FA Youth Cup 3rd Round Result 9/12/08

Barnsley (1) 2 Walsall (1) 3

Barnsley Team

1. Danny Free (Yr2)
2. Michael Tieman (Yr1)
3. Kieron Scargill (Yr1) Y
4. Connor Branson (Yr1) Y
5. Martin Grundy (Yr2)
6. Tyronne Crapper (Yr1)
7. Alistair Taylor (Yr1) Y
8. Danny Fearnehough (Yr1)
9. Jamil Adam (Yr2)
10. Jordan Hibbert (?)
11. Reuben Noble-Lazarus (U16)
Subs
12. Jack Watts (Yr2) for Fearnehough (74 min)
14. Jack Briscoe (Yr1)
15. Steven Bennett (Yr1) for Hibbert (89 min)
16. Liam Reffin (Yr1)
22. Tom Ruslin (Yr1)


In his program notes, Ronnie Branson reminded us that last year at this stage the Reds went out to Centre of Excellence side, Swindon. He also prepared us for the worst by reminding us that most of the team would be able to play again next year. Barnsley kicked off with a 4-1-4-1 formation with Noble- Lazarus unexpectedly on the left wing and Jamil Adam the lone striker. Tyrone Crapper player just in front of the back four. Walsall adopted the more usual 4-4-2 formation.

Walsall took the lead on 15 minutes. A free kick for a foul by Scargill on the right touchline was crossed into the box. A weak defensive header could only take the ball to the edge of the box where the ball was met by a superb volley from Mark Lowe, the Walsall left winger, sending the ball to the keepers left and into top corner of the net. For a while after the goal Walsall were well on top and were unfortunate during that period not to add to their score, but the young Reds gradually clawed their way back into it. They did not seem to be helped by the formation which left Adam isolated and RNL underused out on the left. On the rare occasions he got the ball RNL showed what a good player he could be but it was a shame that his skills were not utilised in more dangerous areas.

The ref could almost taste his half-time cuppa when the Reds equalised. Another free kick, this time out on the left was swung into the Walsall box, where their defenders failed to clear. The loose ball was hammered goalwards by Grundy. Fortune favoured the young Reds again as the rebound fell to Hibbert who forced the ball home.

The second half began with a bad foul on Taylor, the only one of the match, which was not spotted by our officious referee. He was promptly informed of his error in terms that I hear every Saturday morning during Academy League games. Sadly our man in black had the last word and our coach was forced to watch the rest of the game from the stand, leaving Mr Branson in charge. After 60 minutes the system was changed to 4-4-2. Surprisingly, it was Hibbert and not RNL who went forward in support of Adam. On the 74th minute, Fearnehough was very unfortunate to be the player selected to make way for Watts with Hibbert reverting back to his mid-field position. Almost immediately, Walsall scored again. A corner from the left was met by unmarked full back, John Patrick, who sent a flashing header beyond the keepers left hand and into the top of the net. The Reds were not done yet and equalised 4 minutes later. Yet another free kick was headed on by Watts. RNL controlled the ball and turned in a flash to send a left foot shot beyond the keepers left hand and into the bottom corner.

With the clock ticking away on the 90 minutes and a thin crowd anticipating extra time, Walsall struck for the final time. Yet another free kick from the left saw the defense dropping far too deep restricting the keeper's view of a ball that only just cleared the mass of players ahead of him. The inevitable happened when the ball squirmed from his grasp and over the line untouched by anyone other than the free kick taker Shean Geddes, some 40 yards away.

There was still time for the ref to complete his list of 7 bookings in a game that was never dirty and for the Barnsley left back (Scargill) to deliver his 3rd foul throw.

MotM
Underused as he was RNL showed tremendous promise and Adam was unfortunate on two occasions.

 

Cracking report as always..

Who was the coach dissmissed from the dugout ??

 

Sorry, I don't know his name. This season he seems to make all the decisions whilst Branson sits back in the dugout.

 

Sounds Bad

Our reserve and youth team sides don't seem to be doing well.

 

Well thats two years in a row that we have lost to centre of excellence teams and although the game was close I thought that Walsall just about deserved it. I am sure that Mr Branson will point out that our team was very young and actually we are in mid table in our U18 league. Nevertheless, it is interesting that our coach was absent when everything went tits-up, leaving RB in charge pitchside.

 

RNL - Is that the kid that had a first team future a few weeks ago

... but then things picked up again and Davey didn't need a smokescreen anymore.

 

On the night some boys froze, some boys had lost their discipline, some boys were playing for themselves and some boys were just playing poorly. If Branson wanted to make a substitution, he had no shortage of contenders. Instead he chose one of the few players who looked comfortable on the big stage, Fearnehough. In the second half, Walsall were reduced to trying to hit their front men from the back as Fearnehough was winning all the headers in the middle. Branson chose to take him off after 75 minutes and a minute later Walsall went in front. They grabbed the winner very late on.
With his sidekick sent to the stands, Branson was forced to make decisions on his own and he got a big one wrong !!!!

 

I think that you may be being too cynical on this one. The lad is the best prospect that we have, but he is only 15 and is not old enough to sign a scholarship with us. This means a big club could step in and offer him a scholarship elsewhere. In that case we would be compensated but the amount of compensation would be decided by tribunal. In deciding the amount of compensation the tribunal would be seeking evidence of his potential worth. In these circumstances, I am sure that Barnsley would point out his 2 substitte appearances for the first team.

 

Agreed!

 

Only 3 year 2s starting and 1 year 2 sub, surely the club have more than 4 year 2s where were the others?

 

The ref could almost taste his half-time cuppa when the Reds equalised.

Get you!</p>

Mind you, don't you think they should know how to take a throw-in by now.</p>

 

There are only 6 year 2 players. The other 2 are Danny Warburton (striker) and Tom Mellor (left winger). They were both born before 30/9/90 so my guess is that they were both too old to play. Actually, Danny Warburton rarely gets a game. Martin Grundy is next oldest (born 1/10/90) and he played.

 

Just what I thought, which is why I mentioned the number of foul throws.