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 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.