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Back to winning ways as a lively Barnsley side provide decent, but ultimately fruitless, opposition to the City promotion machine. |
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The last four games have, from a City perspective, all been very different in nature. First, we had the flame-grilling of Bournemouth, probably the most accomplished City away performance since Bassett’s formidable Wimbledon side, thundering away on its relentless journey to the top flight and "Crazy Gang" notoriety, was comprehensively taken to the cleaners at Plough Lane in 84, but sadly not a performance to be repeated on a weekly basis. This was followed by the uncharacteristically (for recent times) complacent showing at the Circle against Port Vale and then the disappointment of leaving Boundary Park empty-handed after dominating probably two thirds of the match. Then yesterday, an extremely stern test from a Barnsley side resurgent following the appointment of Andy Ritchie who had turned leaders Luton over, in some style apparently, the week before and undoubtedly conscious that continuation of recent form over the last few games of the season might well bring success in what looks to be shaping up as an absorbing contest for at least two of the available play-off places. Of these four games, surely yesterday’s was the most significant, for not only did it bring the minor blip over Easter to an end, but it also captured the very essence of the Taylor version of Tigertude. This was a big, big game: promotion is not yet in the bag, we had stuttered over the last two games and needed to avoid the psychological challenge of the chasing pack gaining ground, but now had to face the form team of the Division who had aspirations of their own and possessed a level of momentum that might well allow those aspirations to be realised. But yet again we were reminded yesterday what a different animal the Tiger has become under Taylor from the docile, languid, toothless creature which has generally shirked confrontation and rolled over for its tum to be tickled for much of the last fifteen years. We were up for this, we had steel, we battled against a side which lived up to expectations and performed as well as any we have seen at the Circle this season (if overly physically at times) in what was an achingly tense affair from the first whistle to the last, and when they got back into the game at a time when it seemed they perhaps wouldn’t, we summarily slapped them down again. Yes, although we are clearly a bit lacking in individual areas (and I say this really with one eye on next season) we looked like a team hungry for the ultimate prize and which knows how to get it. Yet again, changes were afoot in the City line-up, some enforced, some not:- Myhill The thermometer read 16 degrees, but it felt much warmer in the sun trap that is the East Stand and the clock in the south-west corner hadn’t been adjusted for BST, and the atmosphere positively seethed as City kicked off on a curiously blotchy pitch towards an impressive contingent of 1500 plus South Yorkshire folk contributing fully to what was a truly seething atmosphere (the crowd was a healthy 19 314 for those of you who are interested). The visiting fans’ mood became even more boisterous in the very first minute, as the City back line was caught square and the Tykes were away, Myhill blocked the first effort, and the second, before the ball was squared across the six-yard box and the alert Cort headed it safely into Myhill’s grateful hands. They went a bit quiet though three minutes later. A Delaney free kick from just inside our half soared into the right hand corner of the Barnsley box and Cort rose above the cover to send in a looping header just under the bar. It should have been an easy one for keeper Flinders, but the unchallenged Barnsley netman let the leather slip through his hands and drop into the net behind him. This was the sort of goal which Tubby Morton would occasionally concede against the likes of Atletico Atlantica or San Selban before Roy Race & Co inevitably roared away to win the day seconds before the end. But there was to be no similar comic-book ending for the Tykes today. The goal did little to disrupt the generally-tense nature of the initial stages and, as one might expect from a team for whom nothing but a win was much good, Barnsley eventually started to gain a bit of an ascendancy. On nine minutes a slick passing move ended with Myhill diving low to pouch a low drive, and then a couple of minutes on the City custodian was in action again as he tipped over a vicious rising effort. We then had a real let-off a couple of minutes after that. I know that some will condemn this as heresy, but I personally shall fear the worst if Dawson is seen as an integral part of the City machine should we be promoted; his particular failing is that he so very often needs far too long on the ball and as a result too frequently makes a horlicks of things if he’s put under any sort of pressure, and this will cost us dear against skilful and predatory Championship players. On this occasion, the ball was played to him across the back line, which wasn’t a terribly clever manoeuvre (it rarely is) and he panicked and totally lost control of the ball, which fell handily into the path of a marauding Barnster with only Myhill to beat, but who fortunately for us panicked himself and ballooned his effort high and wide. We rallied briefly on 16 with a quality series of one-touch balls involving Barmby, Elliott, Fagan and Barmby again, but unfortunately the stand-in City skipper, who incidentally had an undistinguished first half but was much more effective in the second, had to take his shot first time and put it well wide. But Barnsley continue to sock it to us with gay abandon, and four minutes on some hesitancy in the City box causes more anxiety which is only quelled when the ref blows for a foul on Myhill. Typically of City, though, we come out fighting, with special mention at this juncture for Hessenthaler who had an outstanding game throughout and was the City man of the match for me, and the remainder of the half sees the visitors have their turn at being on the back foot. After a rather silly free-kick routine which involved City forming a dummy wall in the front of the Barnsley one and then scattering before the kick comes in (for all the concerns about his defending, this is one area where Dawson does come into his own and yet we so rarely just let him have a pop – why?), the resultant deep corner is headed back into the mixer by Cort and Delaney heads just over. A minute later we have the ball in the net again as Barmby feeds Fagan and the City no 27 outmuscles his marker and threads the ball past the advancing Flinders only to pulled back for a foul which few saw; it seemed for all the world to be a straight 50/50 with the defender and Fagan appeared to have won it fair and square. Although City generally retain the ascendancy, the away team are resolute and until very late in the half there is little of incident other than the stretchering-off of Dawson after lengthy treatment. Thankfully, Taylor confirmed after the game that it doesn’t look too serious and Dawson should be OK after a couple of days’ rest. The City number 3 is replaced by Stockdale who plays left-back in a surprising straight swap, although it has to be said that Joseph (another one who, I’m genuinely sorry to say, will be a complete liability next season if we go up) was not having one of his better afternoons and Taylor was presumably mindful of the mayhem that would probably ensue if he shifted Delaney out to left-back and Joseph into the middle. On 43, Delaney is wrongly booked when he chases back and executes a textbook and perfectly lawful tackle on dangerman Chopra to halt a Barnsley attack. Into injury time, and Lewis, (who overall had a generally competent display) males a hash of a header which allows Nardiello some space to evade the hapless Joseph and whip in a low cross which cannons off Stockdale and over the bar. So, really a half of two halves. Despite the early boost, Barnsley settled into their rhythm first but City had very much the better of the final 20 minutes when they eventually got going. City start the second period in a composed if unadventurous manner, and there’s not a lot to report until the 54th minute, when a left-wing corner is flicked on at the near post, France meets it sweetly on the half volley 15 yards out, and Flinders makes a fine diving save, tipping the ball round the post. From the resultant corner a Delaney header brings another good save. This is a cracking game now, with both sides giving their all, the clinical, measured approach of City contrasting with the more intense style of the Tykes, and the visitors posing plenty of threat in their approach work but rarely putting the City goal under direct threat due to a settled, efficient rearguard display with support as needed from a somewhat deep-lying midfield. We have another free outside the box on 62 after Barmby is upended, and in a new twist Delaney has a go but fails to keep his shot down and Flinders is not troubled. The Irishman is then in the thick of it at the other end a minute later as Barnsley break and the City No 16 makes a fine block to thwart Nardiello’s goalbound effort. This is a brief respite, though, and despite the Tykes never having regained the ascendancy they enjoyed in the first quarter, the equaliser arrives. Joseph heads behind, apparently unnecessarily but there may well have been no call from Myhill, and the resultant corner is knocked on and forced home by the ever-menacing Nardiello. The pulsating atmosphere is ratcheted up another notch or two and on 68 the ailing Joseph is replaced by Pricey with France dropping back. Could this be the move to restore our fortunes? Well, although the Welshman didn’t seem to have any direct part in it, we were back in front within a minute. Stockdale, who had a decent game in his unaccustomed position, hit a long free-kick towards the box, Cort was there yet again to flick it on from within the D into the very space into which Fagan had ghosted, and as the Circle held its breath the man in white boots fired home powerfully past Flinders’ outstretched left hand from about 10 yards. Definitely one with the whiff of the training ground about it, but, whatever, it would prove to be enough to seal things. Myhill had to make a couple of saves on 71 (when McPhail was criminally allowed a free header), and a rather more impressive one on 78 when he tipped another one from Nardiello over the bar, but you could sense that, deep down, Barnsley had mentally had the stuffing knocked out of them by City’s swift and deadly response to their equaliser, and their hearts were no longer in it. City, for their part were content to maintain their composure and shape, and ought to have increased their lead on 88 when Barmby and Elliott break and the ball is played through to the Ulsterman in a goal scoring position. The City number 7 had looked a jaded figure, no doubt as the Old Trafford game and the trip to Warsaw took their toll (and providing graphic support for Pearson’s observations on the subject of international call-ups in his programme notes), and the way he took the ball too wide before shooting across the face of the goal with the unmarked Lewis screaming (and pointing, naturellement) for the square ball was symptomatic of the kind of afternoon he had had. He was replaced by Ellison deep into the five minutes of injury time allowed by referee Webster following a series of injuries and substitutions. All in all, then, a very good afternoon’s work. Winning ways are restored, and the 10-point gap is maintained after Tranmere’s fine result at Wednesday, although we still need to hold our nerve, especially as Tranmere have what looks like a guaranteed three points at home to relegated Stockport on Friday and City face a tough trip to Valley Parade, so it is possible that the gap may be closed. But who would have thought, as we celebrated on the terraces at Huish Park last May, that this season we’d be agonising over whether a 10-point gap would be enough with five games to go? |
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HULL CITY (4-4-2): Myhill; Joseph, Cort, Delaney, Dawson; France, Hessenthaler, Lewis, Elliott; Fagan, Barmby. Subs: Stockdale (for Dawson, 38), Price (for Joseph, 68), Ellison (for Elliott, 89), Wilbraham, Duke. Goals: Cort 4; Fagan 69 Booked: Delaney Sent Off: None
BARNSLEY: Flinders, Tonge, Hassell, Kay, T Williams, Shuker, Burns, McPhail, Johnson, Chopra, Nardiello. Subs: Reid (for Tonge, 73), Baker (for Johnson, 82), R Williams (for T Williams, 89), Scarsella, Wroe. Goals: Nardiello 64 Booked: Burns, Chopra, Hassell, Kay, Tonge Sent Off: None
REFEREE: C Webster ATTENDANCE: 19,341 |
Last revised: April 09, 2005