Generally the game wasn't great to watch, but I've never been to a friendly that has been. I was watching the warm up and thought our finishing looked top draw, then all of a sudden Mido cracked a shot off the post...as he was slowing down from hitting the shot he pulled up and it looked like his right hamstring had gone. He was in a lot of pain and they got the stretcher on to take him away. The was audible concern from the away following as I think a lot were looking forward to seeing him play (myself included). Starting line up was: Alnwick Stones, Foster, McNulty, Wiseman Silva, Mellis, Perkins, Done Etuhu Davies It looks like Silva was brought on for Mido as he wasn't in the original starting line up, and Etuhu was moved to a forward role. We generally looked in control in the first half barring a few dodgy touches and tripping over the ball. Mellis made some good balls and we spread it out wide well but out final ball was shocking. Perkins was probably the best player on the pitch and the Doncaster players seemed to be making a point of kicking him all over the place. Perkins didn't seem to mind and was obviously getting under their skin - to those who say he doesn't do anything, I honestly can't understand what more he could do. Their first goal was a spawny deflection, but seemed to be as a result of Done not tracking back. It left their player unmarked at the back edge of the area. Wiseman and Perkins closed down but it deflecting into the bottom corner. Our first goal came from one of our only intricate passing moves to come off and Foster (like a young Alan Shearer) twisted and turned his man before firing a low cross-shot across the goal and Rob Jones did the rest. Donny seemed to be quite dirty throughout, with the main dirty ******* being James Harper. Silva had to go off midway through the first half after a tasty challenge and was replaced be Jim O'Brien. Second half was much of the same, with us control possession but being very slow and lacking penetration. When we lost the ball Donny were quick to break but didn't have any major threat going forward. Davies missed 2 good chances when through on goal before eventually breaking clear and slotting the ball through the keepers legs to make it 2-1. I think most people couldn't see Donny getting a goal until Alnwick totally misjudged the flight of a corner and therefore gave the Donny players (Syres I think) an easy tap in. All in all, the injuries took any gloss off the performance, but we weren't that bad. The opposition were dirty, and Perkins needed to get treatment after being hit in the face/head and was covered in blood. No brilliant performances, and we looked a little off the pace but nothing to panic about yet. I thought we looked short on the wings mainly, and I would have loved to have seen Sonko come on (he looks like a unit!), but I'll reserve judgement until the season starts. Final word - does anyone else think our away kit looks a bit like Rochdale's kit?
James Harper. How times changed. Blasted Barnsley as awful place to play when relegated with Reading. Now L1
Did Harper play today, in the central midfield? Didn't recognise him. Like's the sound of his own voice it seems. Thought it was a decent friendly actually, bit of atmosphere, goals, endeavour. Poor passing throughout for me though, little link-up between midfield and forward(s) and slack defending espacially on crosses. Glad Davies scored because his confidence looked very low after his second miss. Hassell looked good I thought. Agree about injuries, major worries if all serious.
