Three days late I know, but very unusual circumstance. This was the first game I had seen this season as I live in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The South African satellite network we have takes it feed from Sky, so I knew the game would be on and was really looking forward to it. Splashed out and went to the Holiday Inn Bar (beers twice as pricey as anywhere else in town, and also full of some rather tasty local crumpet)but it also has a huge flat screen TV so well worth it. Accompanied by a couple of mates (one Kiwi, one Aussie) both now part time Barnsley fans - we all listened to play off final together on the internet, until the power went off just as the penalties started! Came back on as they were lifting the trophy! Anyway, posting this now as more power outages meant no internet for the weekend- thats life in Africa I'm afraid. So to the match. Well impressed with the Reds. As has been said many times on here, but for Colgans **** up....... Nonetheless we were by far the better team and certainly the only team playing decent football. Howard was a class above anyone else on the field and ran the show, looked great on the ball, good vision and plenty of tricks up his sleeve too. Puts his foot in as well when required. Must be the best midfielder since Redfern, no question about that. Bottle, this team has bottle too, heads didnt go down after the sending off and goal and we continued to play great football and close down PNE. With a bit of luck, an equaliser could have come, and then there would have been only one winner, but it wasnt to be. Cant blame the young goalie too much, another day that punch would have gone soemwhere else and not off his head and in. Very, very bad luck, but very very average goalkeeping to be fair. Devaney looked sharp and dangerous, but lacks a the end product quite a lot. Liked the look of McIndoe too, felt he didnt really get enough ball as most of our stuff went down the right. Togwells contribution is huge, though not as obvious as that of Howards, what a great midfield pair, lets hope they stay injury free for the season. Isnt it great when you watch your team with your mates and they are impressed, they were purring about Howard and Togwell and thought we looked very bit as good, probably better than a team who have made the play -offs for the last two seasons. Well proud I was and we all have a team to be rightly proud of. Ritchie and Holden deserve so much credit, I dont know where to start. Doubters should be ashamed of themselevs. We are only a couple of signings off being a really decent Championship outfit and I'm sure Ritchie must have plans afoot, depsite all his public backing of the current squad of players, which at the moment is the smart thing to say. Coming home for Wednesday game at Christmas - booked the legend suits for me and my dad as a bit of a treat. Cant wait on this form! Come on you Reds!!!!!
You've got to love fans of small town clubs (thats us), the lengths they will go to to watch a match.
