With Docherty added to an already extensive list of unavailables, and on the back of two straight defeats and five games without a win, we went into this one desperate for a win (at least I was) and with little thought about quality of performance to achieve it. No disrespect intended there was going to be no glory in victory against the team propping up the division – and anything less and the murmurings of discontent, resigned talk of the season already wasted, would only increase. And with a near full round of games being played, another defeat and it wouldn’t bear thinking about where we might stand in the league.
And it’s just as well that we (and Jones it seems) didn’t care about quality, because this turned out to be about as ugly a win as is possible. That we had plenty of half-chances to score more than one was evident, the fact is that until Burton were reduced to 10 men they had come closest to a goal (only prevented by an excellent save by Maynard-Brewer) and until we brought on Campbell(T), to play as a winger, and Small the only football on show had come from them (especially in the form of the guy who lost his head and saw red). We are happy that the rot has been stopped.
The team was flagged as a change to 4-3-3, with Berry in to replace the suspended Docherty and Ahadme given a start in place of Small. The suggestion was a back four of Edmonds-Green, Mitchell, Gillesphey and Edwards in front of Maynard-Brewer. Midfield trio of Coventry, Anderson and Berry and a front three of Leaburn (thankfully not crocked despite hobbling off on Saturday), Ahadme and Godden – although in practise it was really the two big guys up front with Godden tucked in behind. On the bench Laqeretabua and Small provided the defensive options, Taylor and Campbell(A) for midfield, and Campbell(T) and Hylton alternatives up front.
I don’t know what the thinking was behind the formation. Just how a front trio with no obvious width and no real pace might work, especially with Godden occupying the space which you would expect to see Berry move into, and with a back four and the midfield choices also suggesting nothing down the flanks. Sorry to say but at first sight – and before a ball was kicked – it looked like a dog’s dinner to me. Perhaps it was a team and formation put together in light of Burton’s perceived weaknesses – they’d scored just about as many as but had one of the worst defensive records in the division – or perhaps it was just down to our available resources (which might not be music to the ears of the likes of Edun, Asiimwe, even Dixon). It promised a primitive approach to the game – and that’s what we got.
These days we don’t expect anything from the first half, which is just as well. There were some chances – a weak Leaburn shot after he cut inside, a long throw touched on by Ahadme for Leaburn to connect with on the turn which bounced beyond the far post, and some dangerous crosses – but nothing you’d say was gilt-edged. And at the other end Maynard-Brewer was a virtual spectator, despite some periodic reasonable approach play by Burton, especially down their right side. For the most part is was all kick and rush, no shortage of effort but no sign of quality on the ball.
The stats at the break showed they enjoyed 55% possession but had only three efforts on goal and none on target, against nine and three for us. That pretty much summed it up, if it’s kept in mind that our three attempts on target required nothing more than a routine stop.
We weren’t losing so there were no changes at the break, but the pattern of play did shift. Burton looked more purposeful and on 56 minutes almost took the lead. A ball squared and their guy turned and drilled a low shot, which Maynard-Brewer got down to very well and managed to keep out with a strong arm. The change in the balance of play did prompt Jones into action before the hour mark, with Ahadme – who had disappointed with a couple of headers he might have done more with - and Anderson giving way to Campbell(T) and Taylor, prompting a shift to more of a 4-4-2.
The changes did lead to our closest attempt on goal, as Campbell down the right fed Edmonds-Green, whose cross to the far post found Leaburn, but his powerful header came back off the outside of the post. But it was the incident on 67 minutes that changed the game.
Burton were breaking quickly and Taylor opted to take one for the team, holding onto Webster and preventing play from moving on. He did hold on rather long, just to make sure, and Webster just lost it. He charged at Taylor and even though he seemed to think better of it at the last moment, not really headbutting him, he did clatter into Taylor and gave the ref no option other than to pull out a red (plus the yellow for Taylor).
The man advantage and the outlet of Campbell on the right did encourage us to try passing the ball and working space. But we were into the final 10 minutes of normal time before we finally broke the deadlock. A delivery into their area found Small – who had only just replaced Edmonds-Green – in front of their keeper. He smothered the effort on goal but the ball bounced out for Coventry to fire goalwards. His good shot was well saved but rebounded to him and the second attempt, altogether less crisp – found its way into the net.
Not surprisingly after that Burton came back into the game more as an attacking threat, having nothing left to lose, and we rather nervously defended what we had. Laqeretabua and Hylton came on at the death for Godden and Leaburn, we picked up more yellow cards (six for the game, including three for substitutes), and we went for the corner flag whenever possible. But we did see it out, and that was by a distance the most important fact.
The final stats showed we had 24 shots, 11 on target (with eight off target and five blocked), to their one on target. If that one had gone in, which it might well have done, we might be feeling very different this morning. As it is we hope the memory of the actual game can be expunged as quickly as possible and move on. Sure we will want to win at Walsall on Saturday, but for me the priorities will be no fresh injuries/suspensions. Whether or not we will get any of the injured back for Crawley the following Tuesday night I’ve no idea, but at least we will be able to go into that game thinking about what another win might do for our league position rather than the reverse.
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