Great report Dave - cheers Sent from my iPad
> On 4 Nov 2015, at 00:34, "nat...@sky.com" <nat...@sky.com> wrote: > > Well the Welsh team were rubbish but we WON, at HOME, on a Tuesday NIGHT , > against CARDIFF and boy, did the 17k diehards who turned up enjoy it. The > atmosphere at the end was as if we had won a trophy not just a fairly > meaningless run of the mill league game.I had an awful journey - train very > late, very overcrowded and got later and later. Instead of getting drunk I > only met my mates in the Pavilion for a couple of pints. Got there in time to > hear Lorimer say he could not see us keeping a clean sheet but going for a 2 > 1 win. This was also the view of Terry Yorath who had all the fans in there > clapping and cheering when he said he was not sure about the manager but we > were going nowhere with Cellino in charge.Then to make matters worse I heard > that Wooton was right back, Bellusci in the centre and that Murphy was > starting. All 3 of them (and most of the other 8) had me eating my words - > Wooton and Bellusci (alongside the impressive Cooper) did not put a foot > wrong and Murphy played probably his best game for us - certainly the first > hour, when, for once, not only did he spray the ball around but he even > imposed himself on the game and dictated play. He was ably assisted in > midfield by Cook and Mowatt who looked back to the player he was last season, > the shackles of 4 3 3 which did not suit him having been removed. Berardi was > again solid and Antenucci worked his socks off up front. Wood grew into the > game, he still looks short of confidence and should have scored / laid it on > a plate for someone else to score with 10minutes to go which would have ended > it as a contest. Silvesrtri had little to do, plucking one ball headed right > at him on the line and diving to make one save near the end to ensure we kept > the 3 points. Dallas was the only one below par and he did OK and worked > hard.All of them (subs were all too late to do much) gave everything and > looked like a team who wanted to win and who cared about it. They were roared > on by a low but appreciative crowd, with both ends singing along at > times.Cardiff were as poor a team as I have seen this season, and though they > did Ok at the back they carried no threat at all up front until the last > 15mins when we looked tired and panicky and Kenwyne Jones had us recalling > Zamora and Ameobi in recent weeks.First half was all us but one scramble and > Ante hitting the side netting apart, we struggled to really create clear cut > chances. We were by far the better team and they went off to a rousing > reception rather than boos at half time (there was sarcastic applause on 14 > seconds when it was still 0-0 after the time Blackburn scored)I was so > confident I even took up my wife's £10 bet offer when she texted me at half > time (I have let her off paying me, I am that pleased!)We continued to > control the game and a couple of good passing moves nearly brought us the > rewards we deserved. Then came the moment of the match. Mowatt strode forward > with the ball and we all screamed for him to pass to his left where we had a > two man overlap - Alex knew better and hit a screamer that bent and moved and > went right in the top corner - the keeper had to just stand and watch. We > went mental - I pointed out that according to someone on the bus on Thursday, > we have only been ahead for 3 minutes at home this season (v Burnley)- and we > all wondered if we could hold on.We retreated a bit, they came out of their > shell and despite the fact that we had the weekend off we started to look > tired. A couple of half chances fell their way and they looked a bit > dangerous with a couple of corners (one a free header right at Silvestri) I > thought we may just hang on but was twitching a bit when Wood chased down the > ball as the defender and keeper dallied over it, he won in and rounded the > keeper - all he needed to do was pull it back to Ante or Mowatt(?) who were > both free and could have put it into an empty net, but he chose to try and > score himself from a tight angle, too tight as it turned out and he hit the > side netting.Dallas was , correctly subbed, we wanted Bokata to come on to > show we were going for it and to cause them problems but Byram got the nod. > To be fair the couple of touches he got he did power into the box, rather > than check back as he has been doing of late, but his crosses came to > nothing. Philips came on and had one very wild shot, Doukara came on and > controlled one ball with sublime skill (I am sure there is a player in there > somewhere) but both these (and the Byram sub) were just there to run down the > clock as the four extra minutes ticked by, the crowd showing their concern by > whistling and shouting for the final whistleIn the end the ref did blow and > it was pandemonium in the stands. 8 months and 12 games of frustration and > anger blown away in one glorious moment. To quote Rich (sarcastic or not) it > did not make everything 'all well' but it certainly felt good. Hand shakes, > smile, back slaps all round and fans still singing as they went back to the > buses and cars - what a difference a win makes > I am still smiling now as I type this at 12.30am - buzzing too much to sleep > yet. > Yes they were very bad, but, for once we gave the opposition next to nothing > and we played with spirit and commitment - that is all we can ask for really, > and the goal that won it - an "absolute monster" I heard someone describe it > as. It was directly in front of me so I could see it from Mowatts foot right > into the top corner - quality and a goal worthy of winning any game > Only time will tell if we have turned some sort of corner or if this was just > a flash in the pan but at least we have something to savour for a few days. > Last thoughts on Cardiff - for once not a bubble trip, so no excuses, but all > they could muster was 184 fans, pathetic really but if that is the rubbish > their team serve up it is no wonder > MOT > Dave > _______________________________________________ > Leedslist mailing list > Info and options: http://mailman.greennet.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/leedslist > To unsubscribe, email leedslist-unsubscr...@gn.apc.org > > > MARCHING ON TOGETHER _______________________________________________ Leedslist mailing list Info and options: http://mailman.greennet.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/leedslist To unsubscribe, email leedslist-unsubscr...@gn.apc.org MARCHING ON TOGETHER
