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WINTER'S WORLD MATCHDAY 9: BARNSLEY v MIDDLESBROUGH, CHAMPIONSHIP
30th August 2010
Not too bad a start time for the short journey to Oakwell. Once again I travelled with Boro's Dave Allan
and the Gazette's finest Eric Paylor and Anthony Vickers.
This was a game that we all agreed you would expect a side capable of automatic promotion to win. To pass the journey we had our quiz heads on as DA repeated the poser that he had passed on to Ali Brownlee for his Radio Tees programme. We had to name the nine pairs of players who had played for their country since Boro went to the Riverside.
The double Boro connection featured such names as Shawky and Mido for Egypt, Mills and Southgate for England.
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We then moved onto guessing the name of the first international on Boro's books from outside the home nations and Ireland. Here the guesses became diverse and the fact that I correctly gave the answer of Jan Arge Fjortoft could not disguise my earlier gaff of suggesting Bryan Orritt, who had moved to South Africa rather than play for them.
I knew that there was a connection! Dave Allan reminded me that perhaps the fact that his nickname was 'Taffy' might given me a clue. Cue great hilarity at my expense.
When in a hole you should know better and as we approached Barnsley I posed the question of which famous person came from Cudworth, a village five miles from our destination. No one knew and I informed them wisely that it was Geoff Boycott. Eric said that he thought it was Fitzwilliam and a quick check on the internet revealed he was correct. It was in fact Michael Parkinson and Darren Gough that hailed from there. I was sinking deeper.
We discussed Boro's new signing Mickael Tavares and I gained a little compensation by suggestion that the only time Darlington had filled the Arena was when Elton John performed there. Perhaps with Boro's falling crowds we should get The Kinks (Tarmo) and Tavares (older readers will recall hits such as 'Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel') to perform as most certainly matches like the Sheffield United game won't fill the stadium.
1,522 travelling supporters ready for Boro's promotion charge to gather momentum.
We arrived at the ground and at least I had provided entertainment with my mixture of humour and gross stupidity!
Sport England's new Chief Exec and massive Boro fan Adrian Bevington was at the game and Boro Chairman Steve Gibson was also present.
I understand that he does not get to too many away games nowadays and he certainly did not pick the best one to attend on this occasion. It not start too badly and Boro, roared on by the 1,522 travelling fans, managed to get more crosses into the box in the first half an hour than they have managed all season.
The teams line up for the start of the second half at Barnsley. Surely Boro could perform better than they had in the first half..?
From one Barry Robson free kick Scott MacDonald turned a
glancing header onto the post and if that had gone on it might have been different but it wasn't to be. Then poor defending saw Boro fail to cope with a corner, Wheater was beaten at the back post and somehow Steele was beaten by the header from distance.
This goal woke up the home side and only a brilliant stop by Steele diving at the feet of a goalbound forward prevented Boro going 2-0 down. Kris Boyd was making his only chances a quick turn and shot deserved better and he looked favourite to score as he tried to lob the home keeper who managed to make himself big enough to block the Scot's goalbound effort.
Half-time came and the players had to exit in front of the travelling support. Initially there were some boos which were quickly drowned out with cries of "Come on Boro". Sadly the truth was that the home side looked like they wanted it more. They were hungry and we looked disjointed. Four centre-backs once again and far too many players looking way below par. It was as if, just like at Millwall, as soon as the opposition score then heads drop.
One would assume strong words were used at half-time and at least Tarmo Kink responded. He is lightweight but he has some invention and flair and he started firing shots in from all angles before getting battered a couple of times and then, Alliadiere like, headed for the touchline to be substituted.
Full time approaches and many Boro fans have had enough and are heading for the M1 and the, thankfully not too long, journey home. How many times can the fans patience and loyalty be rewarded by gutless performances from their side?
Boro looked like they believed that they were beaten and McDonald showed the teams frustration by not heeding the ref's warning and needlessly talking himself into the book. I noticed Bates - not a full back and never will be - ambling back after he, for the umpteenth time, lost possession. Bizarrely Robson, a midfielder, replaced Kilgallon, a centre back, at full back. To think that Gareth was accused of putting square pegs in round holes!
Wheater became another daft booking when he pulled back an opponent and then on the break Barnsley made it 2-0 as Hammill was able to go through and past three Boro defenders. I am not sure we won a fifty/fifty all afternoon!
The Barnsley fans gave a rousing rendition of "Cheer up, Gordon Strachan" and they were certainly right about the "shite football team", certainly on this performance. We need two real full-backs as McManus, despite what Wheats says, is way off the pace.
Robson is a shadow of the player he was last season... need I go on? We all know it but it would seem the experts don't or perhaps won't concede the truth publicly.
Post match, both manager Mark Robins and keeper bigged up the Boro, as everyone does, confirming that we are a good side with top players and that we will be up there at the end of the season. Robins thought his Barnsley side were excellent. No they weren't as they did not have to be.
Boro lacked confidence, team spirit appears low, with Robson blaming everyone but himself. This was dire.
Gordon Strachan felt that the game was exciting. For who?
He stated we made a better start than Barnsley but who had the better finish? He accepted the boos, praising the fans. Clever move, but that won't save him from the terrace boo boys if things don't improve quickly.
His record since arriving is poor. I would guess the points tally under Strachan is actually relegation not promotion form.
When asked, with obvious reaction to the impending closure of the transfer window, if there would be any action this weekend, he in another attempt at hilarity replied that "he hadn't even asked the wife yet." Side splitting! Ask how many Boor fans are laughing?
Match day 10 is the Premier League game between Bolton and Birmingham City, where I am doing the corporate pre and post match entertainment. Click here for a read.
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