The fanzone was open too. I’d been up there after picking up my ticket – no chance of a beer within half an hour, and I was tired of being barged by folk in that pokey enclosure after half a minute. One of them fancy pop-up food caravans was there too, behind the Ponty. Steak and chips for 14 quid. I’d love to know how many of THOSE they sold. I spent £3.50 on pie and peas (and mint sauce) at the aforementioned sarnie shop.
Otherwise, what’s happened to The Mount? Last time I was in, the place was covered in Reds memorabilia. It looked amazing, even if the beer was sh*te. Now they just have the sh*te beer (but at least you can sneak in the back way and take a leak). I sloped off to Oakwell, defeated, and ‘enjoyed’ a fruit cider in the ground. Could things get any worse?
NO! No they couldn’t. None of this augured poorly for the match. After holding up our bits of plastic to welcome the team (f*** the dolphins) the Super Reds carried on where they left off at Bolton, took control, and cantered to victory. I wouldn’t quite go so far as to agree with one fan who described it as ‘the most comfortable one-nil I’ve ever seen’, but it WAS comfortable. Even when they got that indirect free kick for a backpass, 10 yards out, there was no belief in that away team and the shot was blazed into the away end.
Did Isted have a shot to save? Well, yes he did….a slow bobbler straight at him. Did they bombard him with an aerial assault? No, they went sideways, sideways, backwards and were hemmed in by the high press and their own inability to pass the ball. I’m sure possession stats will be on their side, but how much of this match actually took place in OUR half? The scene was set in the opening minute, as we robbed them of the ball on the edge of their box and Tedic narrowly failed to get his head on the resultant cross.
Further attacks led to 20 yard grass cutters from the KKK (Kane, Kitching and…bear with me…Connell) before we went ahead half way through the opening half. We must have just had a free kick, as all our big lads were up top when Phillips receives the ball on the halfway line. As the Trotters retreated, expecting a hoof in, Phillips confounds everybody with a reverse pass, wide left, to Connell. Not only are we now further up the pitch, but we’ve a better angle to cross from. And 3 big centre halves (and Devante Cole!) to aim for. The cross comes in, the header is banged home high into the net. GET IN! I have no idea who scored (who cares?) and only find out at half-time it’s Kitching. Good man. (As opposed to Goodman; he never did score for the Super Reds.)
Second half, we go missing for the first 10 minutes. We can’t string a pass, nevermind an attack, together, but Bolton make no inroads. How did they finish 5th? (As an aside, I heard former Hull manager and Bolton coach Phil Brown comment pre-match how their supporters were so downbeat about tonite’s match, as we’d played them off the park at their place and they felt they had little chance. Well, they were right.)
As time went on, we got to grips better, the Trotters started taking risks, and we were often in open space on the counter. I trust we’re saving actually scoring from these openings for the final. My favourite was undoubtedly when we were 3 on 2, the ball came across to Devante Cole. If he dummied it, or missed it, or passed it, Herbie Kane was clean through behind him. Fortunately, Cole is not a footballer, took it himself, and dribbled it into trouble. He’d better hope we lose this final, otherwise I don’t see him getting another game for us. Now, can people please keep off the pitch…
Onwards and upwards!
*** Connell. Like the 1st leg, everything ran through him.
** Jordan Williams. Got up the pitch and looked solid in defence.
* Kitching. I thought the back 3 had a comfortable nite, but one did score the winner…
Official MOTM: Mads
Londontykes’ MOTM: 1. Connell 2. Kitching 3. Phillips
Despatches:
Flicking through the programme (500 pence) there was a review of every league game this season. How’s this for our opening line-up at Plymouth?: Collins, Jordan Williams, Styles, Kitching, Mads, Cadden, Benson, Cundy, Aitchison, Cole, Connell. 9 months later and only 6 survivors (and at least one of them on borrowed time). What a turnaround. All dues to manager Duff, who’s made the necessary improvements, cut the knife where needed and improved the players who were left.
Match stats: They had 67% possession. Just looked it up. (10-7 to us on shots, 4-2 on target.) Never in doubt.
The Oakwell PA. If he tells me one more f***ing time not to go on the pitch, I will SCREAM. Was it 5 times? Ok, ok, you’ve made your point, we can tell the EFL and the FA we did our best…but my God. How to ruin an atmosphere. Also, lest it be said, there was still a game to win and there was only one goal in it. Still, after the kids had their fun and were eventually shuffled off the grass by a line of stewards, wasn’t it great to see that topless bloke desperate to be arrested? He’s so rock ‘n’ roll he was still on the pitch throughout, till eventually he made his beeline for the halfway line (again) so he could show us his ar5e (and more) before being hauled off. I presume they didn’t show THAT on Sky!?
Oh, and in hindsight, I wish good old South Yorkshire Police had made US play on the Thursday. Washday winning last nite means they have a day’s headstart on all the coaches in Yorkshire, cheap hotel rooms in London, and what’s left of our rail service from the north. I just hope every Red gets to Wembley by hook, or Lee Crooks, for what will be our finest hour. Rumours abound SYP will still make both teams play on different days though…
Drink du jour: Stowford Press mixed berries cider. Or ‘pop’ as it’s better known.
Away: 2,181. Don’t get me started. We limited their allocation, so they responded in kind. Fine. We’re not interested in getting a 20,000 crowd. We’d rather run scared of being outchanted at home by more passionate support. And the worst thing is, it worked. (Maybe we’ll do this every game next season if we go up.)
Today’s take home: E-I-E-I-E-I-O….
The Damage:
c. £30 petrol
£5 programme
£4 alcoholic pop
= £39
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