Yesterday

I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed a Saturday afternoon at Oakwell as much.

off the pitch, hats (and scarves) off to Khaled and everyone behind the scenes for building up the game. The atmosphere has been dire at Oakwell for many years which is sad, given how good it can be. It’s obviously a two way street, I can’t resist saying symbiotic (as it’s one of my favourite words) but there is no doubt that the crowd can influence the results on the pitch, and it makes a much more enjoyable experience. Forget pre match pool tables, bands, Fifa tournaments or street food, that’s my kind of ‘match day experience’. I always look on at envy at the likes of Crystal Palace / Elland road and would love that kind of atmosphere in our stands every week. Why not?

Onto the pitch and it was just as exhilarating. From the first tackle made by Philips, the scene was set. Our players squeezed every sinew to make every challenge and they didn’t know what hit them. Yes they made errors at the back, but I think those errors were forced. The level of performance from Norwood was top drawer. He was like a man possessed.

Things fell for us well at the right times of the match but it was a clinical display against a team littered with quality, on wages which should not be paid at this level of football. There was no doubt : ‘sweat on the shirt’ . In Michael Duff we have a gem who personifies that values of the town and the club. He must be kept at all costs, whatever happens.

If we continue with that level of performance we have a chance of automatic promotion I reckon. It will be tight, but possible.

Final mention to the ref. I have been critical of the standard this season, and rightly so. Yesterdays referee was excellent, and didn’t put a foot wrong.

 

It appears that the club have finally listened to the fans, or at least I hope so.
Yesterday was a day to enjoy all round.
Did it hurt them to put on a show for the fans, food, drink, entertainment, the scarf thing? No.
I hope, nay expect, the next home game to be the same. It costs very little to hype up a game and the fans will react.
The result on he field was positive, let's keep up the momentum now.

 

To be fair, at HT l didn't think Derby should be going in having conceded 3 goals, they attacked that half better than us. Cadden must have had a migraine at half time with their right winger.

 

And yet they did & we had gifted it to them. They’re a good side going forward but their keeper & defence were woeful thanks to our harrying them.

 

The ref gave us nothing and them everything for some time after the first goal. At least it looked that way

 

I agree. I said yesterday he looked good for the first ten minutes but then started blowing up for very soft fouls against us while giving them free rein. Had one of them been in our box he would have fallen over himself to point to the spot

 

I thought that too. It appeared as though he had a lot of doubt over the goal and was trying to even it up as much as he could

 

That’s the match I listened to..

 

Funnily enough the Derby fans seemed incredibly critical of the ref on that board someone linked to yesterday.

Have to say I didn't really see a ref favouring us

 

He definitely favoured Derby booking us but not them for same/ very similar tackles.

 

Another Beatles song?

 

Ok then err.. "Hey, you've got to hide your love away".

 

Let it Be, will ya..?!!