Danny Cowley explained his squad selection after Colchester United's 1-1 draw with Crewe Alexandra, leaving Leon Chiwome out of the matchday 18. The Colchester United manager said a decision was needed as the team continues to search for consistency across a full 90 minutes.
Harry Anderson gave Colchester the lead in the 27th minute at the JobServe Community Stadium, but a stoppage-time equaliser from Joshua Stephenson meant the points were shared. The result leaves Colchester 13th in the League Two standings with eight points from their opening six matches.
Chiwome, the 20-year-old on-loan striker from Wolverhampton Wanderers, had featured as a substitute in all six of Colchester's league and cup games this season. For the Crewe fixture, Cowley opted for Bradley Ihionvien and Jaden Williams as his attacking options on the bench instead, a decision made as the team looks to improve on scoring just seven goals in six league games, a key stats figure they must address.
"We had a decision to make, for the 18," Cowley said. The manager also recalled defender Kane Vincent-Young to the squad after he missed the previous game at Swindon Town with a hamstring issue.
Cowley pointed to a recurring pattern of inconsistency that has marked the early part of the season. He noted the team was second best for much of the first half but improved significantly after the break, with Jack Payne and Moses Sesay among those who raised their levels.
"We don’t seem to be able to put two halves of football together at the moment, which is difficult to understand," Cowley stated. The performance mirrored the 3-1 defeat at Swindon the previous weekend, where a strong start was followed by a collapse, part of a run where the team has conceded nine league goals.
Colchester's top scorer this season is Jack Payne, who has netted 13 times in 39 appearances across all competitions. The team's immediate focus turns to their next fixtures as they aim to climb from mid-table. Cowley emphasised that his side must fight for everything this season.
This story first appeared at Colchester Gazette
