Another Good Reward For Very Hard Work

After Tuesday night there was a danger of euphoria, among us fans at least, resulting in over-expectations for today, another tough test away from home for some very tired players. We came up a little short at Preston last time we had three games in a week, two of which were away (after the home win over Blackburn and the draw at Derby), and the team had put in a big shift at Portman Road. Was it too much to expect a repeat performance, or will the team be brimming with confidence and not feel the tired legs?

In the event we got something in between. The tiredness undoubtedly showed and after a mixed first half (we had the better of the opening spell, them thereafter without actually matching the two early chances we had) once Hull had scored we did struggle. But this lot can dig deep and the equaliser in stoppage time was a reward for grit and perseverance. The character of this squad cannot be questioned. Hull will feel they let two points slip, but that’s their problem.

For the team it was really a case of how many neded a rest. And there were surprises, albeit the squad was unchanged from Tuesday. Ramsay, Jones and Gillesphey were retained as the central defence three, as was Bell as right-side wing-back; but Bree was on the bench and replaced by Apter – great for attacking threat but with a risk of being targeted at the other end. In midfield Coventry was moved to the bench and Knibbs came in, even though it seemed curious to have both him and Carey in from the start, while Rankin-Costello or Anderson might have been the more natural replacement for the excellent Coventry. And up front we would start with the two that came on in the second half against Ipswich, Leaburn and Campbell, instead of Olaofe and Kelman.

We came out of the blocks and Campbell had two glorious chances in the first three minutes, both the result of balls lofted to the far post and over the covering defender. The first he connected with well enough but their keeper pulled off a very good instinctive save; the second was more difficult and he chipped it over the bar. Hull seemed a little stung by that and it took them a while to get into their pattern. But when they did they – as so many against us – enjoyed the lion’s share of possession. Also like many against us in these circumstances, they failed to create a clear-cut chance.

There were moments of danger for us through the first half. But inevitably there was a late block, interception, or save from Kaminski. In fact it was us again with the best chance as Campbell nipped in between defenders to get to a long ball first but just failed to get a good enough contact to send it either side of their stranded keeper. The only other incident of note was a very poor challenge by a Hull player on Knibbs, who got to the loose ball first and nudged it forward only to be taken out. There may have been no real intent, but the replays showed the guy going in off the ground, studs showing. With VAR he might have been given more than a yellow.

At the break the stats showed Hull with 53% possession, them having seven attempts on goal, just two on target, against four and two for us. For us you felt that the changes, while understandable, had reduced our potency as we missed Coventry and with Carey playing deeper alongside Docherty we lacked his drive. Apter and Knibbs put in decent performances, but they looked a little rusty.

We’d barely taken our seats for the second half (in front of the TV for me) before Hull went ahead. Gillesphey turned away out of defence with the ball and was caught out by their press. The guy took it on into the box and shot beyond Kaminski. You just knew it was going to be a real uphill struggle after that – and Hull were content most of the time to get men behind the ball and look to hurt us on the break, which they had ample opportunity to do, especially in the closing stages.

We were making the mistakes. After Gillesphey’s Ramsay gave the ball away with a poor pass, followed by another Gillesphey error then one from Bell. They were all labouring. On 50 minutes Coventry and Bree replaced Knibbs and Apter and we reverted to the shape of Tuesday night. Only difference was we were one down and chasing the game.

We did have moments of opportunity, as did they. But as the clock ticked down we became increasingly desperate. On 69 minutes Jones brought on Berry and Kelman for Docherty and Gillesphey, switching to what seemed to be a 4-3-3. On 85 minutes it was Hernandez making his debut for Carey, and by now it was Jones up front and pretty much everything going long in the hope of something.

As we started five minutes of stoppage time we seemed to get that something, as their keeper flapped at a cross and it dropped for Berry. His goalbound shot was deflected over for a corner. No matter, that corner was very well delivered and just cleared the people at the near post, Berry providing that nous in the box by reading the situation and getting on the end of it, getting enough contact to divert it into an empty net.

Suddenly it was Jones back in defence and a desperate few minutes to hold on to what we now had. We managed that and the players not surprisingly almost celebrated a draw in front of the travelling fans, the Hull players trudging off shaking their heads. If they had played out the game there would have been no complaints from us, like Preston it seemed a game too far. As it turned out they can have no complaints either as we did what we needed to do: score. More composure and intent from them on the break towards the end and they might well have scored a second to seal the points. But they didn’t.

Now we have a week to rest up before Swansea, with a great deal of satisfaction over the seven points out of nine. Take another bow Jones and the squad.

Everyone Take A Bow

Having taken the points on Saturday, and up against one of the promotion favourites on their own patch, a team which had beaten us in a pre-season friendly, I suspect most of us before the game would have been content with a point (unless of course we were three up in stoppage time – that was a pre-match joke). After 30 minutes or so we would have bitten someone’s arm off for a clean sheet and a draw. At the end we were cruising to a famous win. Football.

The team selection issues were I thought slightly different from those for Sheff Wed. The case for putting Ramsay in as left-side wing-back, to bolster the attacking threat, was weaker, given the opposition, the issue instead perhaps being whether Burke – or anyone else – might need a rest, with another tough away fixture (Hull) coming up on Saturday. In the event Jones opted to rest Burke and bring Ramsay back on the right side of the central three, as well as making a change up front, with Campbell on the bench and Olaofe starting.

Like some previous games (Bristol City comes to mind), we barely got a kick in the opening period. As Ipswich played it around it was a case of all hands to the pump at the back and defending the box, which we did very well. Although they had almost all the possession, in that first 30 minutes Ipswich were unable to create a clear-cut chance. And as we got more of a foothold in the game, in the rest of the half we gave as good as we got in terms of opportunities – and for some reason they started to flow.

First, Bell made a terrific break but just overhit the ball through to Kelman. Then Bell was involved again as he gathered a cross from the other side and sent it back in. It dropped for Carey in space inside the box, but he seemed to hesitate, allowed the ball to bounce and hit it on the half-volley, sending it well over. Just after that Ipswich almost went ahead, with a good move ending with a ball inside and their guy steadying himself and sending his shot from the edge of the box crashing back off the crossbar with Kaminski having no chance. Then it was us again as Kelman touched on a ball and Olaofe outmuscled his marker and was through on goal. He tried to shoot across their (substitute) goalkeeper, but the guy read the effort well and saved with his legs.

Next up Kaminski nearly gave them one on a plate, playing the ball out straight to one of theirs. And in stoppage time we came closest to breaking the deadlock. A corner delivered well and it dropped to the feet of Gillesphey, but he was being challenged (ie pulled over) and couldn’t get a clean connection, putting the ball over the bar. There was still time for Docherty to take a yellow for the team, stopping their guy from advancing.

At the break the stats showed Ipswich had enjoyed 69% possession (apparently at one point it was around 80%) and had 12 efforts on goal – but only one deemed on target (against six and one for us). They’d dominated play, hit the bar, and had many efforts blocked. You still had the impression that sooner or later they were likely to score. But we were still on level terms and on chances it was a more even game.

Ipswich came very close to taking the lead on 50 minutes when a corner was cleared but returned with interest and the glancing header from their guy went just wide of the post, again with Kaminski a spectator. That was to be the closest they came to winning the game as in the next minute Carey collected the ball just inside their half and went on a run forward. They failed to put in a serious challenge, or to be fair to bring him down, and when he reached the edge of the area he sold the defender an excellent dummy, shaping as if to go inside then switching to the left, creating the yard of space necessary. Then he buried the shot. Glory be we were ahead.

And things only got better. Kelman brought out a good save from their keeper, but from the resulting corner we worked the ball on the right side, Bree and Coventry exchanging passes. The ball went in low, took a couple of deflections and looped up invitingly for Gillesphey to head home unchallenged.

Ipswich might still have got back into it as before the hour a header from close range at the far post went into the net, only for the linesman to raise his flag. Was it offside? Replays seemed tight. But this was our night. As if to prove the point we went up the other end and scored again. Leaburn and Campbell had come on for Kelman and Olaofe and Campbell caused confusion, the defender putting the ball behind for a corner. That came to nothing, but Jones managed to retain possession on the far side and played it back for Coventry. He shaped to cross but instead put in a ball for Campbell. It seemed it would run out of play (and perhaps it did, but this was our night), but Campbell chipped it back in and this time Leaburn was there to head into an empty net.

Although there were still around 30 minutes left, three goals in 12 minutes not surprisingly took the wind out of Ipswich’s sails and left their supporters ruing their manager’s decision to make so many changes for the game. There were more opportunities – it took a great Ramsay block to prevent a goal, then Campbell cut inside and sent his curler just wide of the post – but the job was done. Knibbs replaced Carey and at the end Burke and Rankin-Costello came on for Coventry and Docherty, the two of them afforded a few minutes break.

At the end there were many very tired legs. Whether that costs us on Saturday remains to be seen, but that possibility shouldn’t deflect from what was an excellent performance, from all concerned. The final stats showed that Ipswich had 31 attempts on goal – but only five on target. No doubt they will talk about their own shortcomings and we will not get the praise we deserve from them or neutrals, as we restricted a very good team to only a few genuine chances, while giving them an object lesson in how to put the ball in the net. Not often we’ve been able to say that this season. Onwards and upwards. 

And on that note, I did do a quick pre-match check of the odds on promotion from the Championship this season. It indicated that Ipswich were behind only Coventry in the betting. OK. But we were listed at joint 14th, with longer odds on going up (25-1) than Sheff Utd (not Wednesday, they were put at 1,000-1), also below Hull and even the Spanners. I thought at 25-1 we had to be worth a fiver. Too late. Checked again this morning and we’re in to 16-1, up to 10th in the rankings. It still means that the betting is still on us not managing to retain our current position. Long may we continue to be viewed as underdogs. 

Good To Be Back

To say it was a pleasure to be back at The Valley on Saturday would be an understatement. Most enjoyable pre-match drinks with fellow Addicks followed by an entertaining first half, a win and the three points, and more fun after the game. There were only two downsides. First, the forwards once again didn’t manage to find the back of the net, and there were chances; second, a subdued second-half performance, one not revitalised by the subs, gave the Covered End nothing to cheer about (until the final minute) and enabled Sheff Wed to get a foothold back in the game and the chance of a point when at the break it appeared all was set up for us to go on and win the game handsomely, even allowing for their recent record for comebacks.

The game really was remarkably simple: play it in the Wednesday half and we would score goals, with their back line looking highly vulnerable and all at sea for second balls, in front of what seemed a flaky keeper; play it in our half and they had decent enough players to cause problems, even nick a goal, as they did. The first half was a fairly even affair in terms of possession and where the game was played and we won it 2-0; in the second we barely mustered an attack and ended up with a 2-1 win despite having just 40% possession for a home game.

For that it’s fair to give Wednesday some credit – although none should go to their 29, whose main contribution to the game was trying to wrap his arm(s) around Kaminski at every set piece. We all know and sympathise with their problems and wish them well. Like us when we were suffering with Duchatelet, the priority is getting a change of owner and then start the rebuilding process, in whatever division.

We have to focus on our own issues – which are of course entirely relative, we are all delighted with where we stand in the Championship. As I’m writing this back in Givry, having flown back from London on Sunday, there’s no point in a formal match report, just thoughts on the game.

First, we shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that the best chance of the game before we scored went to them, a guy who should have buried a header from close range – after he’d shoved Coventry aside - instead of putting it straight at Kaminski. So the first half was not some walkover, we might have gone behind before scoring.

Second, we might easily have scored more than two in the first half. The first came curtesy of Campbell, who for the one and only time received the ball in space. He opted to draw defenders and play it inside for Carey, who netted the rebound after his first effort had been saved. The second was down to Burke timing his run better than his marker to get on the end of a very inviting Bree set piece delivery. In addition, Kelman might have notched a couple. He failed to get on the end of a very inviting ball into the box, then managed to get goalside of his marker and seemed to be through on the keeper, only for that defender to get back in time and block his shot. Got to give the crowd some credit here as they sang his name when he was substituted; he will come good in front of goal, just needs to get off the mark. More generally, although Wednesday had the height in defence to usually win the first ball up to forwards or into the box (especially when Iorfa was still on the pitch), they seemed to panic very easily when it came to the second, looking very uncoordinated.

Third, what exactly did go wrong in the second half? Their manager said they made small changes at the break, perhaps the substitutions improved them, perhaps it was just a case of nothing to lose and them raising their game. However, watching the game you couldn’t avoid concluding that we really fell off the pace, perhaps thinking that the game was won, or to be more kind that sooner or later we would score a third without having to do too much. The absence of action in their half kept the Covered End pretty muted and all the initiative was with Wednesday. We were taking it to the corner flag with some time left to play.

Our substitutions – Olaofe and Leaburn for Kelman and Campbell, then Knibbs and Ramsay for Carey and Burke, finally Rankin-Costello for Bree – failed to change the balance of play, although Leaburn may well have won us a free-kick on the edge of the box, the ref waving play on (I hope he’s not getting a reputation among officials for going to ground a little too easily), and Olaofe did ensure the game ended with a flourish as he was taken out by their keeper after nudging the ball past him – even if it did take intervention by the linesman to persuade the ref that a foul had been committed, quite absurdly he was playing on. There was no doubt at the time and the replays just underline the point.

On substitutions, I thought at 2-0 there was a case for getting Apter and/or Hernandez on the pitch. We were causing them no problems and needed a spark. But that, and Jones’ more understandable reluctance to risk opening things up more at 2-1, only underlines how difficult it is at the moment to get either onto the pitch. Apter has to be for Bree and once Olaofe has replaced Campbell that’s the other side taken care of. I think – with the full benefit of hindsight – that there was a case for replacing Campbell with Hernandez (assuming he’s been good in training) and going just for Olaofe to replace Kelman.

But what does it matter? We won. Perhaps the players had one eye on another tough game tomorrow night at Ipswich. If the second-half display left us with more in the tank for that one, so be it. We will find out. 

Possible Options For Saturday

Like London bloody buses. I’ve not managed a trip to The Valley for a while now (last one I saw live was Wembley) and now events/circumstances dictate/allow me to get in two in three weeks, starting with Sheff Wed on Saturday. Can’t wait. I see the club has even decided to mark the event by installing a new screen. As long as we still get to shout ‘Fiiiiish’ at it.

No game at this stage of the season is ‘must win’, and nobody’s imagining that Sheff Wed are going to be anything other than a tough nut to crack, despite their problems (arguably to some extent because of them, given the team spirit they have engendered). But we really could use the three points, to put us back into ‘positive territory’ for the season and to encourage us to be looking up not down. And after two on the road and the international break we really want the warm glow of a win, plus hopefully a good performance, back home.

I don’t think there’s any doubt that Jones the Boss does face some selection issues for Saturday. It would not be surprising were he to name an unchanged starting XI, but he must be thinking about options – which is positive in the sense that he has them.

The loss of Edwards is a big blow, which is no reflection on the capabilities of Bell and Gillesphey. He slotted in from the start and is well versed in working on the left side with Campbell going forward. Bell as we’ve seen can play the wing-back role, but not as yet with the same drive going forward. The choice of Ramsay in the role at Preston may have been dictated by the desire to nullify Small (which very nearly worked) but it has to be in Jones’ mind to keep him there, this time more for attacking potential.

Assuming we stick with a back three/five, that all bar Edwards are fit and available, and given that Jones the Player is barring injury a shoo-in, as is Bree as right-side wing-back, the choices are either Ramsay or Burke to his right and Bell or Gillesphey to his left, both influenced by the choice to fill Edwards’ slot. I don’t know enough about Sheff Wed’s attacking strengths to say if they might influence the choice; but given that we are at home and looking at their defensive record – by a distance the worst in the league so far – the decision will surely be as much about attacking as defensive capabilities.

The other issue – which does potentially affect even the formation – is up front. We’re nine games into the season and have registered one goal to date from a recognised forward, one that hasn’t yet made a start. At the same time our player of the month for August, who has scored, isn’t getting either a start or a kick at the moment. It is blindingly obvious that Campbell, Kelman and Leaburn are all very much in need of a goal, of any description. Kelman’s play outside the box is much improved from the start of the campaign, Campbell always looks a threat as a provider or by cutting inside. But nobody as yet has demonstrated the poaching instincts of Godden or the bulldozing impact of Aneke.

It is for me telling that in recent games we have seen some really inviting balls into the box just evade a forward or find nobody. It’s not that the forwards are guilty of glaring misses, rather that we don’t create many clear-cut chances for them in open play while the half-chances and possible openings have not been converted. Barring Olaofe’s one, the goals have instead come from the attack-minded central midfielder, the No.10 if you like (two for Carey and one for Knibbs), a wing-back (a brace for Bree and one for Apter playing in that position), and a central defender (Gillesphey). It has to be a cause for concern, irrespective of chances created and work outside the box.

So what makes sense in terms of options? I’d say we may have options but no obvious solutions. Kelman has been handed a thankless task, usually up against two fresh central defenders, before the ‘impact players’ come on to face a tiring defence. In that context Campbell offers little direct support, doing his good work out wide – but not yet scoring goals. Leaburn has struggled so far this season, with some exceptional touches but not the kind of impact from the bench that we would hope for. Again, Jones may conclude that the system is working, that Kelman and Campbell tire the opposition and create the conditions for others to benefit from later in the game. But on Saturday we are up against what on paper is the worst defense in the league.

Jones could opt simply to start with Leaburn and look to either Olaofe or Kelman to replace him in the second half, or indeed Olaofe. If he starts, as and when Campbell tires we now have Hernandez as well as Olaofe to replace him, but that leaves out Apter. We could go with a front three, of Campbell, Kelman (or another) and Apter, but then you would have to sacrifice Carey/Knibbs and their goals contribution. The same applies if we went for 4-4-2.

The conclusion? Without wishing to appear to be sitting on the fence, I trust that Jones and his team have taken a good look at Sheff Wed’s defensive frailties and worked out how we might best exploit them. That could mean selection changes. His preference may well be to focus on just us and what we do best, but the status quo has not yet delivered goals from the forwards, so at the least there is a case to be made for changes. What we really want from Saturday, in addition to the points, is goals from the forwards, whoever they are.

Came Up Short This Time

After a tough one away at Derby along came in all likelihood a tougher one today at Preston, sitting just above us in the league and having lost just one game to date. With another international break coming up you wanted to just get something out of the game, to keep the unbeaten run going. But we didn’t manage that, it looked like a game too far at this stage of the season. We didn’t play especially badly, just lacked a little zip – and fundamentally carried virtually no goal threat throughout, being restricted to some decent passing at times outside the box and a couple of good balls into the box just evading the forward. We had no efforts on target and for long spells it looked as though if Preston got one – and they did cause us problems at the back - it would probably be enough.

They got one, albeit a fortuitous one as Small’s shot was deflected just over a diving Kaminski, and for good measure scored a second which at first sight looked for all the world offside, but Steve Brown said replays showed it was OK, so we have to live with that. It meant for us a game to forget, as quickly as possible, although Jones has to be concerned that in nine games none of the starting forwards has scored – and all told the tally is just one, the Olaofe goal to beat Sheff Utd. It’s not that their fluffing chances, just that we’re not creating many for them and they seem unable to be in the right place at the right time (unlike Godden of course).

The team showed one change to the starting XI from Derby, with Burke – who was given a rest for that one – returning and Bell taking a break, named among the subs. That left a central defensive three of Burke, Jones and Gillesphey, with Bree and Ramsay named as the wing-backs given the continued unavailability of Edwards – with the very unwelcome news on that front that he will be out for ‘more than a few weeks’. Which one would take the left side and probably be given the task of stopping Small was unclear before the game, but it proved to be Ramsay, which looked like a decision based around stopping Small. No change in midfield or up front, but on the bench new signing Hernandez was included, with Anderson missing out.

The first half was nip and tuck throughout, but they had the edge as going forward they looked the more likely, even if we managed to prevent any clear openings and what half-chances they engineered lacked a good finish. For us I can only remember Kelman getting free down the right side, his cross in being half-cleared then laid on for Bree but his curled effort going wide, then later Kelman again getting free and sending in a good ball which Campbell was unable to convert, getting crowded out.

At the break all the plaudits went to both defences. No effort on target from either side. And it stayed that way until the hour mark. We did have one moment as Burke delivered an excellent ball into the box, but this one too just evaded Campbell at the far post. It was Campbell’s last meaningful involvement as he was replaced by Leaburn shortly after. Then Preston really should have taken the lead on 60 minutes as a cross from their left for once caught out our back line and their guy was left with a header from close range unchallenged, the ball bouncing up nicely for him. Like at Derby Kaminski read the effort well and pulled off a good save, but if he’d placed the header either side of him there would have been nothing he could have done.

That let-off failed to galvanise us and instead gave Preston renewed impetus. After Leaburn had failed to hold off the defender to get on the end of a Ramsay through ball Small, who had been very well marshalled by Ramsay, got his moment. We failed to deal with a ball in from their left and eventually it was laid to the right side of the box for Small. Whether his shot was going wide or would have been saved by Kaminiski we’ll never know as it deflected off Ramsay and went over Kaminski’s outstretched arm into the net.

Jones responded with a triple substitution, with Bell, Olaofe and Knibbs coming on for Burkey, Kelman and Casey, with Ramsay switching back to the left side of central defence. We continued to struggle to create anything in the final third, Bree firing off one effort but not a repeat of last week’s wonder strike. We almost went two down on 72 minutes as we lost the ball down our left and Preston moved forward quickly, but their guy chipped wastefully over.

On 75 minutes Bree did get clear down the right and played a good ball in, this time it was Leaburn who arrived just too late to convert. And after Berry came on for Coventry, Jones clearly gambling now, on 79 minutes we were two down. A ball down their left side to a guy who we all thought was yards offside, no flag, he played it into the box – and unlike all of our such balls this one found a forward who converted. That was it. Five minutes of stoppage time produced nothing for us. And it was one of those afternoons when you felt we could have played all day and not scored.

The result really does square things up – played nine, won three, drawn three, lost three, scored eight, conceded eight. It will serve as something of a reality check after a good run. Preston were decent but far from world-beaters and this time a tight game went against us. On the day we weren’t good enough. Jones will have time to ponder why.

Ultimately No Complaints, Decent Point

Aside from the issues of team selection facing Jones – assuming Edwards would be ruled out would he stick to the Gillesphey/Bell solution or look for an alternative, would there be any change(s) up front, would new signing Hernandez feature, and/or would there be a need to give some tired legs a break? – the real (partially related) question was just ‘can we do it again’? A repeat of Saturday’s performance would be entirely welcome, against a side which has made a poor start to the season, conceding 13 goals in seven games. But we all know football’s not that simple, or predictable.

At half-time last night we were feeling pretty good about things. A goal to the good, home fans clearly restless, a fair chance that we would either see out the game or get a second and take the points. But Derby, while not having a first-half effort on target, had caused problems for our back line, largely as we were unable to dominate physically, with Agyemang giving as good as he got. And in the second half, with nothing to lose they threw bodies forward and pinned us back, unable to exploit space on the break as it was all hands on deck to keep them out. We didn’t manage that and, although we might have nicked a second late on, had to settle for a point. Not a bad point, can’t say it wasn’t a fair outcome, but when you are ahead going into the final 10 minutes you can’t help feeling a little disappointed (especially if like me you took a sneak preview of where a win would have left us in the league).

For the team there were two changes from Saturday, with the first being confirmation of Edwards’ unavailability and the retention of Gillesphey, with Bell in the wing-back role, while Ramsay came back in to replace Burke, the suspicion being that he might struggle at this point to do three games in seven days. The rest were ‘as you were’, with Berry returning to the squad for the first time this season, taking the vacant spot on the bench – which was welcome but did seem odd to have all three of Carey, Knibbs and Berry in competition for one place.

The opening exchanges were rather too open for comfort. Derby shouts for an early penalty were over-optimistic, but Ramsay was beaten on the inside, the danger snuffed out by Bell, while at the other end Kelman almost profited from a fizzed back pass and poor touch from their keeper. Derby looked wobbly at the back and likely to cough up chances, if we could keep it tight at the other end.

The game settled down into a more familiar scrappy affair of no real chances, a curled effort from Campbell being the closest we came. Then on 36 minutes, somewhat out of the blue, we fashioned a very, very good goal. Kaminski’s long ball out was superbly taken down by Kelman, enabling him to play it wide to Campbell. He advanced down the left and cut back, but instead of crossing or looking for another curler played the ball low in to Carey. He played it first time to Docherty, who saw that Bree had advanced unmarked on the right side (he couldn’t really miss him with his arms in the air) and chipped it back across to him. It was falling at a difficult height, but Bree controlled the shot with excellent technique and sent it flying into the far corner of the net.

That put us very much on the front foot and we played out the rest of the half fairly comfortably, although Derby had spells of pressure and plenty of the ball outside our box. And the half-time stats had a familiar ring to them. Derby had enjoyed 58% possession but managed five shots, none on target, against five and two for us, including the important one. More of the same in the second and the points would be ours.

However, the second half began much like the first, with Kaminski almost caught out by a mishit cross, Kelman having a decent effort saved, then Derby having a couple of threatening breaks, one finding their guy on the left only for him to shoot well over from a good position. More Derby pressure and with perhaps the three games in seven days in mind persuaded Jones the Boss to make changes slightly earlier than usual, opting for a triple substitution. Leaburn, Burke and Knibbs came on for Kelman, Corey and Bree, with Ramsay moving to wing-back.

Despite fresh legs we were struggling to either retain the ball or spring effective counter-attacks. On the hour we did have a shot from Bell inside the box, which struck their defender on the elbow. The Blackburn manager might like to take a look at that one as it was similar to the one on Saturday which struck Jones’ arm. If he considered that a certain penalty he’d presumably back our case for one last night. Nothing was given, rightly so.

On 76 minutes Olaofe came on for Campbell, who was getting no joy in the second half, and just after we all held our breath as it seemed Derby would equalise. A decent break, good passing and their guy was free from Burke and in on goal around the edge of the area. He had time to pick his spot and hit it well enough, but Kaminski gambled on reading his intentions correctly, diving to his right to turn away the effort. Superb save. But it did us little good. The resulting corner was turned away but only to their guy on the other side. His dinked cross went towards a mass of players and it was one of theirs who rose highest and the header went just inside the post.

With a little over 10 minutes plus stoppage time left, the game was there for either side to snatch a winner. And we came closest. A scramble from a corner fell to Knibbs, but he wasn’t well set and snatched at the shot, sending it over the bar, then in the six minutes of added time the ball ran to Docherty inside the box. His effort took a deflection and went wide, the replays suggesting it was Olaofe getting the touch (a goalkick was given, to our surprise at the time). Derby did have a final break and forced a decent save from Kaminiski at his near post, but there was to be no late drama.

It is a decent point, even if ultimately we were unable to fully exploit Derby’s problems at the back and take all three. Was that because we were confident in seeing it out? Perhaps, but give Derby some credit for pushing us back and keeping us pinned down, at least until their equaliser. Were Jones’ substitutions ill-timed? Possibly, but the need for fresh legs was evident.

Fact is we’re quibbling about not beating Derby on their home turf and not sitting third in the league. We turned in another decent performance, just one not as compelling as against Blackburn as unlike them Derby didn’t wilt. We’re not getting the credit we deserve – just read comments from Derby fans about how poor they were – because I guess it’s credit for making the opposition play badly by continually harassing them and working so hard to defend the box. People will see a pattern sooner or later.

We move on to another tough fixture, at Preston, which as things stand will mean that we will have played five out of the top 11 in our first nine games. It was always going to be a hard start to the campaign and we’ve risen to the challenge. Of course Saturday will bring us up against a certain Small, who seems to have hit the ground running with them, like us Preston playing him on the right side. We know what he can do and Edwards (if fit), Bell and Gillesphey will know what to expect – and I guess would like us breathe a sigh of relief if a slight niggle rules him out.

Very Good Feeling Tonight

Looked like another game against fired-up opposition, with Blackburn’s manager at least still smarting over the EFL’s decision to have their game against Ipswich replayed from the start. For us it seemed like the first game of the next spell of the season, the opening having gone well enough (2,2,2) even though we felt the performances deserved more points. A game that you felt could go any which way, but short odds on another close one.

Proved to be far from that. Blackburn had the better of the opening 10 minutes but once we’d got into gear and especially after we went ahead we increasingly took control, progressively winning all the key battles across the pitch. The only surprise in the second half was that it took so long for us to put the game to bed, having spurned several good opportunities and restricting them to almost nothing. We did eventually get the second and the third at the death was just the proverbial icing on the cake.

Jones the Boss had a few selection issues to ponder before the game. Should Ramsay return after his suspension, with Byrne having slotted in very well? Should Apter start as the more attacking option at home and replace Bree, who had also done very well at Sheffield, including laying on the only goal of the game? And who would get the nod to start up front, out of Kelman, Leaburn and perhaps Olaofe? Good to have all the options. And in the event Jones went for an unchanged starting XI, with Ramsay replacing Fullah on the bench.

Again, at the start Blackburn looked the more threatening, with small forwards involving balls into feet and good movement. Bell was beaten down their right and may have made contact from behind with their guy in the box. If he’d gone to ground the ref – who had a stinker from start to finish – would have had a decision to make. We were struggling to make anything happen in their half, with Kelman as usual up against two centre-backs and Campbell not in the game early on. But while not functioning well, crucially we once again ensured we didn’t concede.

The gameplan changed a little on 17 minutes as Edwards went down under a challenge and stayed down, no foul being given. After extensive treatment he continued, but a few minutes later after taking a long throw he went down again holding his ankle and had to go off, replaced by Gillesphey, who moved into the back three and Bell moved to the wing-back spot. And whether or not as a result of that adjustment we started to create more. A Coventry long ball bounced only just beyond Kelman, then an interception was moved onto Campbell, whose low cross from the left couldn’t find a red shirt. Then a cross from the right was taken down by Docherty, whose decent shot was blocked, then Carey’s shot from the rebound was saved.

So it wasn’t entirely out of the blue that we took the lead. Coventry was fouled on our right side and Bree sent the free-kick to the far post, where Gillesphey easily outjumped his marker and headed back across goal and into the net. Whether their keeper got his positioning wrong, whether Blackburn made a mess with their marking, who knows, or cares? For Gillesphey it meant goals in consecutive games, the previous one being at Wembley. He also became the first player to score for us this season who wasn’t a new signing.

The rest of the first half saw half-chances at both ends. Coventry turned well on the byline to get in a low cross, then Campbell worked the ball to Kelman, who played it back to him to run in on goal. There was some hesitation as the keeper came out to narrow the angle and TC ended up going over him but with no real suggestion of a penalty. Jones managed to pick up a yellow for next to nothing, which was followed shortly by a rash Blackburn challenge on Docherty which produced no card. Blackburn did have moments, with Carey having to put in some great defensive work to keep them out, then Jones fouling their guy on the edge of the area. The free-kick was clearly in a dangerous position, but fortunately their guy blasted it well over the bar.

At the break the stats showed even possession and seven shots from us, three on target, against five and one for them. But I think everyone watching would have acknowledged that we had got on top as the half progressed and that Blackburn would have to raise their game to get back into it.

In that they failed as the second half became a tale of Charlton missed chances. Shortly after the restart Campbell cut inside. His shot was poor but it rebounded to Docherty, whose shot was saved. Blackburn did have a shout for a penalty when a cross seemed to hit Jones’ arm. It would have been a very harsh one but you have seen them given (and if it had been perhaps it would have been a second yellow and a red). But that was the exception to the rule.

On 56 minutes after another interception Bell fed Campbell, but his poor shot went over the bar. And a minute later Campbell was involved again, cutting across the box and curling a shot only inches wide of the far post. That was to be his last involvement as on 58 minutes Leaburn and Olaofe came on for him and Kelman. On 60 minutes Leaburn fed Olaofe and he almost managed to squeeze it through to Docherty in a good position. Then after picking up a yellow for a late challenge (following Bree also in the book) Carey got free inside the box on the right side but his low ball into the mix found nobody.

On 69 minutes we really should have extended our lead. Leaburn set up Carey, whose good shot was parried into the path of Burke, with something of an open goal in front of him. He failed to control the effort and put it over the bar. By now the doubts were rising, would we end up getting punished for not getting a second? But such concerns were buried on 77 minutes as Docherty played the ball forward to Olaofe, who held it up superbly then laid it off inside to Carey. He was still a fair way out but wasn’t closed down and had the time to line up his shot. He hit it powerfully inside the near post, the Blackburn keeper perhaps here too a little at fault for not getting to it.

That wasn’t entirely game over, but it felt like finally just rewards for our display. Blackburn did have a couple of shots, one deflected wide for a corner and the other sent only just over the bar after a good attack, but they were not to get back into it. Jones the Boss was even able to withdraw Jones the Player on 82 minutes, along with Carey, Ramsay and Knibbs coming on. By now Blackburn’s frustration was threatening to boil over, especially with the ref giving all sorts of odd decisions. On 90 minutes Bell got involved in a bit of handbags and got a yellow, along with the Blackburn guy and on 93 we added some gloss to the scoreline as good initial work by Docherty was followed by more from Olaofe, who played in back to Docherty. He pulled it back across goal to find Bree, who side-footed it home as the defender seemed to leave it for the keeper, who was in turn confused.

It was a performance with absolutely nothing to complain about. We defended once again superbly, despite losing Edwards, with Gillesphey and then Ramsay fitting in very well, while Burke and Bell both had good games. In central midfield Docherty and Coventry were outstanding (I’d give MoM to the latter). I think many felt this was an area of the pitch we would struggle in, but both are playing out of their skins at the moment. And although none of the forwards found the net, Carey showed he can make the kind of goals contribution that Berry managed last year, with Knibbs a very capable replacement. And there’s still Apter, player of the month but now having to wait for his chance.

The only concern Jones must be having at the moment is whether some of the players will be able to continue with this commitment and intensity for three games in seven days. We will find out, but from what we’ve seen if some fresh legs are needed we have the replacements to hand. It’s a very good feeling tonight.