THEN IT HAPPENED. We suckered Blackpool, the fools. As they hunted for the winner their 2nd half dominance possibly deserved, they piled forward for a long throw. The defensive header reaches the edge of the box where Kelly, hitherto very quiet, bursts into action, beating a Tangerine, carrying it 60 yards at pace, then laying it off for McG. (I’m still not having any of this ‘Didzy’ nonsense. He’s not my mate). Not having the pace to take it in his stride, he controls it, lets the defender pass him, then does him with one of his trademark stepovers and buries the ball into the far corner. Unimpeachable.
The crowd go wild...and so does Praise or Grumble, which has not one, not two, but three Reds callers going overboard about how amazing we were today. As I said, what a difference a last minute goal makes. In truth, with Cleary and Kelly not reaching previous heights, we were average. But well done the defence, who still had to defend a corner in what was left of injury time.
We went ahead with an absolute GIFT. I thought only our keepers did this? Stand miles out of goal, then give away possession to the centre forward. Didzy (ho ho) controls it and hits it first time from distance with his WRONG foot. Well done him. And well done Bailey Peacock-Farrell, just for having one of my favourite names in football.
At the other end, we have a comedy moment of our own. New signing O’Connell (he’s no Brendan, I’ll say that now) trips over his own feet and gifts them a 2 on 1. The ball is squared and the recipient simply slides it first time into the net from 10 yards. Oh, hang on, what’s he doing? He controls it, takes a touch, cuts back inside some desperate challenge and has his shot well saved. Fair play to Goodman (for it was by he) but once that player has cut inside, there’s only one place that shot is going, though Goodman does good, man, by getting across. He also makes a smart save from a near post drive.
Early second half, we spurn a great chance to extend our lead. Phillips lays it to Kelly who blazes the ball Phillipsesque into the crowd from 12 yards. Did it hit a bobble? Dunno, but Kelly’s not really been on it today.
Another one not on it, so much so he’s hauled at HT is the GOAT, or ‘Accident Waiting To Happen.’ Bland is booked halfway through the 1st half for pulling back their player having been outwitted. Then, before half-time, he chops down a breaking Tangerine. I suspect the ref gives him the benefit of the doubt as the ball bounced around 3 or 4 players on that centre circle (Bland’s natural habitat) before breaking. At least Conor realizes his mistake from earlier this season (leaving GOAT on to be booked a second time). Mind, I thought his replacement, Yoganathan, was dreadful. Couldn’t get hold of it, and when he did, gave it away.
(At this point, I must make mention of 2 super passes from Bland. One was a crossfield ball to Cleary on the left wing, and another was to put O’Keeffe clean through. Naturally, by the time O’Keeffe got his shot off, the defender who was BEHIND him was in front of him to block.)
So there. Kelly missed, and Blackpool took control, helped by some lenient officiating. I thought shirt-pulling was an offence? Presumably only if your name’s Bland. Jonathan Bland. In fact, one such shirt pull DID prevent a break, a la Bland, but it was just outside our box. Too far away to be considered ‘dangerous’? How did we score our winner? Then there’s the challenge on Cleary, clattering him from behind. Not even a free kick. It was grating, but we weren’t playing well. Goodman made a few more regulatory saves before being beaten by ex-Red Fletcher thanks to a deflection.
But well done Reds. Hung in there and nicked it. I heard we’re now 7 pts behind a play-off place with 5 games in hand. That’s incredible. But I refuse to look at a table till we’ve won 2 in a row. What does 1 win do? Take us to ----teenth in the table? Big wow.
Onwards and upwards!
*** McGoldrick. Held onto the ball, played in teammates (lovely flick 1st half to send Cleary away), never stopped working...oh, and bagged 2 superb goals.
** O’Keeffe. Threw in some great challenges on the halfway line and looked to get forward. (I’ll ignore the early aberration where he gets done with a throughball.) If the ball’s in front of him and to be won, he’s got a chance. (On being the official MOTM, a caller to Praise and Grumble asked if his wife chose it!)
* Goodman. Till the winner, I was thinking about making him MOTM. He saved everything, came out and caught or punched. But one thing bothers me…he never seemed to stop anything cleanly, needing 2 goes at most things.
Official MOTM: O’Keeffe (announced before McG’s winner)
Londontykes’ MOTM: 1. McGoldrick 2. O’Keeffe 3. Goodman
Despatches:
We were looking remarkably threadbare by the end. Farrell looks like what he is, poor lad, a junior over-promoted. Reminds me of Karl Rose (hopefully without the underage sex). Completely anonymous when he came on, but we had no-one else. Well, not now Conor’s got rid of Russell (who’s now getting rave reviews off Mansfield fans). I had to laugh at the remark that ‘we could only name 6 subs’. How many does a team need? Though this was ours: Flavell, Yoganthan, Gent, Farrell, Barrett and MdG. Still, Connell injured, and DKD ‘ill’ (and definitely NOT sold...as of Saturday, 5pm)...a pensioner is forced to play 90 minutes.
Cleary had a mixed game, thank the Lord. (No-one wants to see him sold). Got into lots of good positions 1st half, but the cross always ended up at the front post, to nobody (like in the Cadden years). Either he needs to put it somewhere else, or someone needs to get on that front post. As for folk blaming him for their equalizer...by keeping it in and kicking it to Ogbeta...well, Ogbeta shoulda done beta!
POTY Kelly was very quiet, save for that miss. Saving his energy for the 94th minute, obviously. In defence, Shepherd had another strong game. That’s 2 in a row. (BTW, who had 13 minutes for the ‘Shepherd Flop’ wins a fiver. Hilariously, now we’re not playing at Anfield, these League 1 refs keep giving him the free kick.) I was intrigued by Conor’s tictacs…when in possession, we’d go to a back 4, Shepherd coming wide left and Ogbeta going into central midfield. O’Connell didn’t make a 2nd mistake, but one was worrying enough. Watson was solid, while Ogbeta wasn’t really used down the wing (see earlier). Was it his fault for the goal? Was he fouled? Dunno. Then there’s Phillips, who, even when he's invisible, still manages to set up Kelly, or blaze a good chance (1st half.)
Drink du jour: Verdant Lightbulb at Spiral City. Where Jude became the ‘lucky’ recipient of not one, but TWO half and half scarves from the Liverpoo game. Great minds think alike, D. Wood.
Away: 860 (10,266). Even the official number of home supporters is now less than 10 thousand. Come on Tykes. LET’S BE ‘AVIN YOU!!!!!!! Or just let us die a slow death.
The Damage:
c.£7 petrol
= c.£7
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