Well, the Lads went to arguably the rubbishest team in the the league and lost to an injury-time goal because of three things...
1) We created enough chances to have won three games, but failed to convert any of the 22 we did set up. To put it into perspective, Liverpool had the same number of shots and scored five. Just saying.
2) We didn't defend the chances (most importantly, the late chance) Stoke created, and...
3) Sorry to fall back to an old cliche, but the ref missed at least one clear penalty (rugby tackle on Mepham to start with) in a first half that miraculously ended with eleven home players still involved. Let's just say he wasn't over clever.
After our early stop-off at Uttoxeter, where we'd all shared the recurring dreams of the last three nights in which we raced through on the Blackburn goal... enough. The poor lad's probably had the same dream.
With no Rigg, and Roberts apparently succumbing to Man Flu (don't knock it until you've tried it) we circled the Britannia Stadium a few times before locating the new bus park, a fair way from the ground and our (apparently) new location at the opposite side of the usual end.
Patterson
Hume O'Nien Mepham Cirkin
Neil (c) Bellingham
Mayenda Aleksic Aouchiche
Isidor
... and a bench of Moore, Alese, Roberts, Johnson, Hjelde, Connolly, Rusyn, Jones, and the young lad with the really awkward name, Ogunsuyi.
In our blue kit, we defended Patto's goal in front of our fans, and Stoke began. We tried to get forward but were subject to some pretty brutal opposition that the ref chose to be lenient with.
Rough? Well, we played them a couple of weeks back and should have expected it, so maybe we did, in which case we should have fought fire with fire. I fancy a Premier League game would have lasted well over two hours with the intervention of VAR but we don't want that sort of thing - do we?
Aouchiche was bringing those flashes we'd seen in his recent late cameos, making us hope he could keep it up for a full game (spoiler alert - he did), but could only fire straight at the keeper and then help set up Isidor, who banged it off the post. Without going all gung-ho, we were looking comfortable but lacked that burst of fizzy stuff in the final few yards... and folks wonder why natural goal scorers are so expensive. There's precious few of them about, that's why, and I'm too old now.
Adil was also taking the dead balls, and was being decent at it, bringing about "that" wrestling match which Mepham lost. Stoke clattered us at every opportunity, the ref chose to punish some of those transgressions, but still we couldn't get a shot to beat their keeper. Gooooch was second into the book, followed by another two Stokies as we bayed for a red or two.
We really shouldn't have needed to resort to a reduction in numbers for the home side, as Aleksic and Hume both hit fine shots goalwards only for the home stopper to get in the way. Patto did his bit with a good stop to keep out an effort from distance, but it was mostly us going forward in an increasingly lively affair. Surely persistence would tell, and when Aouchiche cut in, that crucial opener looked on the cards, but that pesky keeper was in the way again with a low save. Bah.
No goals at the break, even after the single added minute, which was frustrating to say the least - but if you have the number of shots we had, some should have found the net.
No changes for us for the second half, but Stoke came out in far more positive fashion - a bit like us at Blackburn - and it knocked the wind out of our sails. From being the most likely to, we became the least likely to for a while and needed Mepham to get in the way of a few things.
Once we'd got ourselves sorted, after another couple of Patto saves, Aouchiche was again the architect of our good things. After he fired one against the post, he again put in a cross from the left that found Mayenda charging across the box to meet it - but the header flew straight towards me (well wide of the goal) and not sideways into the net.
More bad dreams.
We tried Alese for Cirkin, Connolly for Mayenda, and Roberts for Aleksic for the last 20/25 minutes but despite Paddy's teasing coming in from the right, their keeper stood firm. Four added minutes were announced, we did the usual roaring on, the Lads tried to go for it - but, as has become a habit of late, conceded a chance to Rock On Tommy Cannon (ask yer dad) which he whacked home from a fair way out. Aww, man, just stop it, eh?
Somehow the ref found his understandable celebrations more offensive than some of the attempted butchery of the first half, and booked him. Hmm.
Two more minutes, and an effort by Mepham that the keeper did well to stop, and that was it. Another loss when the balance of play should have brought a win - but you need to beat the keeper to do that. Oh, and more yellows, for Cirkin and Bellingham, to keep us on our disciplinary toes.
Overall an afternoon that was a mix of frustration and disappointment - you can see what we're missing, and that missing piece means we can't afford the odd defensive lapse that teams more proficient in front of goal can. I know we're no Liverpool, or Spurs, but that sort of side can let three in and still be confident in winning. Liverpool, not Spurs, obviously - there's something to aspire to. They say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope.
Man of the Match? Overall, I think Akeksic deserved his start before fading, Issy looks (almost) likely to do something mad and effective most of the time, while Aouchiche looked our most dangerous and creative outlet. I do think we suffered from the lack of Roberts for most of if the game - you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone - especially Issy and possibly Mayenda.
Neil and Bellingham you know about.
Adil gets my vote.
Bye bye 2024.
