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Esseeja added 17:40 - Oct 28
Good result, very poor performance.
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Pilgrimblue added 18:14 - Oct 28
Can anyone who went today please provide a player by player view so that when I hear what Muck has to say I can at least know who put in a shift and who didn't, apart from him whose strategy and tactics are beyond me. Thanks
1



Mullet added 19:59 - Oct 28
Town’s form ahead of the trip to the Pirelli had been dropping like a guillotine. With revolution and malcontent in the air, but little seemingly on the block; McCarthy again changed his side. Bart once more had Spence, Chambers, Webster and Knudsen as a very clear back four. Skuse partnered Nydam in the centre and then all four strikers were thrown ahead of them. Garner the only centre-point in the centre circle. Waghorn started on the right and Sears on the left with McGoldrick moving between them.

Burton fans talked of their yellow brick wall last season, and looked to it infrequently this time again to cement their survival. In a game where the Blues fans made up a large proportion of the 4 thousand odd crowd in a ground and club so far out of place, but not undeserved of their Championship status, it was a glimpse of what we could have more often if the run continues.

It was a game of anti-football, Burton didn’t want us to play and we seemed to repeat back every stuttering header and two touch and chip movement in stilted politeness. It took Ipswich twenty minutes or so to make anything resembling a chance, and between that time they just made every fan in the away L behind Bart’s goal tetchy, frustrated and fearful.

McGoldrick was largely a passenger until he drove forward to bury a soft shot into Ripley’s hands. With that his other notable contribution was making use of two very good runs. Waghorn drew half the yellow defence with a diagonal bolt, Sears went on an umpteenth straight-line dash. The former Hammer received an expert pass, worked into a great position then failed to land a blow with a puffy cross to no one.

The width Burton were afforded game largely in the fact that Town had plenty of options off the ball never the right one. Sordell slid through the back of Webster after only a few minutes, but every other time he did it with the ball. Knudsen and Nydam did a good job of shielding out the former Trotter and Akins. However, there were two occasions were the Dane gave away a throw just by standing up. Mistiming his challenge, when he picked himself up the ball pinged off his shin or standing foot. Such was the manner in of Ipswich’s ineptitude at times.

Seeing Spence outpaced by the aging Warnock late in the half was easily as depressing and alarming. It was a half where Chambers verbally rebuked a linesman not up with play as much as anyone else around him. Burton made use of a strong breeze towards the right corner, Bart’s kicking time and again dropped shallow with backspin off a yellow head, or blue body away from us and into danger.

If any of Dyer, Akins or Sordell could shoot Town would deservedly have been behind. Bart injured his shoulder when spilling a fairly routine shot. He did well to atone at the onrushing feet and smother the ball. He spent the rest of the half windmilling his left arm.

The blowing and swirling elements of both the weather and the play made for terrible viewing. As corners were overhit as much as crosses from a home side who look capable of everything but finding the goal. Town seemed to switch formation without really matching them in any significant way. Sears and Waghorn changed flanks, McGoldrick then took up the left side when they finished the half on the right, everyone else remained the same. Especially when Dids did not, matching up Burton’s ability to find the side netting. Unfortunately.

Something had to change, but not Mick or the team. The sun came out and so did both sides. The neutrals had little more to feast their eyes on as Town’s central midfield consisted of Skuse winning the ball and then getting it back again to repeat the trick. Lund and Murphy for Burton both had attempts on, across and near the goal.

It was the efforts of those that warned Town first, then caused the opening goal for a team who hadn’t scored in a handful of games. Who else but us could serve one up to them? A smart shot palmed wide excellently by Bart. The resultant corner another example of what happens when you don’t pick up runners or those riding their markers. A tidy header and easy lead. Turner clawed himself onto the scoresheet like he had Garner all day with far greater importance.

The fact that all Town could manage from a corner previously was a soft scramble, and Chambers obstructing someone to earn a needless booking was a stark contrast. From here the boos and protests that had been brewing well before the game started to eke out like a wet fart of dissent. The air was rank once the home fans gushing went flat.

Change did come, but from left-field in more ways than just the dug outs being there in relation to us. Bru emerged from the depths to replace Nydam to a chorus of boos and disbelief. Tucking in on the left next to Skuse, his first contribution was a neat loop to Knudsen who showed a consistent touch and lack of control.

It wasn’t long before Town significantly found their feet and form. Garner who had proved himself predictably irritating in the middle took the ball on the right and danced with his defensive equivalent. Interplay between ball and man, saw efforts come and come back to the frontman. Spinning clear off the invention of McGoldrick, and into the path of Waghorn the goals per game king crowned the move with a thunderous drive.
The bullet went through many bodies and tangled limbs and looked destined to be ricocheted out, but it wasn’t. Sunk between the mouth of the goal and home fans’ ribcages as the away terrace bounced off one another’s in relief.

The right side could have delivered the killer blow as Waghorn again found himself in the box. A deathly hush as the scorer tried to assist Sears. He clipped a tight-angled effort across Ripley and the goal. Sears was half an inch away from glory as a corner was given presumably because Ripley got a touch and not out of pity for either player failing to.

Soon after that Sears ran his last line as Ward wrote his first on the dram yet to unfold.
The second sub to be greeted with derision and disbelief didn’t really deserve it. A neat and tidy wide option, he made the Brewers think twice more than once. Meanwhile McGoldrick now playing a sort of Darren Currie tribute by himself on the left, suddenly cut inside and lashed another shot that looked the part but fixed nothing as it settled the wrong side of the post.

Varney a fan favourite from McCarthy’s glory days entered the fray to his signature song from us, not them. It wasn’t even close to the strangest thing you’d see or hear today. Abuse and protests towards the manager subsided and grew between encouragement for the players. By now everyone but Mick was calling for Celina.

The scoundrel of last night’s twitter infamy had 1400 characters calling for him, as social media made real started singing his name; all the while his teammates battled and bullied in equal fervour, but to far less convincing effect. Bru won the ball in impressive fashion knocking his man and the matchball sideways, Waghorn was unfortunately too far away to help, but right in the ref’s ear and his expletive-laden reaction put him in the book too.

The home side had been all over us for more than hour and bar the odd move and moment Town had simply been all over the place. It took a few minutes more to see those already on their feet applauding. Celina came on, McGoldrick went off and the striker on the wing, came off for someone who’s still either a striker or a winger.

With expectations and tempers high, the diminutive Kosovan had all eyes on him. Dancing on the turn past his man, he sent Knudsen away only for the Dane to try, and fail. His cross not bothering the near post as a crowd either side of the goal expected more.

Again, fans willed the ball back to the final sub when it came back towards them and he managed to run past everyone, and the far post on the edge of the box as the opportunity disappeared as quickly as it came.

It would prove third time a charm as the youngster won a soft freekick expertly. If Waghorn’s clipping of his own heels had been masterful, the Man City kid’s a valiant effort fortune clearly favoured. All 8 stone of him rose and fell under the challenge of Warnock as he crashed to turf on the edge of the box so did Burton’s day.

A long time coming, Celina, Skuse and Waghorn stood over the ball. Next to me a stranger and I pondered the fairytale of winning skill and winning effort “It’s not going to be him is it? It’s on his right foot”. Well it was, and what a strike. Right in line with me, it bent and snuck between the post likely a sniper’s round, a moment where you could be happy to die. Emotions, grace and belief went awry as the youngster wheeled away in delight that outdid any sense of ego.

Off came his shirt as he milked his moment dry, a strange jumping dance action in celebration as the cocky little genius stood in all his plucked chicken glory. Mobbed by his team mates as we mobbed each other. There was a sense of consequential dread as he picked up the predictable disciplinary, a yellow card and game of “where’s my shirt?”. Getting dressed and a vague dressing down from the official he trotted back. Mick clapped him with three quick slaps of his palms barking and pointing at the rest of the side to see out the game. Back to basics and back in business for the four minutes of injury time.

Post-fistpumps and with the glow of getting away with it at its brightest, two Burton fans assured us that was the best they had played all season. We assured them it was the worst we’d played for a long time. Pragmatic about their survival it’s hard to apologise and not smirk a little.

Again, the poison came to a head, the uncertainty of fans, players and manager were all on display. A lack of belief all round apart from one man, in one moment, stole 3pts and arrested the slide. What system did we play today? Who cares? It’s not worth trying to work out but it is a problem for tomorrow. Tonight we can consider how Mick has changed a game for a handful of times this season and turned draws into wins, those that came before Celina will not feature in the headlines or forethoughts, but the turning and tightening of the screw by Ward and Bru’s inclusion paid off when Bersant nailed it.

One of the worst, weirdest and wonderful games I’ve seen in over 25 years of Town, and best of all, there was something for everyone tonight.
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GiveusaWave added 22:26 - Oct 28
A player who was on the pitch for a few minutes is presently winning man of the match, easily the most absurd thing I have seen on player ratings. Bialkowski superb, particularly in first half. Travesty of justice if he doesn't win Man of the Match.
1



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