Please log in or register. Registered visitors get fewer ads.
Mullet added 00:06 - Oct 1
A night time jaunt to my favourite venue in the division. Hillsborough's massive green expanse, high stands and sturdy columns opened out to a large and optimistic Town contingent like an old friend's arms on this mild autumnal eve. Town in form for four wins and counting looked to make it five on the bounce.

The winning ways of 41212 remained, but as ever changes were rung with Skuse sitting behind Hyam and Bishop in the middle. Town were as you'd have expected elsewhere. An innocuous opening lasted all of four minutes. The hosts were glad to take their cue from a wonky wall of orange sat just inside the 18 yard line. The ball sped across it unchecked and was driven low and hard to Gerken's right.

The man whose been keeping clean sheets like a monastery duly obliged and turned it out as Hyam made sure with a touch past the post. Up front Weds had a human Alp in the form of Nuhiu. The giant Austrian stood tall and unmarked to glance one off his peak at an angle and into the roof of the net. Sammon and Gerks looked rightly aggrieved as the ball passed between them and nowhere near their colleagues. Deficit in place, Town looked unbalanced.

It was a game which saw Town change tack many times, often too many times and never really come up with more than one unsuccessful route on goal. However immediately after going behind we made a move of note with interchanges down the left, the best of which allowed Sammon and McG to play in Mings who won a throw. It didn't get all that much better.

The diamond lacked edge on a vast pitch and width allowed Wednesday to attack our attacking fullbacks. A knock, knocked back Parr's endeavours as he grappled with Wednesday's muscular frontline all too often. Mings' impetus in recent weeks turned to impetuousness as time and again he lost the ball and the twenty yards of ground he struggled to track back as the game wore on. Town looked like a fat kid running a cross country race. The terrain left as a step out, a yard off and breathless in the face of our much sharper hosts in the Steel City.

Skuse and Bishop had the best and worst of Town's passing. The worst of which came at the best of times to punish Wednesday. One ball in particular was floated for McG over the top which he flamboyantly caught on the laces and turned his man as it spun in mid-air; and he did likewise on his heels only to have no support and no angle to shoot accurately. Similarly when corners came Bishop over hit them and runners were overstretched when really Town should have made it count. An anonymous Murphy meant that an overworked Sammon was our main outlet.

Controversy marked a terrible first half for Town. In a game where the officials infuriated all with a subjective take on rules no one else in the ground knew about Wednesday put the ball in the net for a second time on 20 or so minutes. Berra shielded expertly for a goalkick only to explode when a corner was given. Bent in and buried against Gerk's bicep, the keeper pulled off a worldy of a save only to be beaten by the rebound. The Owls raised the rafters, the ref raised an arm. A clear foul – perhaps. Karma, no doubts.

It was made worse when Westwood later collected under pressure and wondered a clear 5 yards outside of his box. Behind the line, the ref indicated. So when he kicked from his hands, we were left incredulous.

It took another 20 mins for town to have a shot of any note. Hyam taking the ball from McG on the right and drilling straight as Westwood. Murphy would soon follow with a headed attempt which looked from the far end to be closer than it probably was.

All in all a rather teenage affair from Town as the first half came to close. No real idea of what they wanted to do, a few thrusts of excitement late on and little to show for it when time was called. The second half showed little sign of us settling down in the game.

Chambo and Berra had been the only Town players to really string passes together. With the help of the deepened Skuse who sprayed it forward to little movement or applause. The Oranges hung above, swaying gently and never opening up feet or space to really make an impact. It was telling that every time Town switched play from the back, there were at least four or five sets of stripes between the Town attacker. Smothering the field and the play in a blanket of tactical discipline.

Soon enough Mick shuffled and swapped one angelic blonde boy for another to rhapsodical choruses. Williams was the name on everybody's lips going into the game, but word didn't reach Planet Blue as the loanee game on wearing a blank shirt – he wouldn't go unnoticed for long.

Wide on the right he played a sweet ball in. Murphy flicked, Sammon was all lined up to apply the killer touch but for some excellent defending. Studded away, the boy John saw his cross come back to him. Well read, goal, screams. The youngster brought his cultured touch back to the club and us back into the game. We went fooking mental as he almost kissed the badge, before sense got hold of him as the moment clearly had.

The fact Town had both him and McG on the field meant the elongated rhomboid in the middle had all but broken down. Jazzed up with Williams' presence McCarthy had gone all free form and experimental in shape. Unfortunately it showed as the game swung to and fro from, scrappy freekick to Wednesday attack in quick succession. Like Charlie Parker Town looked like they might blow it at any minute.

The use of Anderson as a proper winger, meant Sammon left us, Murphy drifted wide to ape the Owls and try and win knockdowns from deep clearances. It left McG in the middle and Williams wherever he wanted. A nice idea, but as with much of tonight's tinkering, it merely engineered more problems than solutions too often.

As the game wore on, and Town fans felt the saucy dream of a resurgence stirring from the bowels despite the harsh reality of a Championship scrap in front of us Mick opted to play safe. Once Williams won another freekick expertly, a gauntlet of players sat on the Wednesday box. Berra rose and dropped an unmarked header onto the roof of the net. Hopes of fifth, died there and then despite all the pleading.

Wednesday had earlier put the ball in the net for a third time, again Gerks forced to save from an unmarked header off a needless infraction. The follow up met with a flag and incensed Yorkshire ripples. Nevertheless it was a prospective goal that neither side would have deserved.

Bru came on, and just as quick as he came back Williams was gone to ovation and orations of admiration all round. God knows what people will do if he ever became ours. Regardless, the French sub, rolled spectacularly over a hard challenge in front of an unimpressed ref. It was his best contribution of note, in a cameo which allowed little time for any one to steal the scene.

The run, has stumbled but perhaps this was the night to do it. Such an abject hour anywhere on Sunday will not do. Tonight was like a throwback to a not so distant memory. Hard to pretend it doesn't hurt to see the optimism and hope die a little, but a realist must know that fair's fair. Splitting the points was about right for a Town side that looked, but didn't play like a team wanting to go Dutch.
3



AinsleyBlue added 10:48 - Oct 1
Brilliant report. As my English teacher used to occasionally bark, 'Mullet, you scintillate today!'.'Keeping clean sheets like a monastery' - superb!
1



runningout added 11:03 - Oct 1
Sloppy play in midfield, with passes going astray.. Didn't wish to judge SWFC players, as dont know what they are capable of... Couldn't find fault with their first goal that was not given. A point was fair 'maybe'
1



You need to log in to participate in Your Report

Your Report

6 AugSunderland A1 - 213
9 AugBristol R CCR1H2 - 00
12 AugStoke City H2 - 05
19 AugQPR A0 - 13
26 AugLeeds H3 - 46
29 AugReading CCR2A2 - 22

2 SepCardiff City H3 - 28
16 SepSheff Wed A0 - 16
19 SepSouthampton A0 - 16
23 SepBlackburn H4 - 35
26 SepWolves CCR3H3 - 23
30 SepHuddersfield A1 - 13

3 OctHull City H3 - 06
7 OctPreston H4 - 24
25 OctBristol City A0 - 13
28 OctPlymouth H3 - 26

1 NovFulham CCR4H1 - 32
4 NovBirmingham A2 - 27
7 NovRotherham A2 - 22
11 NovSwansea H3 - 24
25 NovWBA A2 - 09
29 NovMillwall H3 - 13

2 DecCoventry City H2 - 16
9 DecMiddlesbrough A0 - 25
12 DecWatford A1 - 28
16 DecNorwich H2 - 28
23 DecLeeds A4 - 06
26 DecLeicester H1 - 16
29 DecQPR H0 - 09

1 JanStoke City A0 - 01
6 JanWimbledon FACR3A1 - 36
13 JanSunderland H2 - 113
22 JanLeicester A1 - 17
27 JanMaidstone FACR4H1 - 213

3 FebPreston A3 - 27
10 FebWBA H2 - 29
14 FebMillwall A0 - 45
17 FebSwansea A1 - 21
20 FebRotherham H4 - 310
24 FebBirmingham H3 - 13

2 MarPlymouth A0 - 25
5 MarBristol City H3 - 212
9 MarCardiff City A2 - 14
16 MarSheff Wed H6 - 010
About Us Contact Us Terms & Conditions Privacy Cookies Advertising
© TWTD 1995-2024