MY friends will tell you that I can be hyper-critical of certain players at times, and over the years my focus has landed on a few of the U’s normal matchday squad, where I would worry that they would be the weak link in the team if they were even a fraction off their “game”.

At our level, a team cannot afford to have a gap in their armour. Not that I would ever go to print about them of course as that would be unfair, because fans all see things differently.

This season though, and with this squad of players, I cannot find, nor do I want to find, our weakest link. Appreciate it is very early days when to comes to our football season, but I am looking around the U’s squad and I am personally extremely happy.

Even with several new faces, mainly courtesy of our Suffolk neighbours where the U’s have reaped the benefits, the players have already gelled together brilliantly. I saw glimpses at Oldham and at Rochdale, where we were under the cosh a lot but survived, and I really saw it at Barrow last Friday night.

The icing on the cake for many of us will be to see it and enjoy it at home tomorrow against Crawley and then for every home game for the foreseeable future.

Thankfully the action did not really start until our coach arrived some 15 minutes after kick-off. Even allowing extra-time for the M6 on a Friday, it was clearly not enough I am sorry to say.

Sadly one of the first events was the tannoy announcement that Shamal George had been racially abused. It truly sickens me that certain people still have their brains wired that way and whilst I hope that the individual will be found soon, I am disappointed that those around him did not point the finger at the time, because for me they are equally guilty.

Huge credit to our number one keeper though, he continued to have a most excellent game and finished the game with a smile as usual.

One idiot aside, it felt like a proper old Friday night game at Layer Road. Standing against a wall at the side of the pitch was fantastic. The atmosphere generated and the support from the 120 U’s fans was top drawer. I think we also had an out of control referee too! For a game littered with yellow cards, it certainly wasn’t a dirty one.

Freddie Sears was completely in the zone. Almost unplayable and when he is enjoying himself like that with the ball at his feet, he is great to watch. The more the U’s can find him with good balls when he makes his runs, or when he creates space for himself in and around the penalty area, the more goals we are going to score.

To a man the U’s were tremendous but of course there had to be an ultimate hero and who other than the legend that is Tom Eastman. I still cannot believe that he didn’t have to jump to make that header. Cue large celebrations in amongst the U’s supporters with hugs and fist pumps all round.

They deserved it too, and again at the final whistle when they came over to celebrate with us. That was a special moment and that is why I am so over the moon to be able to watch the U’s properly again, because you just don’t feel it through a screen.

And to think that many of us were trying to work out if Hayden would play Dobra and Jasper, when in fact neither of them saw any action. They are both serious weapons and will be chomping at the bit for a starting place tomorrow, if our gaffer needs or wants to change a winning team.

It has been a good week. Let’s make it a great Saturday. Good luck U’s and thanks to all of the supporters coming along to be a part of it.