Colchester United season-ticket holder Si Collinson's views on the U's

SATURDAY was a nice trip up the roadwork-ridden M1 to see the U's take on Macclesfield Town.

It was a new ground for most and to be fair to them, it was a very warm welcome that awaited.

The Moss Rose ground had a very non-league feel to it but the staff were very helpful, the concourse music was a nice jolly mix of cheesy classics and the beer was cheap.

Although the away section was small and fairly crowded, the stewards were very discreet in their presence and allowed us to enjoy the day without any fuss.

The same cannot be said for all grounds; Coventry tried to make 200 of us sit in our actual allocated ticket seats in an area that holds 2,000-plus and then wondered why we all moved when we were so spread out!

And the Northampton stewards seemed very heavy handed and almost longing for an excuse to throw people out.

The same welcoming feeling cannot sadly be said for the pitch that greeted the players when they arrived at Moss Rose.

Macclesfield had clearly done their homework and the playing surface was deliberately left unrolled and bobbled to ensure our passing game was disrupted.

Now I understand that both teams have to play on the same pitch but when it is set to hamper a certain side directly then I feel its unsporting.

Newport County is different as you know what to expect and they try get it to the best they can.

It's not just at League Two level, either - Liverpool on TV as month or so ago showed only one part of the Anfield pitch being cleared of snow in order to help the home team.

I feel football should follow cricket in the ruling that pitches have to be to a set standard and any club that is found to have deliberately altered their pitch to suit or hamper the opposition has sanctions against them.

Keep to it being deliberated and not weather that caused it.

The pitch aside, the first half was by our own standards very poor.

Full credit to the management to see this and make the half-time changes.

This not only brought us back in to the game and ensured we did not go home empty-handed but also showed the latest new position that players can now be played.

Step forward Tom Eastman, Colchester's - and possibly football's - first right centre wing-back!

He is a man of many hats and at times looked our most attack-minded player on the pitch, with his lightening runs and overlapping play.

If he was born South American, he'd be talked about everywhere and knows as Tominho!

With the Saturday's football out the way, my attentions turned to Sunday and Lawford Ladies away to Silver End in the Essex Woman's Trophy semi-final.

The girls ran out 4-2 winners after extra-time against a well-drilled and talented Silver End side.

Col U-supporting Jamie-Louise Newstead was as always up to her high standards in the Lawford goal.

The final will be played on March 24, at Aveley FC.

A massive well done to all the girls, a great afternoon's work, marred only by the injury to my wife, Jess Collinson who was taken to hospital with a dislocated knee.

Now we make a right pair, both hobbling around on crutches!