I have one word to describe the performance from both sides -
ponderous.
Unfortunately I have a lot more words to explain that description ...
I've seen games with a higher tempo than this in the Heavy Woollen
Gate Sunday Alliance Football League (HWGSAFL=Batley/Dewsbury/
Cleckheaton for overseas readers).
Well I managed to miss the first 17 minutes due to extended drinking
to the Adwalton Cricket Club in Drighlington, after my game in the
HWGSAFL this morning, but after calling at Jacksons supermarket in
Ossett for a few cans, I settled in front of the TV to be entertained
by Leeds United vs.
Wolverhampton Wanderers, a fixture which has had a special resonance
for me since my teacher, (God bless you Sister Monica of St Josephs,
Hunslet) let
us listen to the game in '72 just 2 days after the FA Cup Final (we
lost to lose the league to some Midlands team managed by the best
Manager England never had).
So to today, and I decided I'd try to be professional about this with
a pencil and sheet of paper to note down things as the game
progressed.
Some great cross field balls from Crainey in the 1st half gave
rise to
the only real opportunities for either side and I understand that
Kilgallon had a header saved early on but the outstanding chance fell
to Carole who virtually passed the ball into the hands of Wolves
keeper. Crainey seemed more intent in underplaying passes throughout
the game to invite extra Wolves pressure but maybe this was a ploy to
make the game more entertaining? With reference to Kilgallon, he
seemed too eager to jump in early and while some have compared him to
Johnny Woodgate, I think he does tend to snatch at the chances to
take
the ball from the opposition, whereas Johnny seems to bide his time.
The aforementioned jump in early saw Kilgallon gift Wolves a
couple of
half chances in the first half but nothing too dangerous. As for the
rest of the team, Moore looked far too slow for the pace of the game
but I will admit, it was very hot this morning and probably worse
this
afternoon. He paid the price in the second half with a substitution
for Beckford on 77 minutes.
Kelly had nothing to do all game, except pick himself up a few times
with over eager tackles from Wolves leading to 3 bookings in 66
minutes (not all for fouls on Kelly I may add) with none for the
league's bad boys, LUFC. The half progressed and I realised why the
Spanish had such a tough time with Healy earlier in the week, the lad
is a devil to play against. He jinks, turns, pulls, pushes and
generally annoys the defenders into giving away free kicks or losing
concentration against him. It's just a shame that the manager can't
back him up with another player in the middle (or right wing,
where he
drifts to by choice it seems). On to the rest of the team, I'm not
sure Warner has the authority to direct his defence and it was
noticeable that he was exposed on a few occasions, particularly in
the
second half by poor positioning of the back four, but a fumbled dive
in the first half, really gave Wolves their only chance.
And now to the rest, I noted Eddie Lewis name down as touching the
ball twice in the 28 minutes I saw in the first half and this was
equalled by Douglas. Westlake seemed to buzz around but with little
impact. It was interesting to see Roy Keane at the game, in
advance of
Wednesday, and I think he will feel his team, full of confidence
and a
fear of a red hot poker up the jacksie, will have little to fear from
LUFC.
In the second half, more beer and more interesting things to do
distracted me a little but I made these observations. More than once
did Kilgallon appear lost in defence and at times Butler was no where
to be seen (actually that's a lie, he was eclipsed by the pace and
inventiveness shown by Jay Bothroyd). The pace of the game seemed to
lift as both teams felt the game was there for the taking. Leeds made
the Wolves defence work harder and sustained periods of pressure were
looking like paying dividends.
Jamal
Johnson had been causing Butler problems all game, he lost him on a
number of occasions and looks like a player in need of a rest (or
another few beers the night before a game).
And so to the defeat. Jay Bothroyd had turned the Leeds defence
inside
out, albeit at a slower pace than the HWGSAFL is used to, but when he
took possession of the ball 35 yards out (after more than 91 minutes
played) only
one thought was on his mind and when the space opened up, he cracked
it.
Warner had a reasonable position but he hasn't got the agility of
Nigel Martyn or David James and the ball rattled the stanchion.
Overall, a very slow performance against a nothing team. Little
action
on the touchline and another nail in Blackwell's coffin for me
Brian Hamilton
(List BitB)
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oh alright then :-)
