Colchester United writer Carl Marston recalls the U’s 1-0 win at Port Vale on September 17, 2005, early on in their promotion-winning campaign:

If Chris Iwelumo had been asked to write a script of how he wanted this U’s trip to Port Vale to unfold, then it would probably have read along the lines of what actually happened.

Iwelumo scored a goal for himself, against his former arch rivals (he used to ply his trade at neighbours Stoke City) to secure a terrific away win for Phil Parkinson’s men.

Iwelumo was subjected to jeers and boos from the Vale Park faithful, as punishment for his four years at Stoke, but he left Vale Park as both the hero and the villain of the piece.

In Valiants’ eyes, he was the villain, not for the first time; but for the U’s, his 34th minute goal wrapped up all three points in their ultimately successful quest for promotion to the Championship.

Iwelumo was always going to be a marked man, not least because he had bagged a late equaliser for Stoke at Port Vale in the Potteries derby of October, 2001.

The big Scotsman did not disappoint on his return, ghosting in at the far post to prod home Kevin Watson’s teasing corner, after Greg Halford had flicked on the cross at the near post.

“We came here with a game-plan, and we stuck to it, enthused manager Parkinson after the match.

COLCHESTER: Davison, Stockley, Richards (sub Baldwin, 80), Chilvers, Elokobi, Halford, Watson, Izzet, White, Williams (sub Hunt, 86), Iwelumo.

Attendance: 5,166