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Town 1-1 Peterborough
Saturday, 24th Nov 2012 17:25

DJ Campbell netted his fifth goal in nine games from the penalty spot in the second half as the Blues drew 1-1 with fellow strugglers Peterborough at Portman Road. Posh went ahead via Lee Tomlin during a dreadful first half with Town improving after the break.

Blues boss Mick McCarthy recalled Michael Chopra and Tommy Smith to his starting line-up with Luke Chambers and Daryl Murphy dropping to the bench.

New loan signing Tyrone Barnett is unavailable against his parent club, while keeper Scott Loach was back on the bench after his thigh injury. Peterborough, in white with black shorts, included summer Blues target George Boyd.

There was an early scare for Town in the fifth minute when Mark Little, the right-back in a five-man Peterborough backline, returned a Posh corner back into the Blues area from deep. Keeper Stephen Henderson came a long way for a ball when he should have stayed on his line and got lucky when it deflected into his right hand off Shaun Brisley.

Four minutes later, the Blues were behind after another yet defensive mix-up. Joe Newell found Lee Tomlin, who scored a hat-trick in last year’s 7-1 at London Road, inside the area and two Town defenders followed Saido Berahino leaving the Posh frontman an easy task of beating Henderson.

It was another woeful piece of defending from the Blues which wouldn’t have been out of place on a Sunday morning park pitch.

Town threatened for the first time on 10. Lee Martin crossed from the left and the ball was cleared to Guirane N’Daw, who looped a header which Posh keeper Bobby Olejnik punched away from under the bar with Chopra appearing to foul him.

Referee Mark Halsey failed to spot the shove but play was stopped anyway to allow N’Daw to receive treatment for a head injury, the midfielder returning to the field not long after wearing a bandage on his head.

Higginbotham headed a cross from the right into Olejnik’s arms but with an offside flag raised. The game, played in driving rain, had developed into a scrappy affair with Town unable to keep possession and Peterborough little better.

However, as the game reached the half hour mark the Blues started to get a bit more of a grip on the game, Edwards sending over a cross which flew just behind Campbell.


But it was the visitors who were still presenting the greater threat and on 43 Berahino, who earlier had been through on goal a couple of times only to be thwarted by a linesman’s flag, hit a low shot from the edge of the area which Henderson saved, albeit not entirely comfortably.

Town enjoyed their best spell of possession in the minutes before the break but were unable to convert that into chances with Edwards sending in a late cross which was too close to OIejnik.

It had been another poor half from the Blues, having conceded yet another dreadful goal. Peterborough had been only marginally better but neither side had been able to hold on to the ball for more than a couple of passes.

The sodden conditions may not have helped but both teams looked short on confidence and cohesion with Town only having threatened with N’Daw’s header.

The Blues had what looked a reasonable penalty shout in the 49th minute when Little grabbed hold of Martin’s shirt as an Edwards cross came in from the right. The Peterborough right-back clearly had a grip of the midfielder’s shirt but referee Halsey waved away the protests.

Town were starting the second period strongly and a Martin corner led to Higginbotham, twice, and Chopra having shots blocked. For Posh, George Thorne hit a low strike wide after a Boyd break down the left.

On 59 Tomlin turned from hero to villain. Martin tricked his way past the striker on the left inside the area and the former Rushden and Diamonds man tripped him. Campbell took the responsibility from the spot and hit his fifth goal in nine games for the Blues powerfully to Olejnik’s right and low into the corner of the net.

Jay Emmanuel-Thomas replaced Chopra, who had shown willing but had had little service, in the 62nd minute.

Henderson did well to block from Tomlin after the Posh striker had somehow got in behind the Blues’ defence, before N’Daw made a superb 50-yard pass to Emmanuel-Thomas but the break eventually came to nothing with an Edwards cross headed away.

Town had made a significant improvement on their first-half showing though and looked the more likely winners.

In the 66th minute they came within an inch or so of going in front. Edwards played Orr in down the right and the on-loan full-back sent a low ball across the box which Campbell sliding in at the far post only just failed to reach.

Little curled over for Posh on 69 with the visitors now beginning to get on top and enjoying the greater share of the ball.

Daryl Murphy replaced scorer DJ Campbell for the final 14 minutes and moments later created a chance for Martin. Cresswell sent in a freekick from deep on the left, the Irishman headed down and Martin’s audacious overhead kick wasn’t quite strong enough to beat Olejnik, who saved to his left.

Henderson, who had been given stick from some sections of the home support in the first half, saved from Peterborough sub Dwight Gayle in the 78th minute.

Moments later, the Blues switched the underwhelming Reo-Coker for Luke Hyam, the crowd greeting the academy product’s introduction warmly.

Posh debutant Gayle cut in from the left on 84 and hit a shot only narrowly over, but as the game moved into its final minutes it was mainly Town threatening.

The Blues nearly won it in the 86th minute. A Town corner was cleared to Orr on the right and the loanee sent over a deep cross to Higginbotham. The centre-half’s looping header looked destined for the top corner until Olejnik superbly tipped it over.

N’Daw was booked for a foul on 89 when he appeared to win the ball, before Henderson saved to his left from Grant McCann.

Town continued to push, albeit unconvincingly, in the closing stages but failed to test Olejnik any further and after three minutes of injury time Mr Halsey blew his whistle.

It had been a better second half from Town, although by no means brilliant, and they certainly deserved their equaliser. The Blues probably had the better chances thereafter with Campbell unfortunate not to get a toe to Orr’s cross and Higginbotham only failing to register due to Olejnik’s exceptional save, although defeat would probably have been harsh on Posh.

Neither side will be particularly happy with a point against one of their fellow strugglers, especially with Bristol City picking up all three points at Middlesbrough and dropping the Blues to 23rd with the more tricky prospect of Nottingham Forest at home on Tuesday.

Town: Henderson, Orr, Smith, Higginbotham, Cresswell, Edwards (c), N'Daw, Reo-Coker (Hyam 79), Martin, Chopra (Emmanuel-Thomas 62), Campbell (Murphy 76). Subs: Loach, Hewitt, Chambers, Mohsni.

Peterborough: Olejnik, Little, Brisley, Knight-Percival, Bostwick (c), Newell, Thorne, McCann, Boyd, Berahino (Gayle 53), Tomlin. Subs: Day, Ferdinand, Zakuani, Alcock, Swanson, Clarke-Harris. Referee: Mark Halsey (Lancashire). Att: 16,427 (Peterborough: 519).


Photo: Action Images



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pazelle added 17:28 - Nov 24
Stinking!
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chippyblue added 17:34 - Nov 24
Like the weather " very poor "
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bluelad7 added 17:36 - Nov 24
It's still a point. May come in useful.
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nerdys added 17:39 - Nov 24
Oh Dear !!!!
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muccletonjoe added 17:42 - Nov 24
Total and utter rubbish , no other words for it , inept lacking any vestige of creativity or energy , lets hope mccarthy realises pretty quickly that starting games with 5 loan players is NOT the way forward , an 18 year old scored for cardiff today , the time is long long overdue for us to give some lads a chance at this club , make no bones about it , we were strictly second best to a poor peterborough side
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casanovacrow added 17:46 - Nov 24
January can't come soon enough. Too many ball watchers
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warksonwater added 17:47 - Nov 24
Been out all afternoon (live too far away to attend home games). Heard the half time score, fearing the worst when I came home. Before the match I'd have said only a point would have been a disaster, but knowing what I did it was a slight relief. My goodness, is that what we've come to, relief at a point at home to the bottom side? Roll on Tuesday, that's all I can say.
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Elizabeth added 17:49 - Nov 24
Listened to the match commentary and the first half was dire ! There was an improvement in the second half but not enough conviction to get a much needed win. MM appears to be trying out different players to see who is his strongest side.Lets hope for a win on Tuesday and be positive.Long season to go!
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JWM added 17:51 - Nov 24
I think McCarthy will soon realise that you can't polish a T*rd! Unacceptable today and the sooner we can ship some of this shower out the better! I have no complaints with Mick as he is on a hiding to nothing with this lot.
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ericclacton added 18:02 - Nov 24
That was absolute dog's dirt, period.
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WarkyWonderLand added 18:03 - Nov 24
7 points from last 5 games under Mick. 7 points from first 13 games. It's gonna take time and its important to keep picking up points til January. Stick together and keep supporting, that's all we can do.

Coyb
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Edmunds5 added 18:03 - Nov 24
We didn't have a shot on target in the first half against Leicester and we didn't today, well judging by BBCSPORT anyway, either that or bbcsport cant count properly, shocking statistic. However we were seven points adrift when Jewell left and we're only one point adrift now, after five games we would have taken that, we plod on.
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runningout added 18:10 - Nov 24
Exactly.. and I think your being kind.. our teams attitude stinks... there is not one team in the championship to be concerned about.. But our sherkers are painting different picture.. good luck MM
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StochesStotasBlewe added 18:16 - Nov 24
Dire performance, but a point was better than nothing. No shots whatsoever in the first half, slightly improved in the second half but that wasn,t difficult to be honest. Big Mick has his work cut out but i have faith in him to turn it around. We must start with Hyam on tuesday, Reo-coker was utter pants. Roll on the January transfer window, let Mick bring in some players who want to play for us & ship out the dross.
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warbeat78 added 18:58 - Nov 24
Please!! MM will you please!! Unleash Mohsni from the start against forest, thats all i want at this moment in time give him a chance in front of the home fans otherwise i cant see the point of paying his wages
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thechangingman added 19:36 - Nov 24
I currently care about Town as much as our, ahem, 'team' do...

I am not angry, I have no cynical or negative attitude, it's just that I am totally tired, bored and disillusioned.

Can someone wake me up when it's all over?
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taylor15 added 20:07 - Nov 24
first half was absolute dyer, and we constantly attacked down the right hand side. why, when we have one of the best left backs in the football league, with an amazing cross in cresswell, and lee martin who, when we attacked down the left side in the second half, won a penalty, leading to our goal. thought second half was an improvement today, and have to say, LOACH MUST BE BACK IN FOR FOREST! feel sorry for henderson, as he doesn't have much confidence with the amount of goals he has conceded, and isn't good enough.

player of the match has to be tommy smith, who was absolutely outstanding today. keep picking up the points until january, until MM gets some good signings in, and we move away from relegation. COYB!
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greentractorboy added 20:08 - Nov 24
chopra again was a waste of space needs to go
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warwickblue added 20:10 - Nov 24
A game of two halves. One dreadful and we got a penalty in the other. What is the point of playing Henderson, other than to annoy the Sir Bobby Robson stand?
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TimmyH added 20:31 - Nov 24
N'Daw currently man of the match on the ratings - you've got to be kidding me! both Edwards and Martin had more of an impact than what he did, infact the central area of the midfield along with the defense were the worst areas today.
It's the first time I've seen N'Daw and yes he does go in for the rough stuff and doesn't shirk a tackle or a clash of heads (as today) but he has very little quality and can only pass accurately within 10-15 feet other than that I'm not sure what he brought to us today.
Overall a draw about a fair result but Mick's got alot of work on his hands!
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blueherts added 20:53 - Nov 24
Agree says it all when ndaw is our best player
Timmyh spot on like last week CMs and haveCBs shocking
Bring in goodLUUUUUUKEEE
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Bobby_Petta added 21:14 - Nov 24
Have to agree with Timmyh how is N'daw top of the rating?! Yes big and strong but skill and passing he doesn't have, half the problem is our Midfield we lack creativity and pace, for me other then Edwards we didn't have a lot, ok Martin won the penalty but he only went passed there full back twice all game not enough. Would like to see this midfield for tuesday:

Jet Hyam Drury Edwards

upfront
Barnett, D.J

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blueherts added 21:19 - Nov 24
We make it so easy for teams as we move ball so slowly , we need the bite and quality on the ball , HYAM




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NoelTheDub added 21:20 - Nov 24
WHAT CAN 1 SAY THE ONLY DIFFERENCE SO FAR IS A NEW MANAGER WHO CAN DO NOTHING UNTIL JAN WHEN THE CLEARANCE BEGINS.ANY POINT TILL THEN IS A BONUS NO MATTER WHO ITS AGAINST AS WE ARE CLEARLY THE WORST TEAM OF ALL THE LEAGUES.JUST HAVE TO STICK TOGETHER UNTIL THEN WHEN WE CAN REALLY JUDGE OUR NEW COACH...
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itfcjc added 21:55 - Nov 24
The first half was truly awful
2nd was slightly better
Chopra and Reo-Coaka were crap
Defiantly have to bring Barnett and Hyam in for Tuesday
I'm not confident at all
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