Today’s performance was one of those days that test the hopeful football supporter. 3600 travelling fans and for seventy minutes 11 virtual spectators on the pitch .You expect the home team to come out and go for it. Today they kept on coming, wave after wave of attacks, particularly down both flanks, thankfully Huddersfield’s shooting boots in the first half, at least, had been left in the dressing room.
The tone was set very early, Norwood having a speculative effort from distance in the second minute, in the fourth Heaton made a very good save to deny Vaughan, in the eighth minute Heaton saved from Vaughan again. Our only response was a Sunday league special by Edgar, high and wide. A Paterson header hit the post and another shot went wide from Norwood. This all before the 13th Minute. The applause had begun slowly as a tribute to Henry Tattersall and built to a crescendo, as those that had been seated rose to join in, the big screen was then lit up with the young boys image and the applause continued, impeccably assisted by the Huddersfield supporters on all sides of the ground, a very poignant tribute.
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| Danny ings calmly slotted in our goal after 84 minutes |
A loud shout for handball in the area against Shackell brought us back to events on the pitch, waved away by the referee, for the next few minutes the game was scrappy as we somehow tried to get something going. A right wing ball by Trippier created an opportunity for a volley by Danny Ings, only a half chance but after twenty minutes it was the best we had mustered, what was of greater concern was Ings had landed awkwardly and needed a spell of treatment. If we thought we had weathered the storm and we would start to impose ourselves on the game, it was misplaced. Another two attempts by Vaughan, a miss by Smith and another unbelievable miss by Vaughan made for uncomfortable viewing. Half time could not come quick enough.
Half time came and went, entertainment provided by a video charity single by a Kasabian tribute act and the introduction to the crowd of Mr Mitchell and Mr Burton from the excellent ‘Educating Yorkshire’ with the revelation that Mr Mitchell is in fact a Burnley fan. After the dire football served up, arguably a highlight. The teams emerged for the second half with two Burnley changes Kightly and Edgar replaced by Stanislas and Stock. Still 0-0, surely we would improve?
Stanislas and Trippier linked up and crossed for Vokes who went close, at last some urgency and threat, the optimism was misplaced. A disputed corner was conceded, Hammill floated a cross to the edge of the box and Norwood volleyed in and whilst Heaton will undoubtedly be criticised, the fact that Norwood was not under any pressure was symptomatic of our play to this point. Within five minutes it was 2-0, this time the decision was even more hotly disputed. Handball by Duff, penalty, sadly it seems the fashionable decision to make this season, the ball only needs to hit the hand for the whistle to blown.
Could we come back from two goals down again, Arfield had a shot blocked and Vokes then created space and headed back a Stanislas cross, Ings on the volley from six yards an unbelievable save from Smithies, we huffed and puffed, there was a scramble in the box after a Smithies mistake and the game seemed to be drifting away. Trippier was treated on the pitch for a injury from an awkward fall, which resulted bizarrely in a free kick to Huddersfield. Then another pivotal decision went against us, a Stanislas ball in from the right, Vokes goal, only to be disallowed for offside.
Huddersfield were going a bit deeper, we had started to get hold of the ball and started playing football. Irrespective of what team is put out, you cannot start to play football after 70 minutes and expect to get anything out of the game. Another knock down by Vokes on to Ings who slotted in calmly, six minutes to go plus six minutes of injury time, plenty of pressure, a couple of desperate blocks, but no equaliser, Duff sent off for a second yellow.
Unlucky, robbed, hard done by? Maybe, but this had the feel and look of a performance similar to those that we gave around March time this year. The team were carrying two or three passengers today, there was a lack of intensity and we were second to the ball for most of the game, that said this was our longest unbeaten run since 1999, we are second in the league, we have a couple of home games, its Dychember. The alignment was a little off today, but the beauty of this league is that games come thick and fast now and a minor disappointment can be quickly turned around. Here’s hoping.