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| Town centre improvements/destruction continue. |
If I wanted to watch paint dry, I’d have stayed in London. But, tiring of coating the walls of my flat, I had to make a beeline for Oakwell and the midtable clash between the Super Reds and the Bluebirds. With one win in 11, I’d hate to miss it when we do finally win a game. I shouldn’t have worried. It really was like watching paint dry. Cardiff came for the draw and we’ve proved all season we can’t break down these teams, even with 72% possession.
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| Heading towards Oakwell. |
Early doors sounded exciting – but I was outside. Dragging one’s self away from the pub is proving harder and harder these days. I also killed a few minutes climbing the stairs to go in the upper tier. With my dad not coming, it was a chance to enjoy a room with a view. And it was nice to watch the sun set over Barnsley. I struggle to remember owt on the pitch, as we allegedly kicked towards the Ponty.
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| The Ponty v Cardiff. |
Second half, we went close early on, a give-and-go from Janko resulting in him being able to get a shot off from the angle (saved) and Hammill’s follow-up being blocked. It was a false dawn. Cardiff happily ceded possession, got men back, and showed zero ambition in coming forward. (Why?) Marley had a shot saved from the right, and later missed the chance of the match. The ball sat nice for him on the bounce, 12 yards out. All he had to do was pull the trigger, but instead, he elected to cut inside, where he lost it (the ball that is; his confidence in his shooting looks lost already).
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| The old Main Stand. |
So there it was. The only other entertainment lay in the ref’s handling of Bamba, a lumbering wreck of a defender who had disaster written all over him. Already booked, he dragged Scowen back as we broke (the BBC website says Bradshaw…maybe it was…but then again the papers said that late shot against Washday was Armstrong, when it was Hamill). Where was I? Oh yeah, the ref played advantage, none accrued, so he gave the free kick and while everyone is waiting for the inevitable 2nd yellow, Bamba rolls around on the floor. The physio comes on…the crowd are now getting restless…a few ‘off off off’ chants (about the only chants of the nite, I might add)…and the longer it takes, the more you KNOW the ref is gonna bottle it. Unbelievable. Does he not want a promotion to the Premier League? We’d have half an hour against 10 men, surely enough time for Cardiff to nick one on the break?
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| A sparsely populated away end. |
Reds fans afterwards were also on the back of their keeper, who’d ‘wasted time’ in feigning injury early on. Could said Reds fans (Molly was one) please note, the keeper went off at half time, injured And given he’d ran into Marley, I’m not surprised.
*** Janko. Go on then. Twitter MOTM, and the bloke next to me named him before the announcement. Defended well, got forward, looked keen. Perhaps he’s one loanee we might keep next year?
** Jones. Another curveball. The left back impressed tonite, in particular going forward and getting a couple of shots off.
* Davies. Ok, nought to do bar smothering a throughball and catching a couple of crosses, but after Satdy, a faultless display.
Londontykes' MOTM: 1. Janko 2. Jones 3. James
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| The view from up back. |
Bradshaw again looked like a decent player in need of a partner up front. Marley was allowed that grace once he was pushed up with sub Armstrong who didn’t even flatter to deceive this week. My new favourite player Kent got 20 odd minutes with which to impress. And he certainly did that, losing the ball on the halfway line for their best break. Though my personal fave was when he cut inside and beat one player, two players…before the 3rd took it off him. As predictable as day following night. Mowatt was crap again while James played some nice balls, but none of which threatened. Scowen was his usual hare ‘em scare ‘em and possibly a contender for Top 3.
Later, at Chez Salisbury, we tried to remember who our only home victories have been against since August. Dirty L**ds, Blackburn and ……..Norwich City.
Oh well – it was a night out. Unbeaten in 4 home games! (Without a home win in 7.)
Onwards and upwards!
Drink du jour: A cheeky red win on the train up, Erdinger in the pub...and a Baileys on the rocks at Salisbury's later!
Away: 183, according to the PA. Never in a million years. 120 max. It’s like claiming the crowd was 10,800. Oh.
The Damage:
36 train
The Tunes:
Vulnicura (Bjork)
Trans Europe Express (Kraftwerk)
Tongue ‘n’ Cheek (Dizzee Rascal)
The Digging Remedy (Plaid)
So Tonight That I Might See (Mazzy Star)
Reading, Writing and Arithmetic (The Sundays)
Forever Gold (Patsy Cline)
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| Panorama v Cardiff. |
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| Sunset over t'well. |
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| 183 away fans. Allegedly. These 'big' teams, eh!? |
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