Kunne vel ha nøyd meg med en URL-henvisning til Woodini's kampreferat, men siden dette forteller den ærlige sannheten om kampen, limer jeg inn det hele.
Summert opp: Vi presterte som et pub-team. Kandol var værre enn noensinne. Elding og Costantine er bedre opsjoner til Kandol.
Forhåpentligvis var dette "a bad day at the office", og at vi hever oss til Millwall-kampen,
Huddersfield Town 1 Leeds United 0
The game was billed as Huddersfield’s Cup Final, by far the biggest crowd of the season congregated at the Galpharm Stadium, and the procession of pre-match “dignitaries†who made their way onto the pitch to shake the hands of both captains, made the centre circle resemble an EU summit, just prior to kick off. The only thing missing was Abide with me.
United were without Jermaine Beckford, who was replaced by Tresor Kandol, and didn’t we know it, as United performed like a pub team, on a night where play-off qualification could have been all but assured.
The first half hour was tepid stuff, United probably edged it, numerous free kicks were awarded for petty fouls, and both Johnson and Kilkenny saw their free kicks from just outside the box cause greater danger to spectators seated in the upper tier of the Panasonic Stand, than the home goal. Freedman provided the only real test for Town keeper Glennon, with a volley on the turn that fell straight into his midrift.
Town looked rather subdued, and were of no threat to United’s goal until Douglas’s second yellow card meant United were down to ten men on thirty-five minutes. Douglas’s lack of pace and mis-timed run meant he had to bring down a Town attacker on the left, then five minutes later he brought down Jonathan Worthington when again his lack of pace was exposed. There were no complaints with the decision, particularly in the light of the fact that he had near decapitated a Huddersfield player earlier in the proceedings, when lunging in on a rare Town attack, the incident went unnoticed as he was so late on this occasion, the officials were looking elsewhere.
With United down to ten men, this seemed to be the signal to spark the home team into life. Ankergren was finally tested twice from distance, the second time following another woeful clearance, and just before the break, a long through ball was gathered by United’s Danish keeper, and Worthington followed through with his studs, right in front of a loud United following. After a fracas involving several players including Michalik, the referee consulted his assistant, and gave Michalik a yellow card, and showed Worthington a second yellow. I cannot recall him receiving a yellow card previously, and he may have received the initial yellow for the assault on Ankergren, and possibly a second for feigning injury, following his sudden miraculous jump up in the air, after rolling around in agony after initially colliding with Ankergren.
The referee, probably feeling quite intimidated by the huge bank of United supporters, in the South Stand baying for blood, appeared to lose it, and half time couldn’t have come at a better time for both players and officials alike.
The second half with both sides showing keenness to attack, the home side were willing to try their luck from range, and Collins’ rasping shot hit the bar, only moments after a Richardson cross had tantalisingly fallen short of Johnson or Freedman, with the goal gaping. Minutes earlier United’s best opportunity saw good work from Freedman, put Johnson away down the left, a simple lob to the back post would surely see an unmarked Kandol nod the ball into an empty net, but Johnson inexplicably ballooned the ball way over the Congolese frontman, to frustrate the large travelling support.
Freedman had struggled to exert his usual influence, and Kilkenny had been below par, only Howson proved a constant threat when venturing forward, continuing his recent run of excellent form. As the clock ticked down, the expected substitutions on a, by now, heavy pitch caused absolute amazement amongst United supporters. Johnson, who had a stinker, was rightly substituted, but instead of bringing on Carole, who could still give us some width, Prutton came on, immediately going on into the middle. One minute later, and Howson was withdrawn, to a chorus of boos from the Leeds fans, to be replaced by Andy Hughes, a player not exactly noted for his creativity, I think it is fair to say. Even more surprising was the fact that the incompetent Kandol was still out there on the pitch. One minute later, and a cross from the left saw Holdsworth, unmarked, head the winner off the upright.
United responded with long shots from Hughes and Kilkenny, before Carole did eventually enter the fray, in place of Kilkenny, and his cross was nearly deflected in by Freedman, past Glennon, but the keeper managed to claw it away for a corner. Over the course of the evening, United had several corners, and every single one of them found the head of the Huddersfield defender at the near post, quite astonishing.
United’s performance, given recent form, was particularly disappointing, Walsall’s surprise defeat at home to Bristol Rovers tonight means that we need only five points from the final three games to confirm at least sixth position, which was something of a let off. Town were distinctly average however, but far too many players were below par, and Beckford’s absence proved a problem to United. If United are to succeed in the post season, they can expect considerably better opposition than their West Yorkshire neighbours.
Woodini Ratings;
Ankergren – radar off the boil again 5.5
Richardson – reasonably solid 6
Michalik – showed some grit 6.5
Huntington – in control 6
Kenton – erratic at best 5
Kilkenny – bullied out of game, ineffective 5
Howson – best United player by a country mile 7
Johnson – awful all round performance 4.5
Douglas – lack of pace and lack of talent costing us dear 4
Freedman – well marshalled by Town defence, given little space 6
Kandol – ploughed greater depths in performance than one could ever imagine, a complete disgrace that he should be given ninety minutes 4
Subs;
Prutton – no real effect 6
Hughes – one decent shot 6
Carole – late spark 6.5
Referee; Mr. P. Taylor – he’s probably the reason why we keep getting Premiership referees.
Crowd; 16,000+
Words from Woodini
At 1-0 down at half time on Saturday, Gary McAllister was probably asked his biggest question since taking over as manager of Leeds United. He answered the question superbly, as United put on a show of attacking football that brought a vital three points. Tonight he messed up big style, his substitutions cost United at least a point, his persisting with Kandol is clearly not working, there is no way on this earth that Elding or Constantine cannot be a better option. As for the withdrawal of Howson for “Headless Hughes†– words fail me ! Hopefully this was a bad day at the office, and Saturday will see United get back on the road to success.
