Just Back v Luton on iFlop

silverlion

Well-known member
Staff member
A draw snatched from the jaws of defeat at the death.

A really poor and scrappy performance where we were second best for almost the entire 96 minutes. They scrapped and pushed the ball around and we were chasing shadows with our tongues hanging out. They had a great big streak playing as their target man and he was giving as good as he got as good as he got from Hutch. We were not doing ourselves any favours by giving the ball away. We couldn't make it stick. Bod was running his socks off but Bradshaw ran left when the ball went right and ran right when the ball went left. It was really frustrating to watch. We needed composure when we had the ball but they were not giving us any time on the ball. And then our big chance came. Jed pressed their defender just in their half and the ball ran clear towards their goal. Bradshaw was on it like a flash. He took one touch and set off into the edge of their box. His second touch was disastrous and it ran away from him and their keeper picked it up. It was a gilt edged chance that went begging and he knew it. We tried to press forward and a good clip from Jed on the line set Bradshaw free who pushed it on to Ben who shot wide. A decent run and cross from Romeo saw a poor clearance straight to Ben but he shot wide. And so the half ended evens.

Surely we couldn't play that poorly in the second half. GR must have had plenty to say at the break and we did look a little better for five minutes after the restart. There was a decent forward move involving Bod and Bradshaw but Jed's shot was scuffed and came to nothing. They had other ideas and pressed forward and we conceded a really poor goal. From their right there was an interchange of passes which came to Tunnicliffe. He was allowed to turn unchallenged, he looked up and hit a long flat cross into the box. It took a touch and fell to the long streak who couldn't believe his luck on the far post. It took a touch off Romeo and rolled in for 1-0 to them. It was time for change. Off went Bradshaw and Ben and on came Bennett and Smith. Now we had a focus up front. Woods and Jed combined down the right but his long shot was wide. We pressed forward and there was nice chip to Bennett who broke into their box. For some inexplicable reason he hesitated and his shot was saved and fell to Smith who had controlled it with his hand.

We continued to press and a Jed free kick was saved. They went into slow motion with every free kick, throw in and goal kick and GR was bursting a blood vessel on the line about the time wasting. Eventually he booked their keeper who was really taking the mick! We continued to press and to help off went Bod and Woods and on came Burey and Williams. Burey was fouled on the right and Molly took a really poor free kick. All it needed was a cross to the edge of the six yard box but it went short to Jed who dinked it poorly and it was cleared. A better cross from Williams found Bennett and his nod back was kicked over by Smith. Now it was pay back time as the lino added 6 minutes and we pressed forward. Some trickery from Burey saw him break into the box where he was shoved in the back but the ref gave nothing. It was as stonewall as you would ever see. We had one more chance. The ball fell to Williams who crossed it with his right foot, Smith nodded it back and there was Evans to head it wide of their keeper for 1-1. There was hardly time for the restart before the ref blew and we escaped with a draw.

Bart could do little about the goal but played well. Romeo had some storming runs down the line and defended well. Pearce was solid and so was Hutch who had MOM stolen from him by Evans who switched effortlessly from back five into midfield and scored his debut goal for us. Molly played well on the left. Woods was good in parts but Ben did not have his shooting boots on and rarely looked a threat. Jed ran hard but rarely looked a threat. Bod was busy but showed rare glimpses of quality but Bradshaw was poor and did not take a golden chance. Bennett looked lively, Smith was a focus, Burey ran hard and Williams looked composed and provided the cross for the equaliser.

A poor game but we are now nine unbeaten but needed the luck of three blind mice to get a draw. Saturday at Barnsley will be a whole different ball game and if we play like tonight we will get taken to the cleaners.
 
A draw snatched from the jaws of defeat at the death.

A really poor and scrappy performance where we were second best for almost the entire 96 minutes. They scrapped and pushed the ball around and we were chasing shadows with our tongues hanging out. They had a great big streak playing as their target man and he was giving as good as he got as good as he got from Hutch. We were not doing ourselves any favours by giving the ball away. We couldn't make it stick. Bod was running his socks off but Bradshaw ran left when the ball went right and ran right when the ball went left. It was really frustrating to watch. We needed composure when we had the ball but they were not giving us any time on the ball. And then our big chance came. Jed pressed their defender just in their half and the ball ran clear towards their goal. Bradshaw was on it like a flash. He took one touch and set off into the edge of their box. His second touch was disastrous and it ran away from him and their keeper picked it up. It was a gilt edged chance that went begging and he knew it. We tried to press forward and a good clip from Jed on the line set Bradshaw free who pushed it on to Ben who shot wide. A decent run and cross from Romeo saw a poor clearance straight to Ben but he shot wide. And so the half ended evens.

Surely we couldn't play that poorly in the second half. GR must have had plenty to say at the break and we did look a little better for five minutes after the restart. There was a decent forward move involving Bod and Bradshaw but Jed's shot was scuffed and came to nothing. They had other ideas and pressed forward and we conceded a really poor goal. From their right there was an interchange of passes which came to Tunnicliffe. He was allowed to turn unchallenged, he looked up and hit a long flat cross into the box. It took a touch and fell to the long streak who couldn't believe his luck on the far post. It took a touch off Romeo and rolled in for 1-0 to them. It was time for change. Off went Bradshaw and Ben and on came Bennett and Smith. Now we had a focus up front. Woods and Jed combined down the right but his long shot was wide. We pressed forward and there was nice chip to Bennett who broke into their box. For some inexplicable reason he hesitated and his shot was saved and fell to Smith who had controlled it with his hand.

We continued to press and a Jed free kick was saved. They went into slow motion with every free kick, throw in and goal kick and GR was bursting a blood vessel on the line about the time wasting. Eventually he booked their keeper who was really taking the mick! We continued to press and to help off went Bod and Woods and on came Burey and Williams. Burey was fouled on the right and Molly took a really poor free kick. All it needed was a cross to the edge of the six yard box but it went short to Jed who dinked it poorly and it was cleared. A better cross from Williams found Bennett and his nod back was kicked over by Smith. Now it was pay back time as the lino added 6 minutes and we pressed forward. Some trickery from Burey saw him break into the box where he was shoved in the back but the ref gave nothing. It was as stonewall as you would ever see. We had one more chance. The ball fell to Williams who crossed it with his right foot, Smith nodded it back and there was Evans to head it wide of their keeper for 1-1. There was hardly time for the restart before the ref blew and we escaped with a draw.

Bart could do little about the goal but played well. Romeo had some storming runs down the line and defended well. Pearce was solid and so was Hutch who had MOM stolen from him by Evans who switched effortlessly from back five into midfield and scored his debut goal for us. Molly played well on the left. Woods was good in parts but Ben did not have his shooting boots on and rarely looked a threat. Jed ran hard but rarely looked a threat. Bod was busy but showed rare glimpses of quality but Bradshaw was poor and did not take a golden chance. Bennett looked lively, Smith was a focus, Burey ran hard and Williams looked composed and provided the cross for the equaliser.

A poor game but we are now nine unbeaten but needed the luck of three blind mice to get a draw. Saturday at Barnsley will be a whole different ball game and if we play like tonight we will get taken to the cleaners.
Thanks, Silver.

Bart could do little about the goal. Except save the poxy bloody thing. His attempt to save it was utterly pathetic.
 
Thank you Silver.

Agree about Saturday. Barnsley will hammer us if we play like that. Hopefully some of the walking wounded will be available.
 
Cheers Silver. Spot on.

I thought both Bradshaw's touches for that goal that never was were poor. The first was poor the second highlighted why he should never lace up his boots again.

And their goal. seems like a Bart should have done better.
Frankly, you see better finishing than that in some Sunday pub League.

Abysmal.
 
McNamara is a certainty to play at Barnsley on Saturday. Bart was a little bit unlucky with a slight deflection. Bradshaw’s first touch was terrible and his second touch was even worse.

Oh, and Wycombe beat Reading 1-0.
 
Thanks Silver, appreciated. It was a point and as I've said before " better than no points". Maybe we ll surprise everybody at Oakwell. You never know
 
I thought Romeo was partially responsible for their goal and did his level best to present them with a second. if that was him playing well we may not survive a similar triumph. He would have been amongst the first I gave the hook to tonight amongst a host of candidates.
 
I thought Romeo was partially responsible for their goal and did his level best to present them with a second. if that was him playing well we may not survive a similar triumph. He would have been amongst the first I gave the hook to tonight amongst a host of candidates.
He should have done better. Looked off balance for their goal. Apart from that he didn't do much else wrong.
 
Romeo and Malone were both not at it. Bradshaw and Bod didn’t do a lot wrong but were toothless. Bradshaws handling of that 1v1 was criminal but I suppose he’s not exactly had much match practise lately.

Two quite poor showings from Thommo on the bump now, not sure he would start against Barnsley for me.

Yet again it’s another draw against another shit side that we should have beat.

The 5 at the back is really not setting us up to win games. Rowett talked post match about the players and his ambition to push for promotion, but his starting lineups don’t really mirror it to be honest.

On Saturday I would insist on 4-4-2! Great news re: Cooper who now doesn’t need surgery by the way, could be back in for the weekend.

For Barnsley id go with:

Bart
DMac Hutch Evans Malone
Jed Woods Mitchell Ferguson
Smith Bennett
 
Bradshaws handling of that 1v1 was criminal but I suppose he’s not exactly had much match practise lately.

Haven't had much practice? Rowett must be doing 100% defensive work in training.
You can't let him off that easily. He had has chance to show us all that when presented with an opportunity he can take it. Instead he messed up in quite spectacular fashion.
He last 2 goals have both been deflections, it's embarrassing.
 
Romeo and Malone were both not at it. Bradshaw and Bod didn’t do a lot wrong but were toothless. Bradshaws handling of that 1v1 was criminal but I suppose he’s not exactly had much match practise lately.

Two quite poor showings from Thommo on the bump now, not sure he would start against Barnsley for me.

Yet again it’s another draw against another shit side that we should have beat.

The 5 at the back is really not setting us up to win games. Rowett talked post match about the players and his ambition to push for promotion, but his starting lineups don’t really mirror it to be honest.

On Saturday I would insist on 4-4-2! Great news re: Cooper who now doesn’t need surgery by the way, could be back in for the weekend.

For Barnsley id go with:

Bart
DMac Hutch Evans Malone
Jed Woods Mitchell Ferguson
Smith Bennett
Like that line up, think Evans could be wasted there, prefer to see him in the middle