And I have to say...it works. We are ALL OVER THEM. Been a while since I’ve seen such a one-sided game. I think Cleary (on the left wing this time, rather than Satdy’s right) has more touches than their team. He’s Cleary (!) on a different level to them. Time and again he beats his man and puts a cross in. Russell heads in early doors and DKD misses 2 chances, an easy sidefoot and a difficult volley. (I hope the scouts were watching.) It’s too easy. And what happens when it’s too easy? They score.
We are 2 seconds off the end of 1st half injury time when a corner is swung in. Does it flick in off someone? Does it go in unaided? I’ve since looked at it a dozen times on t’internet and I’ve no idea. I see Barrett runs to the front post and gets under the ball. Could he have jumped a bit higher? Equally though, even if it does clear him, a ball shouldn’t harmlessly run into the far corner. You can’t have NOBODY on it. A player on the far post would have cleared it too. The usual bugbear about marking space versus having a man on the (back) post.
So there it is, one-way traffic and somehow it’s one-all. In a weird prelude to their goal though, they’d also had an effort disallowed earlier, the ball going in direct from a THROW-IN! This took me back to the Premiership promotion season. Opening home game, we go a goal down to Huddersfield as Dave Watson pulls his arms back from touching the ball cos he knows no-one has touched it. Unlike that day, this ref knew the rules. (We went on to beat Hudds 3-1, a possible sliding doors moment averted.)
Coach Conor brings on Leo Farrell at HT. Whohellhe? (Ans: from the juniors). DKD is off. Oh dear, who’s gonna take us through now? Thankfully, Cleary carries on as before, strips the fullback, whips a ball in and an idiot defender sticks a leg out to deflect home. Easy, easy! Farrell then has the chance to extend the lead but the keeper saves. If he never scores a goal for Barnsley, he’ll regret trying to take it round the keeper rather than dink it over him.
On the hour, Yoganathan and Farrugia are sent on for Bland and Vickers, before Coach Conor sends on Captain Fantastic Connell (for Shepherd; I can’t remember what tactical nonsense we verted to. If reverting is going back to something, would ‘vert’ be to do something for the 1st time?) Anyway, if by ‘seeing out’ you mean ‘hitting a glorious penalty into the top corner in a penalty shootout’, Coach Conor got it bang on. If so, this bloke has the Midas touch.
Yes, we’re into injury time and it’s just so, so easy. As it was in the 1st half. But there’s some confusion as Coach Conor wants to make a sub. Cleary thinks it’s him, but it turns out to be Ogbeta. Now, I’ve heard of people mixing up their blacks, but I’ve never heard of a black person mistaking HIMSELF for another black person. Anyway, the message eventually gets through to Cleary that he’s not being offered his standing ovation for a job well done and that he’s on till the end. I don’t think he’s in the right head space either, as within a minute he fails to track back, leading to an overlap on their right and the ball pulled back to be swept home. To err once (conceding in 1st half injury time) is human. To do it twice (conceding in 2nd half injury time) is careless.
Thank goodness it went straight to pens. When was the last time anyone saw a decent extra-time? We go 1st, are always in front, but Kelly finds the bar with what would have been the winner. Honestly, it’s an inch from being perfect, top corner. Still, it’s somehow fitting that Cleary scores the winner (6th pen) even though we had to wait for keeper Cooper to save. Rovrum at home next. Let the celebrations begin!
Onwards and upwards!
*** Cleary. Just give him the ball.
** Kelly. Ran centre mid.
* Bland. As above. The front 4 don’t get the ball without a base.
Official MOTM: Cleary
Londontykes’ MOTM: 1. Cleary 2. Kelly 3. Bland
Despatches:
I was with Lord S in the ticket office pre-match. No problems buying my ticket (though £2 extra on the day – NONE of BFC’s messages on ‘socials’, or even their ticketing page, told me THAT) but I had to leave the office as I was cracking up. ‘How do you spell your name?’ ‘… W’ ‘Double U?’ ‘No, W’ ‘Double U?’ Anyway, we got in, only missing 5 minutes.
This is a minor thing (hopefully) and just a sign of rustiness, but three times the ball ended up out of play due to a misunderstanding between Vickers and Russell. Both showed their class at times (after opening their legs?) but with each other…they need more practice.
Drink du jour: Karate and Friendship pale ale (very nice) and Hazy Rider New England IPA (bit dodgy – was it ‘off’? Or is that it’s normal taste?) at Heaven and Ale.
Away: 165 (3,259)
The Damage:
£16 ent
c.£8 petrol
= c.£24
No comments:
Post a Comment