Hard work paid dividends for Colchester – Matt Bloomfield

Posted Sunday, November 20, 2022 by PA

Matt Bloomfield was full of pride for his Colchester side after they swept Doncaster aside 3-0 to move out of the Sky Bet League Two relegation zone.

Colchester went ahead in the first minute of first-half stoppage-time when Alex Newby curled an exquisite free-kick into the top corner from around 25 yards.

The U’s doubled their advantage in the 59th minute through 18-year-old striker Samson Tovide, who collected Alan Judge’s pass and blasted home a magnificent left-footed strike for his first senior goal.

Colchester sealed victory in style in the 89th minute when Luke Hannant controlled the ball before curling home an excellent strike from 25 yards.

It was Colchester’s first win in seven league games, and Bloomfield said: “I didn’t enjoy it because I was just so desperate to win!

“But of course I enjoyed the goals and the celebrations at the end.

“We’ve worked really hard this week and I’ve been boring to the boys telling them how hard work, team shape and discipline is going to pay you back eventually.

“It didn’t last week at Crewe but we had to keep believing and, luckily for us, it paid dividends today.

“We could have had a few more goals recently and we’ve not had the rewards that we deserved and luckily today, we did.

“The boys took their chances really well and I’m so proud of them – the way they turned up last Monday morning and got on with their work so diligently, and I’m so pleased for them and the supporters.

“We needed to make sure we got a clean sheet, so I’m really pleased with that too.”

Doncaster were well beaten, much to head coach Danny Schofield’s disappointment.

Schofield said: “Losing the game 3-0 in any manner is always disappointing and we have to reflect on what went wrong.

“I’m quite clear on where I felt we were second best but I’ll watch it back as always and review it.

“I think it was the fundamentals where it went wrong, which we speak about all the time in football – winning the first and second balls, the contacts, the duels, the physicality that the game of football demands.

“The time that we conceded is always tough but we were really positive at half-time and we said to the players that the game was there for us but we need to do much better with the fundamentals.

“We were second best all over the pitch and I thought all three moments were the result of that, because we were second best.

“I know that the strikes were of high quality but leading up to that, I thought we were fundamentally poor.”