Post
by Bluemike » Sun Apr 09, 2017 9:54 am
A really enjoyable day only spoilt at the end by the football I suppose lol. Perfect conditions, a glorious day, a decent looking starting Eleven, over 2500 Town fans behind the goal, and on the back of a good win Tuesday night, what could possibly go wrong. Well quite smply we were up against a team who are considerably better than us in most departments. We actually started ok and looked quite comfortable but a game lasts 90 minutes not 15. Bart was called into action early doors but saved well following a corner, and was equal to the task again a couple of minutes later. Didsy had the first sight of goal for Town but his weak shot never troubled the keeper. It wasn't long before the gulf in quality started to show as Fulham pinged the ball around nicely while we were just chasing shadows for the most part. Chris Martin should have doewn better when he got in behind the defence but fluffed his effort. Fulham did get in front not long after, again Martin forcing a save from Bart who could only push it back into play and there was Ayite to fire it home, after a pretty even start Fulham had got themselves on top and it was no more than their crisp passing deserved.
Town tried to get forward more following the goal and it was evident to me that this Fulham defence were looking quite shaky at times, Bart did his best to gift them a second with one of his customary woeful kicks but Diagouraga cleaned up the danger. Town had their best chance of the game so far soon after as Didsy played in Sears but the shot shy striker lacked composure and found the side netting when he should have done better. It was a miss that was going to prove costly as almost immediately we fell Two behind, this time a super move down our Right saw Fulham string together some lovely passes which just pulled us apart at ease and the finish left Bart stranded. It was all Fulham as HT approached and the whistle couldn't come quick enough, although with the last action of the half we really should have got back into it, Didsy this time at fault, missing a gilt edge chance following good work from Kenlock & Spence, I didn't see it at the time but apparently he hit the post when he really should have scored, that goes in and maybe a different game after the break.
Having been second best for much of the half Town switched to 4-4-2 with Lawrence on for Smith who it has to be said hardly won a header or tackle all afternoon. It was a move which was to see Town put in a much improved secon d 45, yes Fulham may have felt comfortable and as such take their foot of the gas a bit but we created several chances, good chances too, as is oiften the case however we fail to convert them. The half was only seconds old when Kenlock sent in another good ball and Sears just failed to connect, a stronger touch and it would surely have been a goal, at the other Bart pulled off a super save to tip one over the bar before Town had what was to be their best chance of the game, Didsy did all the work by evading several challenges as his run pulled players out of position before crossing for Sears who had the easiest of chances to score but contrived to fire it straight at the advancing keeper, a easier chance you couldnt wish for but this is a striker who needs 20 years to get over being played out of position for a while so bless him we forgive him yet another f**king miss.
Town were actually creating chance after chance and this time Sears crossed for Didsy but it was too far in front of him and another one went begging. Fulham were looking very dangerous on the break however and following yet another McGoldrick effort they broke away and scored a Third which killed any lingering hope we may have had, a quick break and clinical finsih put our woeful finishing to shame, that was the difference. Chances were coming at both ends with Ayite for Fulham and then Ward for Town, ward had improved the longer the game went on, his shot taking a deflection which looped over the keeper and just cleared the bar. Finall we got a crumb of comfort in injury time as berra rose to head home a freekick, it was way too little too late but made it a slightly more respectable scoreline.
I expected nothing yesterday and in truth it panned out pretty much as I thought it would, Fulham had been the best side I had seen at PR this season and while they were anything but that yesterday they were still way to astute for us, that said the signs were there early doors that their defence was iffy and so it proved, having switched to 4-4-2 we created numerous second half chances and should ahve scored Three times, they too could well have had a couple more goals. In contrast to the Wigan game our Wing backs failed to get forward to any degree and were pushed back, Kenlock had a tough time but did get a couple of good crosses in while Spence was not an attacking force at all on this occasion. Sears & Didsy fluffed most of the chances between them and while Didsy was unlucky sears was just poor again for me, getting bored of him now. Chambo & Berra did nothing special while Huws was very quiet in Midfield while Diagouraga did ok for me without creating too much offensively. Ward improved as the game went on and did ok, the team looked far better with Lawrence on the pitch and several chances came our way.
Bart (6) Spence (5) Chambo (6) Berra (6) Smith (5) Kenlock (5) Ward (6) Diagouraga (6) Huws (5) Sears (5) Didsy (6)
SUBS :- Lawrence (6) Samuel (5) Pitman (5)
With games coming up at Burton, Rotherham and Forest I think we have a genuine chance of points on the road, this was never going to be easy and so it proved, a poor first half but much improved after the break, did Fulham take foot off the pedal well who knows but we can't control what they do and they neearly paid for it, had either of the Two chances gone in a minute either side of the break they would have been on the back foot as we definitely created more than them second half, that said they are a much better footballing side than us. Disappointing to see Mick sitting on his arse in the dugout for the most part, as mach says does he care anymore ? The body language would suggest maybe not, time will tell. Great day out with AylesburyBlue, HallamBlue and Mach amongst others, that is always the highlight for me whatever the football comes up with. Next up Burton, COYB'S.
