Well, a crap performance and a win. Sign of a good team, I believe. Whilst Steve Evans may claim how our victory is a travesty for football, they didn't create any more clear-cut chances than we did. Overall, I agree they were the better team, but they had just the two chances I can think of - the goal and the last-minute chance (coincided with a great save from Neal's face!) The game started in a haze of smoke, as Grandison landed from his flight following his decision to close the M6. This meant that we were fortunately unable to see the pitch. They were cutting through us like a chainsaw through its cable. Bad experiences and all that... Anyway, time for my ratings: Neal: 7.5 - a couple of fumbles from some speculative long range efforts I imagine Evans the slug instructed his players to try. However, he sadly forgot to tell them they needed to actually follow up any fumbles to score. Anyway, there was a good save in there. Jacobson: 6.5 - worst I've seen him play. Gave the ball away lots and didn't seem to have enough urgency. He was also shrugged off and outpaced too easily for the goal. Sharps: 7.5 - another good game. One dodgy moment when he gave away the ball, but rescued us several times with great last ditch challenges. SCS: 6 - sadly didn't look fit. I'd imagine he was thrown in due to the G saving some small children in Ecuador. Off the pace. Still a few weeks away from his majestic best. Regan: 7 - after a dodgy 10 minute spell in the first half when everyone decided to do their best to help him to telling him to "go away if he wouldn't awfully mind" and "please remove himself from my eyeline". Idiots. Why boo him during the game? Anyway, he hit in some decent crosses and handled the potentially dangerous Watt well. Richards: 7 - I'm yet to see a bad game off this fella. I was away at the start of the season, and his ability on the ball, composure, and work rate are top notch. D. McAllister: 6 - still not convinced he's any better than Wroe. He looks dodgy in possession. He got stuck in, but they were running through the middle far too easily and Richards had to do the work of two men. Taylor: 7 - thought he played well. Tracked back and handled their dangerous Assou-Ekotto lookalike LB well. Wright: 7 - great finish for the goal, and some good working down the left. Their RB looked vulnerable, but Wrighty did squander possession a couple of times. Collins: 6.5 - bust a gut and held the ball up well, but didn't look quite as sharp as he has done. Their defenders looked good and he didn't really trouble them. Gornell: 6.5 - same old. Lack of service, worked hard but in vain. There were some flashes of his first touch being back to its sublime best, but I think he'll be benched for Crewe. The Jerminator: 11 - changed the game. Maybe I'm exaggerating slightly with the rating, but he recovered well from a shaky start to bulldoze through their defence like a graceful rhinoceros to make the winner. Absolutely brilliant play from him, and signs that he could be a powerful figure in midfield in seasons to come. Morgan: 9. My MotM. Great impact. He won headers, worked hard, and made McFazdean (valued at >£1m by Crawley) look distinctly average. Great finish as well/ Wroe: 7 - had roughly 23 seconds, but ran everywhere on the pitch and nearly got a goal out of it. Evans made some interesting post-match comments about how that was the best they've played all season, and if we're the benchmark for promotion they'll go up no problems. Coughbollockscoughsorelosercoughtaxdodgingfatwankercough.
Game of two halves cliche has two be used for that game. Second half we were by far the better team than them, they had stopped pressing, whether through the lack of energy or the fact that Grandison kicked crawley butt. Give him a contract extension now GT!!
I thought we were second best all night apart from a brief spell in the second half when Morgan was running at them - their number 7 was dropping off, collecting the ball and then running at us and causing mayhem. Fair do to the lads - we were being outplayed and outpassed but hung on in there and somehow came up with two fine goals. Lenny, I think you were a bit harsh on Jacobson - it seemed to me he was still struggling with his groin problem but had to play due to our threadbare defensive squad. I voted for Sharps as MOTM - he was up against Akinde (who gave the best centre forward display I have seen here from a visiting player since Connor Wickham destroyed Coughlan) but kept calm and held his team together. I hope not to see too many games like that but we are now in the top three and the priority must be to stay there for the rest of the season. On the subject of Evans I was amazed to hear him talk on Sky about the 'huge gulf' between the two sides - if the gulf was so huge why did they lose to us?
Their no. 7 had an excellent game and was a constant threat. Grandison gave him a few clatters layer on that knocked him about somewhat.
Grandison for me - the game changer. Yeah, I would have had more sympathy for Evans if: - he hadn't made that ridiculous "gulf in class" remark, - he hadn't tried to concoct a foul out of Grandison's creation of the winner, - and he wasn't such an a***
Guys don't get me wrong I love Grandison- he's on my shirt, but to me the 'bulldoze' looked like him nicking the ball, running 5-10 yards and setting up Morgan with a good pass.
