Seconds Out: Round Three {F.A. Cup: Brentford Away)

Last week we were walking from the car to the ground when my mobile phone went. It was tucked away under several layers of clothes, but I managed to dig it out and answer before it rang out. Cully was in the queue to get tickets for the F.A. Cup game at Brentford. Would I like one? Not half!

But, even before we had finished a short conversation the card had gone up: all allocation sold, no tickets left.

So we satisfied ourselves by getting tickets for the Tuesday game at Coventry.

But that is truly amazing: we will be taking about sixteen hundred fans down to Griffin Park! To this “showdown” against the team now managed by our former manager Dean Smith (one time “Ginger Mourinho”)

Between then and now Ben Stokes, England cricketer has absolutely smashed some records in a test match against top class opposition: South Africa in Capetown. Some of the records that, amazingly, fell:

Fastest Test double century by an England batsman

• Highest score by an England batsman at Newlands, beating Jack Hobbs’ 187 in 1910

• Most sixes by an England batsman (11), surpassing Wally Hammond in 1933

• Most runs scored in a day of Test cricket in South Africa (453), beating the 450 made by Australia in Johannesburg in 1921.

While I find it hard to become too involved in cricket (perhaps because I was never very good at it at school) this is a wonderful story and speaks volumes for an obviously talented player. Worth a mention, too is his partner at the stumps: Yorkshire’s Bairstow who would almost certainly have made his own headlines on any other day, displaying impressively powerful hitting of his own. The 26-year-old Yorkshire wicketkeeper hit five fours and a six in the space of nine balls and now averages 104 in three matches against South Africa.

 

Back to football and, at work we were discussing this weekend’s F.A. Cup games. This is the third round: the one where Premier League teams join the draw. So, after the early stages we now have all the teams in action. The time for historic giant killings? But over the past few years some upper echelon teams have played weakened teams and been knocked out, because, essentially the F.A. Cup has lost its prestige.

So my oppo, the Blues supporter reckons that in the Blues vs Bournemouth game both teams will play “lesser” teams. We cannot decide whether this means there will be more goals or less – and how about the quality of the game?

Will we see weakened teams in the Bees v Saddlers game? Both managers are in the media saying that, in each case the next games in the leagues (Championship for Birmingham, League One for us) are more important. But is it bluff or true? Psychological rambling?

The BBC, meanwhile is all over the F.A. Cup; one of the few major events it now televises. So there was a game on – and live on TV on Friday night. League Two Exeter playing Premier League Liverpool.

 

Exeter manager Paul Tisdale was one of the people allegedly considered for the Walsall job a month or so ago. the game is played on a very soggy pitch it is an intriguing game. Either out of faith in his younger players, desperation because of injuries or disrespect for the team from the lower league Liverpool governor Jurgen Klopp plays a team with few, if any recognisable names in it. Exeter go ahead; early on. Liverpool equalise. Exeter go ahead again with a sweet goal scored direct from a corner (unbelievable!) and Liverpool scrape another equaliser. Credit to Exeter, of course. Also to the young Liverpool players for their grit and determination.

 

So now the big question: it is, of course, super for Exeter to have the replay at Anfield financially, but will Klopp play a similar side at Anfield? Will he dare to … in front of the home fans?

 

What if we introduce a new rule: Premiership teams that only draw with teams from leagues one or Two forfeit the game. Should do away with the need for bothersome replays, and add spice to the F.A. Cup ties. Which do not get the respect they deserve from some clubs. Speaking of which Aston Villa manage to score in a one all draw at Wycombe ( a League two team). And I have a secret fear that, while hoping we play brilliantly and win, it will be an opportunity for Brentford staff to cast an eye over our players. And I don’t like that! (Our manager Sean O’Driscoll is quoted as denying the rumour about an offer from an un-named (perhaps Brentford?) Championship team already for Tom Bradshaw.

So, tinkering about at home pre-Walsall game, I discover that I can actually either watch BBC WM live (interesting) or get a full match commentary on the game. It is not a question: I go for the commentary: Rob Gurney and former Walsall player James Chambers. Fair team out for Walsall and seems we are playing two up front: Bradshaw and Lalkovic. Kinsella is in for right back and Rico Henry is back in to play down the left wing. According to the commentary (with the down to earth comments from Chambers) it seems we are not disgracing ourselves, then getting on top …

Then, with Downing moving forwards into the Brentford half Sam Mantom gets off a shot that fizzes into the Brentford net after thirty five minutes. I am impressed; Dean Smith perhaps less so.

 

In the second half Brentford boss the game, but we are stubborn and they cannot get past. It is raining heavily. Some substitutions made by both teams and, near the end there’s a tremendously powerful header from O’Connor (so we’re clearly not backs-to-the-wall defending) that comes back off the Brentford post

… and we are into the next round.

A couple of clearly delighted Walsall fans are on air, and asked about Dean Smith they say his departure from Bescot felt like “if your girlfriend leaves you for a midget …” An interesting analogy even if I am sure it is not how most of us see the switch.  Sean O’Driscoll was far more generous, giving Smith and O’Kelly praise for putting together a squad with such a fine spirit. Now our former manager can get on and concentrate on trying to get into the Premiership. I wish him well with that.

Meanwhile I am guessing/hoping we have all got Dean Smith out of our systems and the team we support is now well and truly Sean O’Driscoll’s.

Round Four: now, who do we fancy?

Be good to get a home game!

Post Script: Blues end up losing to Bournemouth; Wolves also go out.

 

•  

Ricoh Anyone ?

I’ve been tidying up in the  back garden. Cutting down some pyracantha – and it is savagely thorned and well named “fire thorn”… and, having tidied up the resulting debris– some cut as logs for the fire pit, some crammed into the green garden-waste recycling bin (last collection of the year on Monday) – I am late getting in and putting the radio on. Main commentary is the Burnley Villa game, but the report from Coventry’s Ricoh Arena says that Saddlers are nil – nil and dominating the game.

 

Four minutes to go until half time and Villa take the lead with a Joe Cole goal.

While I am listening I am suddenly struck by exactly how many games I have been to this season, rather than, as in previous recent years, I sat and listened to the local BBC radio commentaries. This game at Coventry was eminently reachable  but the extremely poor performance at Shrewsbury is still fresh in my memory and I need to save at least a little money. The Who concert is next week and after that Status Quo and the ICAD sponsored game…

“So far, so good” is the half time comment on the Walsall game; still goalless. I am not even sure of the line-up and wonder who is playing up front and also wondering – if the game has been as bare of “highlights” as some of the games I have been to this season- how the BBC man at the Rich finds anything to say at all. But I’ll happily take what he says on trust – and hope we get at least a goal to win the game in the second half.

Elton, sorry, Sir Elton John will be playing at Bescot next summer. The news came out this week and the gig has apparently already sold out. Some press reports are saying it will be all reserved seating,  that the playing surface will be covered and seats put out.  On most levels this is marvellous news. It will be the second concert – in my memory – held at Bescot. Local band the Wonderstuff, having linked with comedian Jim Reeves in  a version of the Kinks song “Dizzy”, played there (just after Walsall moved to the ground (from Fellows’ Park). Clearly there is money being made by holding the concert at Walsall: will any of it filter in to the playing side? I certainly hope so!

 

Five minutes to go … Manset has been put on in the Walsall game, Baxendale coming off.

In the Villa game, short of something to say the commentators are reflecting that Villa have won games away from home (Stoke and Liverpool) by one goal to nil … could they win this one by the same margin … and there’s a penalty for Burnley … which is scored!

The “goal horn” is then quite active, sending the thoughts spinning: will it be a Walsall goal? A Coventry goal? No, well, not yet any way.

Meanwhile at Turf Moor, unsurprisingly, Burnley are inspired and on the attack! Hitting the post!

Wolves –in a downward spiral at the moment are three nil down at Brentford.

Blues get a controversial penalty (given apparently by the fourth official) , they score and take the lead against Notts. Forest.

Sadly and bizarrely Australian cricketer, Phillip Hughes died after a bowled ball struck him and caused a brain injury. This is weird because I had – totally wrongly – assumed that batsmen’s heads were fully protected by the helmet they wear. Obviously not! Of course I feel for the family of the man – who would have been twenty six this week, but also for the bowler. How must he be feeling?

 

 

“Cricket wraps its collective arms around the family” is a marvellous quote from a cricketer on the incident.

The Burnley game has finished.

Full time at the Ricoh: familiar story:

“Walsall looking solid at the back, but not able to put the Coventry goal under the pressure needed to score a goal that their play perhaps deserved.” Is a paraphrased version of what has been said by the reporter in an incredibly tiny piece of feedback – suggesting how little there actually was to talk about. Far more to reflect on, of course. What do we want for Christmas?

A striker of course! And the money and sense to get one in, rather than the somewhat prideful muttering about our current crop being “a work in progress”.