The Lads crossed the Pennines to the Land of Ecky Thump and, after being pezzled for the first twenty minutes, went ahead with our first shot on target (a penalty), were pegged back, then went ahead before the break and settled it with about fifteen to go. We could have been three down inside the first twenty minutes, but could equally have won it 5-1 by the end. As it was, I left the ground wearing the sort of smug expression normally reserved for grey-bearded blokes who drink pro-biotic yogurt in TV adverts. What a time to be alive!
Having taken cocktails in Colne, as you do, where young Con wondered why we still didn't have a song for Clarke (wait for it....), we were “entertained” by Blackburn’s answer to Timmy Mallet as we indulged in potato and meat pies before the Lads lined up, in our dayglo yellow strips:
Patterson
Hume O'Nien © Ballard Huggins
Neil Bellingham
Ba Pritchard Clarke
Burstow
..and a bench of Bishuuurrrp, Roberts, Triantis, Adil, Hemir, Taylor, Rigg, and Watson
We couldn't see the names on our shirts and could barely make out the numbers as Blackburn kicked off and attacked the end that housed our support. Just the lower tier, as they don't open the upstairs bits due to their average attendance being less than 50% of capacity - the lowest in the division. Their game plan was quickly obvious - get at us with speed and press us as far back as possible. It was pretty worrying, and Patto saved well before Ballard blocked the two shots that followed – and celebrated as if he'd scored the winner in a cup final. Along with O’Nien, he was protecting Patto at all costs as the hosts pressed, but they fired wide a couple of times and we held out.
The home side were well up for it, and we had to endure the biggest battering we’ve had all season as we struggled to get out of the last third, never mind our half. Huggins was having a torrid time as Rovers attacked down his side at every opportunity, and Patto’s long clearances seemed always to find Burstow tightly marked. Whether it was our decision to forsake our usual game of playing it out from the back, or Blackburn denying us the space to do that – it was probably a bit of both, but we looked far from comfortable as our Number One’s distribution was about as reliable as Royal Mail at Christmas.
After about twenty minutes we managed to get hold of the ball and catch our breath, and we took solace off the field and confidence on it that the home side had played well but not scored, thanks to some resolute defending. They produced a couple of fouls on Pritch as he had a little spell of looking dangerous, which showed their fear of his vision. We actually got into their box through Clarke and Ba, but getting a shot away – that was a different matter, although we were at least back in the game. On 27, Ba laid it back to Hume from wide, and Trai tried a repeat of the cross that led to Clarke’s opener against Southampton. Blackburn headed this one away, and as Clarke got to it their man simply kicked him up in the air – a bit daft as Clarke was going away from goal, but it was a penalty and they scarcely objected. Up got Jack and with our first shot on target, hit it straight down the middle and in. Had the keeper stood still, it would have hit his shins, but he’d been sent off to his right and we were ahead. Against the run of play? Oh yes. Anybody care? Oh no.
We had a free kick for a foul on Pritch, so he slung it in and the keeper splattered Ballard as he punched clear. Big Dan spent a good while on the ground receiving the magic sponge, and consequently had to leave the field. While he was off, a Blackburn attack was only headed away as far as the left edge of the box, and the cross should really have been attacked by Patto, but he elected to stay put and it was an easy header at the back post for 1-1.
With ten minutes of the half remaining, that goal seemed to spur us into a bit of attacking play – perhaps Blackburn were running out of puff, as they’d been stotting about like mad things for over half an hour. Ba was getting into the game more, as was Clarke, and it was Jack’s run into the box as five added minutes were announced that won us our first corner. In it went, and was only cleared as far as Neil on the edge of the box. He stepped left, away from his marker, and fired it low with his left peg - across the keeper and in. Marvellous, just marvellous.
As we left the field at the break, presumably for a cuppa and a giggle, several messages arrived – all along the lines of “I’m watching on the red button – how the #### are we winning this?” The halftime stats confirmed 57% possession, eleven shots (three on target) and three corners to Blackburn, while we weighed in with four shots (two on target, a 100% success rate) and one corner. It’s effectiveness that counts, and the mark of a good side is when you can be ahead when having not played well.
No changes for the second half despite some of us wondering if Hume or O’Nien would replace Huggins and Triantis come into the centre, but Mowbray persisted with the same personnel. We looked a lot brighter in the opening stages than we had in the corresponding period of the first half, but were a bit careless in possession, giving away a couple of silly passes. There was a third booking for the home side as they had a little spell of raggedness, and we had a decent attack ten minutes in to win us a corner on the right – which we utterly wasted. This was the signal for the home side to make three changes, which I worried would help them maintain their frantic work rate, but we attacked and should really have gone further ahead when Pritch rolled it to Burstow, unmarked to the keeper’s right – but the shot was tame rather than walloped and the save comfortable. He was replaced by Roberts on 63, and Paddy’s patience on the ball as he roved across the front line with Pritch helped calm things down. We began to pick off their attacks and set Clarke away several times, drawing a few more fouls – but we’d drawn the sting from their game and we were starting to play the way we like to. Lots of nice sharp interchanges, and with the fullbacks joining in. Mind, we still needed a terrific tackle from Hume, racing across to help on our left, to prevent more danger in our box.
With twelve to go, we moved forward well, and Pritch rolled a lovely pass from the edge into the path of Clarke, who put his fullback on his backside as he danced across the box before firing in a right-footed effort with the keeper also taken out of the game. A wonderful goal, and Clarke’s song rang out once more. Clarke, Clarke will tear you apart again.
Patto made up for their goal with a couple of top class saves to keep out shots from distance as the clock clicked ever so slowly towards the magic number of ninety then we began to relax and look forward to the win - they'd hit us with their best shots and we were still winning.
There was time for Bellingham to fire over when he really should have hit the target after another impressive passing move, Ba kept bombing down the right, and they kept kicking Clarke. As the six added minutes were announced, Pritch made way for Adil, there should really have been a red card for yet another foul on Clarke – there was another yellow, but also one for Ballard who raced in to let the opposition know he was the biggest man on the field and they should stop kicking his marra.
Then it was over – a pretty good game of football which never really slowed down for any length of time. Thirty five shots, eight yellow cards, a dozen corners, speedy play, and marvellous skill from Clarke (the division’s top scorer, y’knaa) and Roberts.
Man of the Match? First half, Ballard. A man possessed as he flung himself into challenges and won headers. Second half Clarke, dazzling with his feet. Overall, Pritch was a delight and Dan Neil quietly got on with the business of anchoring the midfield even without the assistance of his muscular marra Big Pierre. Gan on then. Clarke it is.
I’d rather be in Blackburn, rather be in Blackburn, rather be in Blackburn than Milan
