Colchester United’s challenging start to the League Two season continued this weekend with a 0-0 draw against Carlisle United at the JobServe Community Stadium.
Manager Danny Cowley has now acknowledged that he may have erred in his team selection, a decision influenced by off-field events the night before the match. The result leaves the U’s with just two wins from their opening ten games, sitting in 16th place with 11 points.
The draw against Carlisle marked Colchester’s first goalless home draw in the league since April 2023, and Cowley’s side have now secured just one victory in their last six outings. That win, a convincing 3-0 home triumph over Tranmere Rovers on September 21st, saw forward Lyle Taylor score twice, showcasing his potential as a key player this season. However, consistent results have eluded the U’s, with four draws in their last six matches indicating an inability to convert chances into goals.
Colchester had their opportunities against Carlisle, particularly in the second half when Jack Payne squandered a clear chance and Arthur Read was denied by an inspired performance from Carlisle goalkeeper Harry Lewis. The U’s dominated in terms of shots, with Payne and Taylor combining for seven of the team’s 14 total attempts. Despite their efforts, Colchester failed to find a breakthrough.
Speaking after the match, manager Danny Cowley admitted that his tactical decisions might have contributed to the sluggish performance but revealed that an off-pitch incident had affected the team’s preparations. On Friday night, defender Aaron Donnelly’s mother fell seriously ill after travelling from Ireland, disrupting Donnelly’s availability. Cowley explained that this last-minute disruption forced changes to the lineup.
“On Friday night, Aaron Donnelly’s family came over from Ireland with Jamie’s (McDonnell) family and went out for something to eat,” Cowley told the Daily Gazette. “Aaron’s mum fell quite seriously ill and ended up in hospital, so he ended up having a disrupted night. We probably had to change the team as a consequence of that and probably didn’t quite get the selection right, as a result. But these are things for us to take on board and to learn and always, to try to own it. Credit to the players, because in the second half once we were able to change things, they came out and put in a really good performance.”
The U’s mixed form this season comes after a summer of significant changes. The club had one of the most active transfer windows in the EFL, overhauling their squad with 14 new arrivals, including key signings like Jack Payne, Lyle Taylor, Tom Flanagan, and Teddy Bishop. This period of transition follows back-to-back seasons in which Colchester finished in the bottom half of League Two, narrowly avoiding relegation.
As Danny Cowley embarks on his first full season in charge, Colchester have shown signs of improvement compared to previous campaigns. Despite sitting in mid-table, the U’s have been competitive in most matches, and there is optimism that the squad will continue to gel as the season progresses. Their next test will come after the international break when they host Cheltenham Town before a tricky away fixture at Chesterfield.
Wrtier’s View
Colchester’s lack of consistency is not unexpected, given the scale of their summer rebuild. With 14 new signings, Cowley faces the challenge of quickly integrating new arrivals into his tactical system. Although the team has shown glimpses of quality, especially in their win over Tranmere, the absence of a reliable goal threat has been a recurring issue. The reliance on players like Payne and Taylor, while promising, is not yet yielding the desired results, particularly in games like the Carlisle draw where clear chances were not converted.
Off-field disruptions, such as Aaron Donnelly’s family emergency, have also impacted preparations, further complicating an already challenging period for the team. However, Cowley’s openness about the situation and his willingness to take responsibility for team selection shows a reflective manager intent on finding solutions. If Colchester can maintain competitiveness while ironing out their attacking inefficiencies, they should steadily climb the table in the coming months.
Founder and Editor-in-Chief at The Real EFL, Gary is a passionate Lincoln City fan with extensive content creation across the Championship and EFL. He also shares expert football betting tips.
