After a pre-match pint, we’re hauled to the ground by 11 year old Violet. Maaan...I’m outside the Oakwell Sandwich Shop half an hour before kick-off. Ahhh, to be that thrilled about the prospect of a home game. I remember those days...just. Was everything more thrilling when you were young? Is it better to be bossed around by your mum, or by your other half?
So, I’m in for kick-off. One person who isn’t is my friend Diane, who I’ve given a lift to. She never misses kick-off, but you try getting a bus from Barugh Green. And history is made as she misses her first ever goal at Oakwell, as she’s sticking her head down a toilet to be sick. I text her. ‘Penalty’...but she’s busy. We have not been awarded a home penalty since March 2021 (the BBC website tells me). Surely not. How can a team who’ve scored more than any other in the league in the past year not be awarded a penalty? (Don’t get Jonesy and Farnham started.) Statistically, we are SURELY in the opposition box enough times to be awarded SOMETHING.
And so it is, soft. Cotter hits a shot from the edge of the area and it slams into a bloke 6 yards away. Apparently it’s hit his elbow, but aside from cutting his arm off, I’m not sure where he’s meant to put it. There isn’t a person alive with the reaction to move out of the way of this shot. The ref points, and after a a tete a tete (a tete?) between Kane, Styles and Cole, the former refuses to give up the ball and sends the keeper the wrong way. From being unable to kick a ball forwards the other week, he’s now 2 goals in 2 games. Go Herbie!
It also relinquishes one worry tonite...a card-happy ref. Apparently this one has reffed 9 games this season and dished out 49 yellow cards and 7 reds. And it takes him 3 mins to book his first, as a defender goes right through Cole, albeit in slow motion. Minutes later, Styles is cautioned. (I thought he got the ball.) But the pen sets us up nice and a minute later Cole is breaking free on the right. Does he do a Dire and shoot from an acute angle, or does he square it for the onrushing Styles to have an open net. The pass is perfect and Styles can’t miss. This game is easier than I expected! (Anyone who remembers last season Shrewhousery knows what I mean.)
The rest of the half is keep-ball, as Kane and his mates play constant triangles around a bemused and befuddled opposition. I feel sorry for the Shrews, they look really sad. But they eke in two nil at the break and come out vaguely fighting, 2nd half. That said, subs have started to be made. Phillips is on for Styles at HT. Makes sense. Then, just after the hour, Collins sends on O’Keefe, Dodgson and Watters for Cotter, Cadden and McAtee. He’s taken off 3 players who’ve been playing well...and nothing happens. I hope these don’t score, I’m thinking, before Dodgson turns and plays a reverse pass down the middle of the pitch to Watters, who lays it on for Cole to stride into the box and hit a glorious finish. Great goal, job done. Now, can I get my car back home...
Onwards and upwards!
*** Kane. Ran the first half, by which time we were out of sight.
** Cole. Made all the right runs, pressured the opposition, and got his reward.
* McAtee. Gave the Shrews a lot to think about with his movement.
Official MOTM: Cole
Londontykes’ POTY: 1. Cole 2. De Gevigny 3. Kane
Despatches:
First of all, I’m a little stunned with the stats….we only had 60% possession. Felt like 90 at times. But I did like that the shots on target ratio reflected the possession stats…3-2. That means, despite our dominance, we had THREE shots on target, and scored with every one. This will not happen every week. We need to get more shots off…though at two nil, it felt like we were trying to demoralise them and hope the breaks would come later.
There were several excellent performance. I know folk were raving about The Frenchman. He looks to be able to read the game, and, like several other top drawer defenders we’ve had of late (Pinnock, Helik, Mads) likes to step out and intercept the ball, ready to start a counter attack. But I thought Jordan Williams stole the show in defence. I don’t think anyone beat him all nite and he was there under the bar as the ball bounced around asking to be knocked in. I missed this, but it wasn’t our usual keeper. Kilip was in and had nought to do. (I remember one of the shots he saved, a gentle 20 yarder into his midriff.) Russell looked assured in midfield. Lost possession as often as he broke sweat. Styles was in amongst it and had his best game (half) I’ve seen in a while. Maybe our lower division ‘total football’ suits him. The amount of times you’d see McAtee dropping off...sometimes as far as left back…for Styles to slip into the space behind him, or Cadden to get up the pitch. I get the idea the players have ‘bought in’ to what this manager is attempting to do, being prepared to cover for their mates, make dummy runs, take players out of position. It augurs very well. Not that we’ll have it this easy all season. At one point in the first half, Cole picked the ball up on the halfway line, up against 5 defenders, and nary a Red in sight. That he was allowed to get to the box AND get his shot off, said more about Shrewsbury Town than anything else I saw last nite.
Drink du jour: Leffe with the Galvins in Wetherspoons
Away: 220. ‘Never’ some said. No. ‘Never’ was the overall crowd of 10,859. I wish we’d publish the REAL figure on these midweek games. I’ll go 8,500.
The Damage:
c.£30 petrol
£3.50 air for tyre
= c.£33.50
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