The Lads carried on where they'd left off on Tuesday, and produced another defensive masterclass while overcoming the absolute incompetence of the ref to deservedly grab all three points. When the official did show some guts and send off Thomas-Asanke on 43 for about their fifth foul on Ballard, we won a left side corner and Ekwah rose like a young salmon/sea trout to nod in the game's only goal. A deserved win.
Our stop off in Lichfield took us to a couple of our usual haunts to get fed, then to a new venue for us, the Duke of York, where we scranned black pudding scotch eggs as we reminisced with some Notts County fans, on their way to Walsall. Memories of '73, the Cattle Market Tavern....happy days. At least Maja had played for WBA's U21s last night, so there was only M'vila on the bench to potentially invoke the curse of the former player...and we'd had a better trip than those who took in Durham CC's visit to Edgebaston as part of a sporting weekend (490 for 1 yesterday and even worse today. 674 for 3 at 2pm at which point I stopped counting).
Patterson
Pembele Hume O'Nien (c) Ballard Styles
Neil Ekwah
Rigg and Bellingham Clarke
..and a bench of Bishuuurrrp, Ba, Roberts, Alese, Burstow, Mundle, Aouchiche, Dack, and Hemir.
After a pleasant half hour with pleasant stewards in the concourse, and in our unnecessary pink away kit, we defended the end in front of our fans and kicked off. The atmosphere amongst our fans on a sunny afternoon was of the jolly, end of season, variety and we soon outsang the home lot - and their bloody drum. They booed every touch Ballard made (perhaps a reference to the tackle on Maja, the big softie, at our place) so we joined in. Boo boo boo
Rigg and Styles combined well, despite being on opposite sides of the field, to win us an early throw, before the ref showed his colours with a free kick for a high foot against Pembele - what's he supposed to do? Let them have a free header? He followed that with the softest free kick on the centre spot and we had time for a cuppa as their supposedly stricken player received attention.
Patto comfortably saved a swervy shot on the quarter hour, and then another deflected effort soon after. Another awful decision by the ref gave the home side another free kick when Clarke looked at their player in a funny way, but we dealt with it. We needed a diving header by Luke to prevent danger, and we cleared the two resultant corners. The game was being played largely in our half but always with us between them and Patto, meaning anything he had to do was fairly straightforward.
Another undeserved yellow went to O9 for something that wasn't even a foul, but Patto collected the rather weak header that the free brought. There was no yellow for a pull on Ballard, but five minutes before the break there was one for a really unpleasant one on Clarke. After O'9's cross was a yard too far for Clarke, Ballard was again clattered and the second yellow was something even today's ref couldn't keep in his pocket.
Two added minutes were announced, we won a corner on the left after another foul on Ballard (were they trying to get sent off?) and Ekwah rose (like the fish aforementioned) and it was 1-0 to the greatest team the world has ever seen. The general happiness that was apparent in the preceding 45 minutes became absolute joy as we celebrated. Pierre Ekwah baby!
Pierre Ekwah woh-ho-ho!
Half time, happy days, and a catch up with Mr McFall amongst other smiling friends
No changes for the second half for us as the home side made two, and we basically spent the remainder of the game drawing the life out of them. Pass, move, pass, break - simple but effective. Clarke shot across and wide five minutes in, then he was fouled and we built from the free kick. Styles was jumped into and onto in the box - a challenge that would have been a nailed-on VAR penalty - but we got nowt. Jobe was then tripped as he shaped to break, but there was, again, no yellow. From 30 out, Clarke hit it low into the wall and from the throw on our left Neil saw his shot tipped over from just beneath the bar. Close, when a second was deserved and would have really calmed me down.
They cleared the corner and broke down their right, but Ulster's finest flew across to put in exactly the sort of challenge we have come to expect from him. Boom, Huuuume! Lovely.
New balls, please.
West Bromwich made a couple of subs on the hour, Clarke's shot looked to have been blocked with a hand - but the ref probably doesn't even send his mam a Christmas card, so we were never going to get that decision. There was a West Brom shot across Patto and wide, O'9 marshalled his defence well, and we simply continued to draw the life out of the Baggies. Their fans to our right decided to have a fight with each other, we pointed and laughed, and Ekwah had a shot saved.
With about twenty to go, Pembele was replaced by Alese, and then Roberts replaced Rigg, with Hume moving about to accommodate. My neighbour said to watch their lad's feet when he took a throw, and sure enough, his heel barely touched the white line. No response from the linesman. Dreadful. They then had the temerity to book Alese for wasting time!
There was a card for Styles for knocking the ball away, then Clarke cut into the box from a narrow angle and had his first effort blocked and fired his second into the side netting. Four added minutes were announced, which we extended by swapping Clarke for Ba - giving us the chance to remind the home fans that Clarke will tear you apart, and sing the Ba "Tequila!" song.
We played out the remaining couple of minutes to a cocophony of Wearside jubilation - there might be nowt to play for (other results, plus ours, confirmed that we could've get relegated - thanks Giles) but there's no better way, to spend a Saturday, than watching super Sunlun win away. Singing songs about a sixteen year old? Gerrin!
Man of the Match? Great credit to Dodds for his selection and tactics, great credit to the players for doing what they'd been telt. I thought Styles had a great afternoon despite again being a foot shorter than his opponents. Hume was Hume, Luke was Luke, and the central midfield partners Neil and Ekwah were top drawer, while Clarke grew into the game and Rigg was a bundle of energy throughout.
However, given the level of abuse he got from the crowd and the kicking he got from the opposition, I'll give it to Ballard. Great defensively, kept his head in the face of great provocation, and happy to carry it forward when needed.
A happy homeward trip!
