All Bluebirds Column #7: Groundhog Matchday
One character to grace these shores was the eccentric (but far from clueless) manager of both Brondby and Aberdeen, the late Ebbe Skovdhal. He had an army of quotes and quips for any situation, his most famous one being ‘statistics are like mini-skirts … they give you good ideas but hide the most important parts’. So it proved at home to Newport County.
Early on in the matchday, Pete Wild was once again cementing his deserved reputation as a community focused coach and all round great bloke by attending a supporters meeting and chatting to fans in the Cross Bar. He mentioned the tremendous stat that we are only a win away from last season’s points total. That we were much more like ourselves last week at Colchester. Both, absolutely, true and certainly a cause for optimism as fans cowered under the aural assault of generic dance tunes in the fanzone pre match.
Talking of generic, Newport County have certainly been formed of players who ‘know the level’ and how to play it, cannily assembled by a manager of similar credentials, Graham Coughlan. Therefore, we knew what was coming.
The game itself; mildly spiced by the return of Zanzala, whose overall contribution in a Barrow shirt had ranged from fitful, to non –existent. Like for us, he looked eager to contribute with little idea how to execute it in the first half, a disallowed goal notwithstanding.
I noticed that Bluey had colour co-ordinated himself in orange with referee Stockbridge. It was clear from early on that the man in the middle would have been better cavorting along the touchline dressed as a fluffy bird in an endearing attention seeking manner. However, it was too late to reverse the roles, so he attempted to do the same, disguised as an EFL official. It was all about Seb and his shiny whistle, which he blew enthusiastically at entirely the wrong occasions throughout. More of him later.
We were the better side first half. Again. Buzzed around positively trying to get down the sides and press at the right time. Again, again. Failed to capitalize mainly due to neither the final ball nor final touch coming off. Again. We left the field at half time to muted but optimistic applause. Again, again. To be fair, good performances by Garner in particular and Broughy getting down the side warranted this.
Newport? Well, they appeared to be channelling tactics that Napoleon Bonaparte would have approved of. ‘God is on the side of the heaviest cannon’. Messers Clarke, Farquarson and Demetriou were subjecting us to some heavy long ball shelling, only effective fitfully at the Battle of Austerlitz or in League 2 football away performances.
On it went, our wee guys trying to run round their bruisers. We would lose the final ball, the bruisers would lash it skywards. Then, we would all begin again.
Elliot Newby, again sharp in patches, drifted inside to have a shot. Billy Waters was having a hard shift. I wouldn’t be surprised if Bennet turned up at his house with a bunch of flowers and a bottle of Cava on Valentine’s Day, such was the level of physical contact. There was certainly no restraining order from Shiny Whistle Seb. One highlight was a strong challenge by Brough on Zanzala which brought a visceral growl of pleasure from the Popular Side.
After about 70 minutes, we lost focus and matters drifted. We replaced some wee fast guys with more wee fast guys and Richie Bennet who looks lost at present. Omar Bogle came on for them to attempt a sometimes effective and always expensive cameo. Paul Farman made another good save.
Then Seb took a hand. Rory Feeley was late getting across his man. It was a foul, a possibly deserved yellow. Seb surveyed his audience. What blast on his shiny whistle could cause the greatest reaction. Obviously, a devotee of ‘all publicity is good publicity’ he inexplicably sent Feeley off, to howls of anguish and derision from all sides.
The game continued- they shelled a little more; we got forward a little less. They started to get free kicks and corners more. Thank goodness! We are watertight at set pieces, said no one at all. The game slowly crawled into added time. Thank goodness! Our game management is superb, again said not a soul.
And lo, it came to pass! In the 95th minute Demetriou ambled into the box undetected and planted a free header into the net. Players, staff, fans, deflated earthwards as Newport players raced away to celebrate with the 95 hardy souls who had made the trip. A perfect ‘League 2 away performance’. If it had been us, we would have been just as ecstatic.
Pete was right to lay some blame at the referee’s door post-match. SWS’s was an abject performance riddled with poor choices. However, so was ours for much of the game. Some of the blips and ticks in the side are starting to look like structural problems. The bump in the road is looking more like a slow trundle downward. More statistics- we are fourth bottom of the form table after the last 20 games. We haven’t won at home since November.
So, is it, steady and welcome improvement in League 2 or a team in decline? At this moment you could make an argument for either. For both. Statistics would back both up. But what do they reveal?
For the sake of the season, the sake of momentum into next season, and the sake of optimism and crowds to sustain money and investment, we must address this slide. Let’s then gird ourselves for a Yorkshire double header coming up. But please defend the box!