reading 0-3 Colchester unitEd

Roy Massey netted a hat-trick in this Football League Cup match in August 1969 between Redaing and Colchester United at the former Elm Park ground after drawing the initial fixture 1-1.

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Colchester United were forced to replay this first round League Cup tie with Reading after drawing the original fixture 1-1 at Layer Road seven days previous with the victors in this round facing First Division outfit Ipswich Town in round two at Portman Road.

And it was the U’s who were to travel the short distance to face the Tractor Boys after their crushing 3-0 defeat at Reading with Town scout Reginald Tyrell on watch to give his findings to manager Bobby Robson.

No doubt his report to future England international manager Robson would be not to take the U’s lightly after they claimed a compressive victory against a team which had won there first two league fixtures of the season.

Colchester’s dominance throughout which was met by great speed, covering and finishing by the united faithful. However, it was the home side had their moments; particularly in the opening exchanges of the first and second half.

But, apart from their lively game play early doors the visitors would run riot on the Reading goal and go away with a comfortable win.

Due to the complete organization on show by the visitors Les Chapell and Peter Silvester were reduced to mere spectators on their own ground with George Harris and Tom Jenkins both shadowed out of the game.

Although elegant at the back it was in midfield and upfront where they were to be more effective with much under-rated Mickey Brown proving his worth. He tackled like a Terrier and ripped the Reading defence apart with lightening pace with probing runs from the centre of the pitch.

Danny Light and Ray Whittaker along with Brown made an impressive midfield trio who all earned their crust on Wednesday night. All their efforts were helped by the cleaver running of trio Jim Oliver, Roy Massey and Brian Gibbs.

In particular Massey who not only netted the goals which won the game but was mentioned in the local newspaper ‘Essex County Standard’as; ‘a really shrewd stoke of business by signing Massey for a bargain £5,000 a few weeks ago.’

And he repaid his new manager; Dick Graham to a hat-tick which coincidently was the first treble netted by a U’s player away from home for almost a decade, with his intensive opportunism creating havoc in the Reading defence.

It was almost half-time when the Reading rearguard was broken and succumbed to the first goal conceded in the game with Massey (43rd minute) stabbing home following Gibbs cross from the left with Roy Brown struggling to gather; Massey was handed a soft goal.

Early in the second half Silvester squandered a chance before a timely tackle by Bickles prevented the striker from gaining another great opportunity with penalty appeals from the home side were waved away by referee Challis.

On 72nd minute the U’s once again dictated play as Massey nabbed his second of the game; and with the score slipping away at 2-0 the match was all but over for the Biscuit Men.

Light swung in a perfect centre towards the goal mouth and with Fred Sharpe outnumbered by two-to-one there was only going to be one winner; Massey rising highest to head home the ball.

The Royals did put up something of fight with Dixon running well but Graham Smith made a magnificent save to prevent a Reading fight back; and with just seven minutes remaining the game was over.

Brown split the Reading defence in two with his blistering pace and was extremely unlucky to see his 25 yard screamer plucked away by keeper Brown, but following his palm away Massey (83rd minute) timed his run to perfection to slip the ball home for his and Colchester’s third.

The victory booked a place in round two, but were undone by there old enemies who secured a 4-0 victory, who went out to eventual finalists West Bromwich Albion in round three.

On the domestic front Colchester United finished off the 1969-70 campaign 10th in Football League Division Four – the bottom tier of the Football League structure.

Reading: Brown, Dixon, Thornhill, B. Wagstaff, Sharpe, Meldrum, Jenkins, T. Wagstaff, Silvester, Chapell, Harris. Sub: Sainty.

Colchester United: Smith, Joslyn, Hall, Gibbs, Bickles, Wood, Light, Massey, Oliver, Brown, Whittaker. Sub: Howlett.