4 in 4, okay not quite a goalrush – but by our standards pretty damn good!
Who would have thought that we could be saying that given the turmoil of the last ten years. According to the BBC sport website, Chris Woods 5 goals so far puts him above Will Grigg, and he isn’t even on fire yet! The game on Saturday was the gift that just keeps giving, it was like getting two thirds down your Bovril and finding that you never stirred it properly and the last bit swilled around tastes that much meatier. From Janssons tackling, to a solid performance in midfield by Phillips and O Kane, Sackos pulsating runs to the goal, bit of nifty passing and we were dominant! It’s like driving past the Haribo factory in Pontefract on Starmix day and taking a huge gulp of sugary air in – buzzing!
From the off, Sackos heads to goal with a weaving run from the centre circle, but balloons it into the South Stand. Then, Ipswich goal kick, Pontus takes it off the receiving tractor boy, long ball to the waiting Wood, down the wing and bang – outside the box, just off the post. What a statement of intent! Cracking goal before half time, Bartley gets it, passes to Pablo, to Sacko, to Wood, to Dallas, to Taylor, ball across the goalmouth, Wood – goal. Fantastic bit of team play and Wood full of confidence, buzzing. Well deserved cheers from the 22k crowd at half time and everyone talking about what there is to come. The defence look rock solid, the midfield of Phillips and O Kane steadying the ship, and the interplay of Hernandez, Dallas, Sacko and Wood, showing so much creativity. Yes, the finishing could be tighter, but what matters is, they were in the right place at the right time to create the chance in the first place. It would have been great to increase our tally, we could and should have won that 4-0, but that cracking Phillips free kick saved and the chance handed to Wood on a plate by the goalie passing to him foiled, it all still shows that we have something left in the tank in the 2nd half. Last season, games were two, sometimes completely, different halves. This season, it looks like we start as we mean to go on, and it is good feeling inside.
Bristol City tomorrow, a long trip down but we have momentum on our side. There has been so much talk about Jansson, but Captain Bartley is doing a brilliant job, and even if Bridcutt is fit, I would still give the armband to Bartley anyday. Our defence is getting stronger and stronger with the 3 new lads, Bartley, Jansson and Ayling. At times on Saturday it was like watching Streets Of Rage with Axel and Adam Stone (if you don’t get this look it up). All it needed was the Pine Pot sign and that Casio keyboard music. Can’t say that Ayling bears any resemblance to Blaze apart from the hair, but Blaze was always the better kicker, and therefore the best two player combination was always Axel and Blaze……
Get your game on!
