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| Burton Albion 2 Woking 0: 22nd September 2007 Scorers Oh dear, when will they learn. I had a funny feeling it might not be a good day after hitting traffic jam after traffic jam on the M25 and up the M1. To make matters worse Five Live seemed to be talking about Jose 'The Messiah' Mourinho, there was an interview with him where he told us how amazing he was, again. I imagine he will stay in England as I can't imagine he will find his way out with his head that far up his own arse… Anyway, back to the game, after arriving barely on time. The first thing that became obvious was that there was no Marv. Madness. I don't think Marv has been firing on all cylinders recently but still, I would always want him to play, and we certainly were worse off without him. Not that I'm against Hakim getting a go up front as I quite like him and thought he put in a decent performance but Gatting over Morgan was a bizarre choice to me. The suspended Lorraine was replaced by Ruby and Quamina came into midfield for Green while Bunce played left wingback. It was a fairly even start with both teams getting early efforts on goal as Shaun Harrard and Kevin James both had long shots go wide of the target. Mark Greaves also got his head to a John McGrath corner but could only direct it over the bar. However, with fifteen minutes gone, Woking found themselves in trouble. McGrath picked up the ball in midfield and hammered a long-range effort towards goal, which Gindre comfortably parried over. The resulting corner was met by Greaves at the back post and he headed goalwards. The ball beat Gindre and crossed the line but Joe Gatting stupidly stuck his hand out to stop it hitting the net. The Burton players started to celebrate the goal but referee Mr Proctor-Green awarded a penalty instead. Although one could sympathise with Paul Lorraine on Tuesday, I have no idea why Gatting even thought it was necessary to handle it away deliberately. By all means try to clear it but after what happened on Tuesday you would have thought it would be better off just giving away a goal than going down to ten men too. There was more drama as well as Mr Proctor-Green brandished the red card not to Gatting but to a bemused Matt Ruby. Pandemonium ensued as Bunce was booked and Frank Gray had a word with the referee before Daryl Clare stepped up to send Gindre the wrong way. 1-0 down and ten men after 17 minutes, hmmm, deja-vu? Burton started to run riot. Two minutes later and Keith Gilroy got away down the left and pulled it back for Andrew Corbett who curled his effort just wide. Moments later and Clare shot over from long range and he crossed for Harrad to head over. There were a number of near misses as Burton dominated. Clare had a free kick hit the wall, which nearly feel kindly for Corbett. McGrath put a cross in which was just too high for an unmarked Clare, Gilroy shot tamely wide, Hutchinson had to prevent Clare from poaching inside the area and Daniel Holmes had a long shot whistle just past the post following a good run. On 29 minutes, Woking fought back when Lambu went on a dangerous run, winning a corner with a good cross. From this, Hutchinson got up above the defence and his header cannoned off the bar. A minute later and Gindre had to pull of a tremendous point blank save to keep Burton out. Gilroy clipped a ball over the top for Clare who flicked it into the path of Harrard in the six-yard box but his shot was somehow stopped by Gindre to keep it at 1-0. The resulting corner was headed over by Corbett and moments later, on 32 minutes; Clare added his and Burton's second goal, which had certainly been coming. Harrard got the ball outside the area and was given time to pick out Clare who was too quick for Gasson, immediately nudging the ball past him and slotting it into the corner of the net in style. Burton seemed to take their foot of the gas for a bit after that although Gilroy stung Gindre's palms with a firm long shot on 36 minutes and John Brayford headed the resulting corner over. Woking responded with Pattison shooting wide but Gindre was on hand again to stop an unmarked Corbett heading Burton three up with the goal gaping. The Cards went in fortunate to be just 2-0 down at half time but they came out fighting in the second half, once again. Maledon replaced Gatting and Hakim had an early opportunity as the ball broke kindly for him but Poole smothered it well before Corbett cleared off the line. Woking had a lot of pressure with Lambu making some good runs down the right as the Cards took to try and pull one back. Corbett tested Gindre with a long shot on 59 minutes and Quamina had a shot blocked by Greaves five minutes later. Marc Goodfellow had a long shot whistle wide for the home side before, on 68 minutes, Pattison got in ahead of Poole and flicked the ball goalwards only for Brayford to clear off the line. Both Morgan and then Sole came on to try and make an impact though Burton could have added to their lead when Gindre rushed out and didn't get the ball, however, Ryan Taylor shot wide from close range with only defenders on the line. David Farrell tested Gindre again in the 76th minute before Woking carved out two good chances. First, a neat passing move allowed Quamina to set up Bunce who fired a left footed drive towards the far corner only for Poole to just tip it around the post, though the referee bizarrely gave a goal kick. Then, on 82 minutes, Kevin James went on a roaming run which took him past two or three Albion players and into the area but he almost tried to be too perfect and curled the ball agonisingly pas the post with the goal gaping. Before the final whistle there was time for McGrath to curl a tame free kick into Gindre's arms and for Sole to fire a powerful volley straight at Poole. With moments left Hutchinson did enough to allow James to latch onto the ball but he could only produce a rather weak effort, which was easy for Poole to gather from inside the area, and moments later the referee ended proceedings. Once again the Cards were always battling against it after the red card and despite being overrun in the first half competed well in the second. That's two defeats in a row but everything could have been a lot different without the two red cards and hopefully lightening won't strike for a third time on Tuesday where Woking will desperately need a result. Woking (3-5-2):
Gindre; Ruby, Hutch, Gasson; Lambu, James, Pattison (Sole 74), Quamina, Bunce; Gatting (Maledon 46), Hakim (Morgan 67).
Man of the Match: Matt Ruby - he did nothing wrong! Moment of the Match: The referee sending off Ruby. Attendance: 1,501 |
