‘You’ve travelled a long way today’ ‘Eh?’ ‘Well, it looks like you’ve come from the 1980s’
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| Welcome to...bandit country. |
Is Hecky lucky or a calculating genius? We’re in the early kick off at Bumhole Lane while play-off rivals Gillingham kick off later at home to Shrewsbury. We can’t afford to lose much (any?) ground on them, yet, with the score at 0-0 and 15-20 mins of our game left, still no subs. We are more concerned in protecting what we have than going all out for the win. Fletcher is knackered, Winnall is anonymous and Hamill is s***, yet Toney remains on the bench for all but the last 2 minutes. Of course, history says we came away with a point and Gillingham later lost 3-2. This is the best thing Micky Mellon has done for us since coaxing Jacob Ba5tard F***ing Mellis into a matchwinning performance at Brighton during his caretaker stint.
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| 'Sheffield's red and white'. Well, it is today, lads! |
It was a tense game yesterday. The Blunts absolutely needed to win, and didn’t – so whatever happens, at least we ended their season. We possibly needed to win...cos obviously Gillingham were gonna turn over relegation-threatened Shrewsbury. Cue everyone being on their phones in The Tap later on, keeping tabs on Gillingham’s effort to capitulate. And capitulate they did; all of a sudden a good draw has turned into a fabulous point! We beat relegated Col U next week while Burton turn over Gills and we’re in the play-offs! I can guarantee it won’t be that simple. But we can dream.
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| In the upper concourse, knobheads chucking beer around. |
The draw was problies the fair result. Both sides had chances, both sides had bags of space to play in (is their pitch really big or what?) Fletcher had a goal disallowed at the far end. I thought I saw a pull but I’d love to be proved wrong so I can be as bitter as everyone else. Equally, they had a scramble in the 2nd half where I don’t know how it didn’t go in...while Davies made the save of the match near the end of the 1st half, diving low to his right as a 20 yarder was hit low and sweet.
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| 'You've only come to see the Barnsley' |
Otherwise, we’ll problies bemoan our inability to hit them on the break late on. Hamill found himself astutely shepherded out once by McEveley (oh, that he could have done that while attempting to play left back for us) while Hourihane overhit a simple pass when we were 3 on 2 which an exhausted Fletcher was never gonna get. Scowen and Isgrove meantime were the dynamic duo on the right, constantly breaking from our own half.
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| Flag corner |
Mind, if I was them, I’d bemoan a golden opportunity in the 1st half, as 2 of their players challenged the keeper (foul?) and the ball dropped for their guy to stroke it in...only it went straight to Roberts who cleared. It was like time stood still as everyone waited for the ref’s whistle for the foul...which didn’t come. No surprise there. If I was their fans, I’d also bemoan the aimless punts forward; but this is Sheffield United. They LOVE a bit of long ball. Word to the wise, lads – it’s meat and veg to Marc Roberts (and he’s a hungry lad).
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| Match action; I love the view from the upper tier. |
*** Roberts Won everything in the air and on the ground and passed it to teammates. Up against Billy
** Williams. Outstanding defensively. Just wish he could add more attacking impetus, but it’s difficult when you’re a right footer forced to play at left back (again).
* Isgrove. Busy game and never gave them an inch.
Londontykes' Top 3: 1. Roberts 2. George Williams 3. Isgrove
Despatches:
Scowen had an excellent game, particularly in teaming up with Isgrove; Hammill couldn’t cross for toffee and neither could Hourihane from deadballs. Are both doing just enough to stay with us next year? Hammill could have been dragged off for all the use he was...but you just never know with him. One piece of magic and... It’s a shame Winnall couldn’t prove what Wadd and I had been saying about him this week was wrong, but he barely had a kick; getting booked early sadly (!) put paid to his usual moaning and diving though. But, really, it was like playing with 10 men. Good job Fletcher was leading the line well; too well, he had nothing in the tank for the last 15. The defence were supreme in mainly keeping the ball away from Davies, with Mawson having another good game alongside Roberts.
You Reds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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| Full time - applause all round. |
Drink du jour: Franziskaner on the way up, Primator at the Tap and a bottle of red for the journey back. Only I accidentally bought a bottle with a cork in it. Idiot. Had a half bottle from the buffet car at the same expense. Met the others at Kings X where a drunken Master Reed had drunk too much vodka without his pal Geordie Al. Christ, he was in a state. More beers at the Parcel Yard. NEWSFLASH: I didn’t fall asleep on the bus. Too busy playing with my phone. There’s a lesson there somewhere.
Away: 3,694 (Salisbury tells me).
The Damage:
25 train
25 ent
3 prog
The Tunes:
Adore Life – Savages
Commontime – Field Music
Mixmag – Solomun – In Love
Trailer Park – Beth Orton
Plus, in the week Prince died, I played all the Prince tracks on my phone; ‘Down with Prince’ (Hot Chip), ‘Le Commandement du Prince’ (Sergei Prokofiev), ‘Prince Charming’ (Adam and the Ants) and ‘A Prince in a Pauper’s Grave’ (Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine). No Prince, obvs. Overrated.
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| John Street Stand |
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| Looking toward the Kop. |
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| The Cricket Field Stand |
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| More passes in Blunts' shirts than their 1st team |
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| Londontykes check on the scores in the pub |
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