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| 'Drink yer pint and f*** off.' The soon to be deceased Groggers' Rest. |
Bad news pre-match, our entire midfield is out: Pearson and Scowen. And what with O'Sullivan being recalled after today (have Blackburn realised he can actually PLAY?) then there MUST be a recall for Berry or Jennings. No. We have yet another loanee thrust into the mix, Cameron Stewart from Ipswich, played out wide with O'Sullivan switched to centre mid. And it almost comes off early doors, with O'Sullivan firing a long shot just wide and Stewart bamboozling the full back before whipping an early ball in (nobody there). Admittedly this was better than his first touch, when he let a gentle pass trundle under his foot for a throw-in.
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| True fact: Wearing a hat in Preston makes you 'gentry'. |
After an even first 20 mins or so, PNE took control and could have scored 3. Davies made one unbelievable save, one fabulous save and one bread and butter. If we could only limp to half time goalless...Sadly not. There's any amount of folk in the box yet we allow Preston to have not one but two free men on the back post and top scorer Garner prods it home while full back Declan John is actually stood wide of the goal..protecting what exactly? PNE putting it out for a goal kick? There was still time for North End to blaze another shot over from 10 yards. We were getting mullered.
Half time came and Barnsley put a different side out 2nd half. O'Sullivan ran at them, Hourihane probed and John supported from full back. Chances were still at a premium till Crainie met a cross with the back of his head, 6 yards out. Over the bar! I don't believe it. (I believe it.) Jennings comes on for Stewart. Absence makes the memory fade. Is he even FATTER than the last time he plodded around looking overweight? He proceeds to look awful for 17 minutes, puffing and panting every time he's jogged 20 yards. Dale - what is happening to your career? Have a look at yourself, you're p***ing your career away.
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| Excellent turnout from the Lilywhites; biggest of the season (thus far). |
At the same time, Ibehre comes on for Very (Waring) and does in 6 minutes what Waring has....no, don't compete that sentence, Loko will combust. O'Sullivan holds a ball up wide right, lays it to Holgate, who whips in a cross for Jabo to head home. Where was the marking? Are we THAT good? Jabo has no-one near him 5 yards from goal. Who cares!? You beauty!
Both teams then carry on at each other, looking for a winner in the last 15 or so, but a draw was a fair result, whatever the stats say: We had ONE shot on target to their 5, 6 or 8 (I've read 3 reports and no-one can agree how many saves Davies made).
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| 'Sir Tom Finney Preston Legend.' |
*** Davies. Kept us in it. Since Turnbull's injury he's played 8, won 6, drawn 2, conceded 2 and saved f***loads.
** O'Sullivan. Played 8, won 6, drawn 2. Statistically the most successful player in Barnsley's history? Today was a fitting tribute to his efforts, Twitter MOTM and afterwards he took the applause from all around. He really looks like someone who enjoys playing for us. I hope he's back, you never know.
* Crainie. A stalwart in defence, tackles, headers.
Londontykes top 3:
1. O'Sullivan
2. Davies
3. Crainie
Despatches:
Nyatanga partnered Crainie well. John looked better going forward than defending. Holgate was composed, while I thought Hourihane had a decent game (the other travelling Londontykes disagreed). I also thought Waring had a good game, winning headers, holding balls up. Didn't get close to having an effort at their goal, but hey, it's not like he's a centre forward or anything. Someone who IS a centre forward is Sam Winnall. So we played him wide midfield. By the end of the game he even had the ignominy of having to watch Kane Hemmings come on to partner Ibehre up front. I like Ibehre. It's been a while since we've had a headless chicken. As I said, let's take the point, cos if you saw the finishing 11, you wouldn't fancy our chances.
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| The teams line up. |
I saw a few Laurel and Hardys (Hardies?) pre-match, but it turned out it was 'Gentry Day' for the North Enders (or Nob Enders as Burnley call them). In fact, one Nob Ender ran on the pitch after they scored, to the halfway line. Now, I wouldn't mind if he ran around, zig-zagging stewards, but instead, he sobered up and walked off to a waiting Day-Glo. What's he expecting? To be escorted back to the away end?
Previously, in 'tarn' there was many an away fan and police outside virtually every pub. There was a rowdy lot in the #7 and since the bar was extremely busy, we went to Chennels for one last cheeky one...where the bar was extremely busy. Still, made a change.
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| The Ponty, slightly fuller than usual. |
Drink du jour: JD and coke, after dodging the Blunt pr*cks (no, not an oxymoron) outside The Howard calling for the 'Piggy ba5tards to show themselves' after Washday's trip to Rovrum. Tell me again why BFC v Sheffield United is a 12:15pm KO, when today, Barnsley, Washday, Rovrum and the Blunts all played simultaneously in South Yorks? It's always OUR home games wot get switched. Why?
Crowd: 12,471 (away: 2,920). Biggest of season.
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| Pre-match in Grove Street |
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| Pre-match at the home end. |
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