cbower thanks for your report which in general makes depressing reading. At the end of the day we got a point but sounds as though we were very fortunate. Well done to the 500 plus who made the trip.
Not looking good now and I really believe Div One is beckoning. Only consolation today is that the budgies got stuffed but how they must be laughing at us. Two more defeats (The tipping point) PJ and your job is in peril.

0

people forget its just like watching Brazil, so it must be a super point gained, John Barnes had a whole career out of one goal against Brazil.

0

...... playing players out of position seldom works for anyone - wonder if Jewell will ever realise that.

Tactically clueless once again I'm afraid.

0

cbower, once again thank you for your well measured report. I always look forward to reading your match reports mate.well done!

0

The cool, crisp, autumnal afternoon saw the sun glare over the vast expanse of the sparsely populated Oakwell for Town’s visit today. They say in the fight game when things get really tough old habits and a fraction of your ability is all you have. So it was no surprise but a little odd to see Jewell employ the fabled and flawed diamond formation on a vast and green pitch. Barnsley went for wingers whereas Town flanked the hulking N’Daw with Hyam on the right and Drury on the left, Martin just behind the big man from Ireland and the little big man called Scotland. Higginbotham partnered Chambers, with Edwards and Cresswell our sole source of width, in front of Scotty LoachisabluehehatesNorwich.

Town had the brighter start, a busy midfield hustled the ball forward and the first chance was an audacious half volley from distance sent high and wide by the man on loan from France. Martin proved to be our main threat as he ran at anything, sometimes with the ball, sometimes just because.

With much possession and little incisiveness the hosts played around Town but struggled to challenge us. Town’s early dominance was down to our willingness to wait for a loose ball and spring a quick and gallant counter. The industry was all Town’s as we worked the ball in and around the Barnsley box.

Martin was dubiously fouled when he took a tumble after a tumble and a freekick was awarded. The wary hosts who must wonder what they have done to deserve so much misery at the hands of Town erected a wall. Cresswell and Drury stood over the ball and Martin lined up the shot. The diminutive Scouser tapped it to the former lower league Red Devils target, the former Red Devil proper then laid it back to little Scouser who was in line with the middle of the goal and smacked it straight at once rated Alnwick. The prodigal keeper dived straight over it like a lemon much to our amazement. Town got a lead from a mixture of luck and farce – jubilation and suspicion are not easy emotional bedfellows I can tell you.

The half progressed with Barnsley’s width telling. Town had little luck in front of goal. Murphy had a poor first twenty. Often on the right with his back to goal he received many lumps forward and despatched them to opposition players with the touch of a Maths teacher. Unable to calculate the required distance to bisect defenders or find a colleague he frustrated and wasted valuable possession.

The first real effort from the Yorkshire tippy-tappy merchants was a tame shot from the edge of the box straight down Loach’s proverbial throat. It was hard to see us swallowing much more pressure as soon Cresswell was caught out and a weak cross easily batted away. The reunited partnership in the centre of defence were solid, unspectacular and under the cosh a lot.

A Barnsley corner was left by all, to fall to Davies at the back post, a poor touch looped upwards and a gathering Loach was blatantly pushed groundwards as the ball was put in the net. No goal. The home fans hadn’t been to Specsavers clearly as they unleashed much moaning and the whippets of war on a rubbish and officious ref.

Town meanwhile had precious little in the way of clear-cut chances. Niggly fouls earned freekicks which went way too far or were hit way too hard at onrushing heads. Half clearances were toyed with but never really sent to test to the dodgy Alnwick whose kicking was somewhere between Andy Marshall’s and Heather Mills’ bad side. Murphy picked up both the ball and his form on one occasion where Martin hooked a long punt from the edge of the Town area towards him. Cutting inside he found Scotland who trundled his way past defenders, molehills and across the area only to cut it back to an onrushing Martin who finished the move with a thunderous and wasteful effort.

Town maybe deserved their lead at half time, maybe not. Either way they had it and Tykes probably felt it was going to be one of those days at the hands of Town’s managerial Houdini.

In the second half Luongo crept onto the pitch in the place of Hyam, the locals didn’t bother to announce this and until the Australian picked up the ball ten minutes into the half neither did he. The game had swung to and fro but felt like a nil-nil gone awry. The players taking a satirical edge, as for all the threat of penetration no one quite knew exactly who was on top at any given time.

Barnsley now shooting towards us Spartan away fans earned had the sun and the ref’s fickle favour shining upon them as niggly fouls and their share of playacting saw a furious N’Daw booked. The man was right to be incensed but Jewell desperately clanking his chains hauled him off, fearing he’d lost his head. It was harsh on N’Daw who had swept up nicely all game and kept Barnsley pushed out wide. On came academy lingerer Ainsley.

The kid was presumably meant to be a straight swap. Now my science teacher may have been a pompous boob but he swore to me pressure makes diamonds. With this substitution Jewell confounded science as we watched his diamond break. Luongo and Ainsley floated around drifting from wing to the central roles with no rhyme or reason. The local boy looked utterly lost and didn’t have a clue what he was doing despite his best efforts. The swell of possession grew against Town as the whole side were reduced to flotsam and jetsam under the merest gust from Barnsley.

The hosts were rampant, Town merely rabbits in headlights as ball after ball eluded the back four. I’m not sure if Paul might have wished they were back in his hat. Mellis ran free to the byline but failed to produce any pyrotechnics. Davies forced two fine acrobatic saves from Loach, getting his feet to rewind themselves for a half volley on the turn, which was particularly exciting in a dull game.

Blue shirts formed a thinner and more ragged line across the 18 yard line as bookings were picked up and opposition players weren’t. A cross which sped barely two yards from the goal line was left by the whole side. Corners, crosses, deflections and half chances were all swatted away to varying degrees of success. It was amazing to watch such rigid and determined defence unfold. Chambers lost his man a lot. Higginbotham embodied everything you’d expect from a man who plyed his trade at Stoke for so long. Imperiously clouting kicks out into touch time and again like Will Carling in his prime. Barnsley are lucky that they had no Princesses in their side as the loanee produced hoofball, but not as we know it. Classy enough at times, he held us together at the back.

Murphy lolled about on the left wing, Martin sometimes on the right. Scotland was replaced by the hardworking but completely lost Ellington as the Waterloo impression was complete. Blues entrenched across the 18 yard line, we stubbornly took everything thrown at us and seemed to be content to merely survive. But it was not to be.

Cresswell, stranded on the wing was circumvented by a simple ball and the Barnsley winger cut inside and fired incisively past the heroic Loach. It was a fine goal worthy of the hosts’ dominance and doggedness, but it may well prove to be the liver punch to Jewell so many crave.

I’m not sure if the last half an hour saw a Town player cross the Rubicon of the half way line. We retreated, ran and scurried with vigour chasing ourselves as much as the ball like under 8s who’d had a half time fruit shoot too many.

0

A point is a point and stops the rot but changes little with the bigger picture. An early goal boosted confidence and for a while we play OK but as in some earlier matches we allow the opposition to gain control and ended up hanging on for dear life. Higginbotham brings organisation to the defence which will help but we still dont look like scoring goals. Jewell finally plays Hyam but only for 45 mins. Injured he said, however I feel other players that he rates more may have not been subbed so easily, that however is just my opinion. With Hyam in the team we seem to play so much better, so when he went off I feared the worst.
Alex Mathie reportedly said that the squad just is n't good enough and he believes funds aren't there to improve it so all we can do is try to stay up. That is very worrying.
Despite the point yesterday we are still on the downward trend and I cannot see Jewell turning it around so the manager needs changing as does the direction the club is taking. Whilst getting the club ready for FFP rules is correct, the cuts are being made to quickly and if they continue will lead to relegation which would be financial suicide. We need a new manager with knowledge of young, hungry players who can motivate them into playing well for ITFC. Not a manager who whines how far Ipswich is away from anywhere! Jewell out

0

I keep being told that professional footballers are well paid.
If so, I can't understand why so many of them are said to be hungry.

0

Very amusing Mullet!

0

We are continually told to give PJ a chance, but he has had 12 months to sort out our leaking defence, find a creative midfield player and look for the forward who can put away all the missing chances we get. I appreciate that with Paul Taylor being out injured for 6 weeks is bad luck but why the long wait to get a player into the club.

You only have to look at our leading goalscorers to show the lack of punch in our front line. The confidence has not only gone from the players but as fans we have watched with disbelief over the past 4 years. I fear to see how many will attend the Sky game this Saturday.

I have no confidence or faith in Jewell or Clegg, but who do we replace them with..............

0