That said, it was disappointing to hold out for all of 73 seconds of the second half. Once that went in, it was damage limitation, and we didn’t damage limit very well, conceding a total of 5 that half. So it was a strange atmosphere, with our lot singing throughout and their bunch only waking up in the 89th minute once the 6th went in. It must be boring, winning every week. I took my friend Anna-Marie to the game, and though a Brummie, she’d never had the pleasure of St. Andrews @ Knighthead Park* before, and was highly amused at ‘where’s yer binmen gone, where’s your binmen gone?’ Social comment from the away end. I was disappointed not to see huge piles of discarded binbags, but there was rubbish EVERYWHERE in the streets, as the detritus had blown all over the place. And, yes, it was worse than usual.
*I kid you not. This is the actual name of the ground these days. Did you know that? Probably not, cos Birmingham City are a bit of a Mickey Mouse club whose fans are only too grateful to pick up the Yankee dollar without complaint. Anyway, the owners have plans to knock it down and build them a new 60,000 ground elsewhere. I can’t say I’ll miss this place, despite the 4-0 and 5-0 wins.
We were down to 10 after 3 minutes, MdG continuing his (K)nightmare run. A sending off and 2 gifts of goals in the space of 3 games. However, I found the sending off harsh to say the least. I don’t know how their player goes down under the slightest of tugs, but judging where he’s kicked the ball, Roberts is covering, surely. You just don’t give that decision after 3 minutes of a game. Oh, sorry, you do.
I’ve no qualms about the penalty which put them ahead. Everyone can see it coming. The ball is played through, Flavell goes down...their player nicks in and makes sure he collides with the keeper. He’s no intention of rounding the keeper and slotting, but, hey! We could try it too, but we don’t have forwards pacey enough, or the opposition goalkeepers gullible enough. Flavell dives the right way, but it’s perfectly placed in the corner. That’s what you get for £15 million (Stansfield). Actually...quick bit of maths...if our starting 11 cost around 3 mill, surely this Stansfield bloke should be beating us 5-1 ON HIS OWN. That’s how it works, right?
Within 2 minutes we have equalised. I’m as amazed as anyone, as it comes from a long throw. And without Roberts (taking the throw), Watters (taken off) and MdG (sent off) who is going to win a header, let alone TWO? Adam Phillips wins the flick on and DKD sneaks in at the backpost to head in. 25 thousand Brummies do a passable impression of a guppy as they stare at what’s before them. It’s fair to say I enjoyed that goal. But we’d had efforts; Humphreys had burst clear and instead of carrying on running, elected to fail to chip the keeper, while Phillips had had a powerful effort pushed wide. As well as we’re doing, the ref decided it’s worthy of SEVEN minutes injury time. I don’t know where he gets that from, probably the same place that he’s denied us a single free kick that entire half (if I’m wrong, I missed it). It’s hard enough playing the league leaders, away, without having every single decision go against you, nevermind a sending off. That 1st half performance was incredible.
Second half, yes, it takes sub Alfie May just over a minute to bag. Wasn’t he the top scorer in this division last season? A handy little sub to bring on, eh? Roberts loses the header from a corner and DKD’s desperate effort on the line to chest it away comes to nought. They grab another, a header, as our defence remembers its true ability, before Humphreys pulls one back, another solo run and hit across goal. I’m not altogether sure it was a shot, but I am altogether sure the keeper makes a right pigs ear of it and deflects it into the goal.
However, this only upsets the Brummies. Somebody goes through and strokes it past Flavell. Then somebody else (I’m not interested in details) strides forward and by the time he hits it there’s 4 Reds players around him, all doing exactly nothing. Are we up to 5 yet? That’s Bob’s cue to leave, so he misses their 6th, as Falafel finally makes a save, only for it to rebound straight back to the bloke with the Polish name (another one who cost gazillions). Oh well, I’ve seen 8 goals. And the walk back to the city centre shouldn’t be as dangerous as usual (it wasn’t).
Onwards and upwards!
*** Humphreys. Drove at the opposition, got shots off, scored.
** DKD. As well as scoring, I don’t think he lost the ball all game.
* Roberts. If a player summed up the Reds, it was Roberts. Magnificent 1st half, dreadful 2nd.
Londontykes’ MOTM: 1. Humphreys 2= DKD / Roberts
Despatches:
I enjoyed Loko’s top pre match tip, Purecraft. I had to go indoors though, as I think I might have blown my cover had I listened to some Blues fans much longer on a table outside. ‘Where actually IS Barnsley? It’s gotta be up north...somewhere.’ Takes me back to teaching the SEN class.
With MdG off, Hourihane hauls Watters. I hope he gets 8/90 of a wage packet this week. I bet he was pleased to be sacrificed, given the Alamo to come. On comes Bland, nominative determinism if ever there was. This week’s O’Keeffe howler is a beaut, as he simply lays the ball for a Brummie to be clean through (Flavell saving). Didn’t O’Keeffe do this at a home game earlier this season? I wouldn’t mind, but when you’re self-confessed Blues fan...McCarthy didn’t do bad, though a certain Londontyke was adamant most Blues chances ‘went down McCarthy’s side’. Well, maybe that’s where Birmingham’s best players played? Connell got the nod over Nwakali again, and was...I can’t remember. Never noticed him. Same with Russell. Phillips was rewarded for promising to be a good boy with a recall, and did very well for the most part before being replaced by Jalo, who was bullied out of it by the big lads. Watters did NOTHING (arf arf); pulled after 8 minutes, a record even for him. Lambrusco, Nwakali and Lewis came on for the last 4 minutes and we conceded. Good job they didn’t start.
XG? 3.68 v 0.41. So much for the defensive fortitude 1st half, we underperformed defensively on those stats.
Anyway, thank God we didn’t concede 7. I can handle that away at Man U (twice) and Man C, but Brum C? That’s a step too far, however awful we are these days.
Drink du jour: Longhorn unpasteurised IPA at Purecraft.
Away: c.700. Anna-Marie was very impressed with our vocal support, a far cry from a visit to Oakwell this season. (Her only 2 other football matches were River Plate and Arsenal v Liverpool.)
The Damage:
£30 ent
c.£40 petrol
= c. £70
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