Job well done - Tierney

Carl Marston

Colchester soccer, main quotes story for EADT

by Carl Marston

COLCHESTER United saviour, Marc Tierney, dismissed his wonderful goal-line clearance at Carlisle as just a case of “a job well done.”

Tierney preserved the U's 1-0 lead, just before half-time, by miraculously managing to keep the ball out of his net with a virtual bicycle kick clearance from the goal-line.

The U's went on to win 2-0, but it could have been so different if keeper Jimmy Walker had not finger-tipped Cleveland Taylor's cross-cum shot onto the underside of his bar, with Tierney then scooping away the rebound with an outstretched left boot before Cumbrians striker Danny Graham could bundle home.

A modest Tierney insisted: “I was just doing my job. That's what I'm paid to do, to stop the ball from going into our net.

“I just managed to hack the ball away. It may have looked like it was going to be a goal, and I'll have to watch the video to see how I managed it. I certainly felt as though my hip was going to pop out of place!

“The team spirit is terrific at the moment. We are all on a massive high, and we want that to continue.

“We wanted to put on a good show for our fans, who had come a long way to see us, and in the end it was a comfortable win.

“We are defending well as a team, all over the pitch. For instance, David Perkins has been coming back to help me out down the left, but no one's name should really be left out,” insisted Tierney.

Left-back Tierney has been in outstanding form since his move from Shrewsbury Town, initially on loan before that deal was made permanent a month ago.

He has helped to shore up the U's defence - just five goals have been conceded in the last nine league games - and he produced another man-of-the-match performance in Cumbria.

Tierney believes there is even better to come. He continued: “We have some momentum, and we want that to carry on.

“Everyone is on top of their game at the moment, We are not allowing teams to get back into the game. We are playing high up the pitch and we are confident of holding onto leads.

“It's good that we have a settled defence at the moment, and it helps that we are all good communicators, from Jimmy (Walker) all the way up the pitch.

“We know each other's game and we talk to each other. There is a great understanding that goes throughout the team.

“I know that we are still 11th, despite our good run, but it's becoming much tighter in the top half of the table and the sky's the limit, as far as we are concerned.

“We want to keep our consistency going, and we still believe that we can make the top six,” added Tierney.

The U's have cut the gap between themselves and the play-off zone to seven points, thanks to a superb recent run of just one defeat in 12 league games. Before this run began, they were actually in the bottom four!