opening day and oversaw his old side’s dramatic demise here.
A referee with the experience of Mike Dean was demanded to officiate a game frothing with competitiveness and an underlying hostility.
Essex Police handed it their highest risk assessment status and one supporter was dragged away by stewards having attempted to access the pitch in the second half.
Indeed Lambert was barracked by Colchester supporters as he stood on the touchline providing his reflections on a victory that propelled Norwich closer to League One leaders Leeds United. Their chants of ‘Judas, Judas’ drove Lambert and the press inside.
For Boothroyd, there was the sobering realisation that his side had conceded 12 goals in two matches. “I’m not a manager who blames the pitch, the weather or the ball boys. We gave away four daft goals,” he said.
Norwich, with one defeat in 19 league games, need little encouragement at this level but they enjoyed space and time in the attacking third.
An unmolested Russell Martin played in Chris Martin and he found the net. Conditions suffocated the potential for creative play but the passion remained ferocious.
With half time approaching Chris Martin, released by Simon Lappin’s ball, negotiated a boggy pitch to score his second goal. “There’s only one Paul Lambert” the visiting supporters sang.
They had further cause for delight at the start of the second half. Wes Hoolahan glided a free-kick into the Colchester box and Gary Doherty slammed home.
The contest teetered on the edge of competitiveness. Grant Holt and John White had to be separated but the noxiousness was contained by Dean. Holt was soon hauled down by Pat Baldwin but Hoolahan’s penalty struck the bar and his conversion was disallowed.
Colchester’s rearguard anaemia resurfaced. Baldwin’s kamikaze pass was intercepted by Oli Johnson, who scored a fourth goal before Holt rounded Ben Williams and added a fifth.
Ian Henderson, formerly of Norwich, was sent off for scything down Darel Russell in stoppage time. A shuddering capitulation proved too much for Colchester to stomach.
Match details
Colchester United (4-4-2): Williams; White (Henderson 70), Okuonghae, Batth (Baldwin 55), Tierney; Ifil, Fox (Odejayi 55), Izzet, Wordsworth; Platt, Lisbie.
Subs: Cousins, Hackney, Gillespie, Heath.
Bookings: Batth, Tierney, Lisbie
Sent off: Henderson
Norwich City (4-3-1-2): Forster; R Martin, Nelson, Doherty, Drury; Smith, Russell, Lappin (Hughes 89); Hoolahan (Johnson 66); Holt, C Martin (Whitbread 83)
Subs: Rudd, Gill, McNamee, McDonald.
Bookings: Doherty, Hoolahan, C Martin, Holt
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