D3D4 Colchester United correspondent Piers Palmer looks back on a game that will live forever in his memory as one of the sweetest victories of all time…

Flashback Friday: Southend United 0-3 Colchester United 06/04/2007

Eleven years ago, Good Friday 2007 was probably one of the best Fridays of my young life.

Bright and brilliant was the Spring sunshine, Colchester United were enjoying their greatest ever season in The Championship, The Lord will be risen on Sunday and we were off to a local derby against lowly Southend on Dad’s birthday. Could there be a more perfect setting?

Well, even if every fan in Colchester had high expectations for this local derby, I doubt many would have predicted Jamie Cureton smashing in a gorgeous volley after just 38 seconds and finishing up with two more: single-handedly destroying Southend United. Well, that’s what happened and that pretty well shut up all of Southend and ensued the best away day of all my years of supporting Colchester. (Yes, even better than the 7-1 win against Norwich at Carrow Road).

At the time, my little Layer Road club was flying high and so was I. The U’s were a force to be reckoned with in The Championship compared to The Blues (aptly named for this game and season) who, although they finished champions in League One the season before (above Colchester) their season was marred by a permanent relegation battle, which, in the end, they lost.

Indeed, the season before, while both pushing for promotion from League One, Southend bested Colchester on both occasions that the teams met – putting 6 goals passed us altogether. Well, this season ended with Colchester returning the favour and helping poor old Southend on their way to relegation.

Jamie Cureton was the main man of the day, scoring all 3 goals and eventually achieving The Championship Golden Boot for that season. He and that beautiful band of brothers helped The U’s onto the highest League finish the club has ever seen and the memories of that season will live on for many, many years.

Honestly, I think the reason that away day win against Southend is still a day that I (and probably many Colchester fans) still hold dear to my heart and remember so vividly, is because if there was one game to perfectly showcase the feeling, the buzz, the success, the satisfaction, the brilliance of that short period of real triumph that Colchester United enjoyed: it is Good Friday 2007.

Eleven years on, a lot has happened to both clubs. Both have endured long lows and few highs since those couple of years of success but, truly, the taste from that day is still so sweet.

Words by Piers Palmer. Twitter: @Piers_Palmer. Email: [email protected]