Burton 2-1 U's: Gone For An Albion
Tuesday 19th September 2006 - Burton 2-1 U's: Gone For An Albion
Goals! Goals! Goals!
Goals! Goals! Goals!
Goals! Goals! Goals!
Goals! Goals! Goals!
We're looking day and night
For that little bit of shark bite
Someone with an eye for the main chance
Fine goals, sexy goals
A tap-in or a fancy twirl
Thirty-yard volleys keep us entranced
Jimmy's got some of Lee Power's money
While he's on honeymoon all this week
Goals! Goals! Goals!
Goals! Goals! Goals!
Well they've got the glam of Hollywood
Those number nine goal machines
The power of Dion, Kits and Trevor
Butler S and Butler M
JT and David Crown
Claridge and Carlo were so clever
Reilly and Mayo were so frantic
Come to semantics, Greenhalgh was king
So come on Jim, get us singing
Don't sit and twiddle your thumbs
Get up and find someone with goals! Goals! Goals!
Our scoring record's minging
Put on the auld Irish charm
Get up and find those lovely goals!
But don't rush to sign some kid on rental
That would be mental, like Colin Heath
Cross the oceans, leave no stone unturned
Did someone mention deals with China?
We know that you can find the man to please the fans
Though perhaps best not to go to Thailand
Norwich have beaten us to Dion
But I've got this feeling that one day...
So come on Jim, get us singing
Don't sit and twiddle your thumbs
Get up and find someone with goals! Goals! Goals!
Our scoring record's minging
Put on the auld Irish charm
Get up and find those lovely goals!
Goals! Goals! Goals!
Goals! Goals! Goals!
Goals! Goals! Goals!
Jimmy Quinn's first game in full charge of the Mighty U's attracted a good-sized following to the Pirelli Stadium, Burton, and although it sounded a little odd at first, 'Jimmy Quinn's Amber Army' soon began to ring resoundingly around the away terrace. United's first visit to Albion's impressive new ground last season, and their first visit to the town of Burton since the Southern League days in 1970, ended in a limp 2-0 defeat in February, but six of the team which started that cold winter's night had survived to start on a much more temperate night in mid-September.
The Pirelli Stadium still retains a slight 'not-quite-finished' air about it, not least the sign which states 'Opening 2005', but the rather austere breezeblock architecture aside, it is a spick, span and comfortable place to visit, with cover on all four sides but seating on only one. Its lack of a clubhouse stands out somewhat in the Conference, but the eaterie for visiting fans below the away end was welcoming if sparsely furnished, with cheap'n'cheerful bar and a food hatch which amongst its offerings boasted that least Southern of snacks 'faggots & peas.' One wasn't tempted.
Most notable change was on the pitch, or rather the fact the Albion had a pitch worthy of the name, aglow with lush green grass where six months ago stood only brown, cloying mud. Steve Castle took the pre-match warm-up, including some disturbingly camp skipping which resembled Morecambe & Wise exiting one of their 1970s TV shows.
It was also interesting to note that Ritchie Hanlon, although banned, was obliged to participate too, dressed in a different coloured shirt to everyone else, and when his colleagues split up after the fitness work to indulge in some ball practice, he was reduced to sprinting up and down the touchline. Punishment or psychology? Mr Quinn seems interested in the mental side of the game and perhaps he was bringing home to his errant charge what he was missing out on through his impetuous tackle while keeping him involved with the squad and not allowing him to shirk his team-mates' workload.
The failure of United's appeal against Hanlon's harsh if unwise red card meant a call-up for David Bridges in the middle, while Robbie Simpson's injury opened the door for young Liam Marum up front as Michael Gash's style was deemed too similar to that of strike partner Marcus Richardson. It was United's sixth different strike pairing in ten games this season, which tells its own story.
There were several interesting names in the Burton line-up, most familiar being former U Gary Rowett, enjoying an Indian summer to his career after a temporary retirement through injury. Oldest man on the pitch was 43-year-old keeper Kevin Poole, who should surely be more familiar with zimmer frames than goal frames by now, while their front two were both strikers in whom United were rumoured to have shown interest recently: Daryl Clare and Jon Shaw.
The hosts started the stronger, playing the pacy passing game which Nigel Clough has instilled into them in his eight years in charge. They were fond of using the flanks and on 7 Shaw almost sneaked through but was foiled by the tough-tackling Rob Gier's slide-rule challenge. Their first corner two minutes later was dealt with unceremoniously by Mark Peters, who was to have another commanding evening marshalling his troops at the back like Alan Sugar without the bum-fluff.
United struggled to assert themselves against the buoyant Brewers but could not get a grip on midfield. Burton were not slow to pull the trigger when presented with a shooting chance and Courtney Pitt blocked a blaster from Andrew Corbett on 13. The visitors' first attempt on goal was an optimistic long-ranger from Jon Brady on the quarter-hour but was as inaccurate as those bung rumours about Sam Allardyce (it says here).
Marum made a good impression on 18 when he embarked on a very positive diagonal run from halfway, appeared to have lost it, recovered, beat two men then passed unsuccessfully towards Bridges when we were all willing him to have a go. His positivity seemed to act as a starting pistol for the U's who finally started to assert themselves, a trademark Courtney Pitt run followed by a teasing driven cross that Poole had to stretch his aging muscles to tip away for a corner.
Up the other end Ryan Austin blazed wildly over on 21, then just as the contest was getting going, there was a lull while Shaw received treatment for a clash with Peters, who of course felt nowt. Unfortunately United were still slumbering when Lee Fowler floated the free-kick into the area, and as four yellow shirts appeared unchallenged, it was Aaron Webster who deftly guided a free header... well over. Poor miss while United slept.
Fowler toe-poked over on the half-hour but Burton kept up the pressure. They retained possession on 33 when a free-kick was cleared, knocked it across the field and it fell to Andrew Corbett twenty yards out; Morrison stood off him just enough to invite the shot, and his effort was undeniably excellent as it flew almost from a standing start high past the exposed Crichton and into the net. 1-0.
United responded well, taking the game to the opposition. Marum forced a decent save from Poole on 37, and two minutes later they came agonisingly close to an equaliser when Trevor Robinson's free-kick into the area found Richardson who brought it down with surprisingly skill and hammered a shot from fifteen yards past the startled keeper but off the bar and away.
Poole pulled another teasing cross by Brady from the danger zone on 41, then Morrison blocked a Clare shot which the hosts believed constituted handball, but the ref did not. Bridges' first major contribution of an anonymous night was a slightly harsh booking for a foul on Shaw in the last minute of the half.
Then Marum's intelligent run almost created a shooting chance, but he was denied by Austin's lunging challenge for a corner which Pitt, as usual, sent straight to the first man on the near post but eventually found its way to Robinson who sent a floater into Poole's arms.
So far, so not bad(ish): United had shown a good, combative attitude, personified by Peters and Gier (above), needed to create more in midfield, and the strikers had worked hard for little reward. They were still finding goalscoring tough, and this is Jimmy Quinn's biggest challenge and the key to turning this season around.
Chris Hall replaced Danny Holmes for the hosts at the start of part two as they switched from 3-5-2 to 4-4-2, and the amber hordes wondered what effect JQ's interval pep-talk might have. Astoundingly, they had their answer inside fifteen seconds of the restart.
Marum ran into the area down the right channel and looked up almost by the byline; next second, he had arrowed an astonishing cross-shot from the most improbable of angles, past the keeper and into the goal at the far post. If it was deliberate, it was utterly brilliant. Your cynical old correspondent remains convinced that it was a sliced cross towards Richardson. But hey, who cares? It's 1-1!
There were echoes of the start to the second half on Saturday in the next quarter of an hour as United took the game to their hosts at pace and rained crosses in from both flanks. As they piled the pressure on at a corner on 48, fussy ref Scott took his time to lecture the players jostling for position in the box before it was taken. When it did come, Peters powered an unstoppable header home... only for the man in black to predictably disallow it for a 'foul' on Poole. Very harsh and a turning point in the match.
Marum picked up a ludicrous booking on 51 for a challenge on Fowler that was softer than a puppy dipped in blancmange. Morrison showed some nifty footwork on 58 to dodge a tackle and shoot low for Poole to turn around the post, and the United centre-back also met the ensuing corner at the near post but couldn't keep it down.
Then on the hour came a crushing blow that demonstrated why prolific strikers are the most sought-after players in football. Rowett knocked it forward to Clare on the edge of the U's area, and with one-touch control and a half-turn he created just enough space to arrow his shot past Peters and into the bottom corner of the net before Crichton could blink. Another quality goal: 2-1.
This was hard indeed on a spirited United side whose approach play had just lacked the killer touch. Richardson's looping header on 64 would have been a goal if Poole had come for it and not stayed back to scramble and collect, while at the other end Clare's 68th-minute fizzer whizzed across the face of goal following a corner.
Next up came JQ's first two substitutions, replacing the tiring Robinson and Marum with straight-swap Tommy Jaszczun and Michael Gash.
Play now switched from end to end, United battering away gamely while Burton tried to catch them on the nimble break. Gier blocked Shaw's shot on 76, then two minutes later Pitt's corner fell to Brady whose shot was well stopped under his bar by Poole.
Clare almost exploited Crichton's tendency to wander from his goal on 83 with an audacious curling shot from the edge of the centre circle which just missed the near post while the United custodian searched for his brown shorts. Next minute there was controversy up the other end as Rowett swung at a United long ball, made contact to guide it back to Poole and was promptly penalised for a deliberate back-pass by an indirect free-kick in the left channel some fifteen yards from goal.
That is the sort of incident that you just don't see in football any more, like a dog running onto the pitch and lunging comically at a goalkeeper's groin, or a fusillade of toilet rolls arcing gracefully into the six-yard box. Needless to say Burton packed their goalmouth and Pitt's sideways tap set up Brady for an uninspired thrash at goal which was comfortably blocked by Poole.
Up the other end Darren Stride found Crichton's gloves with a header from a free-kick as the amber hordes got that sinking feeling that their side just did not possess the guile or cutting edge to level the scores again, for all their huff and puff.
Peters, now an auxiliary attacker, injured himself in landing on 90 and was replaced by Matt Bloomer. Bridges blasted a shot wide from just outside the box, and in added time a Jaszczun cross found Brady well placed in the area but he blazed disappointingly over with his left foot.
Burton, now happy just to hang on for the three points, wasted a little time by replacing Fowler with John Brayford, then it was all over. The United team was applauded from the pitch by way of appreciation for their unstinting effort against a decent team that on another night might have gained them a point.
Jimmy Quinn may not (yet) be a football genius, but it doesn't take an Einstein to identify the reasons why this side is losing matches: avoidable goals conceded at one end, not enough oomph at the other. Good luck, big man; just don't be tempted to do a John Ryan, or an Ian Atkins, and pick yourself. It's a young man's game, unless your name is Teddy Sheringham. Or Kevin Poole.
Player Ratings
Crichton 6. Little chance with the well-taken goals, but his kicking needs improvement and communication with his back four was not always the best.
Gier 8. Another quality display of tigerish defending.
Robinson 6. Adequate effort, although several of his forward balls were not of the same quality as on Saturday.
Peters 8. How many words for colossal are there?
Morrison 7. Now showing definite signs of improvement as he benefits from playing alongside the Master.
Brady 7. Busy and industrious and provided good support for the strikers, albeit he still can't get to the byline.
Wolleaston 6. Not at his best but a long way from his worst, he never gave up but received poor support from some of his midfield colleagues.
Bridges 5. We might as well have placed a scarecrow out there in a number 8 shirt for all the impact he made.
Pitt 6. Failed to scale the heights of Saturday and his corners were once again a disgrace, hitting the first man again and again.
Marum 7. Energetic and enthusiastic, his goal was a classic if it was deliberate, and damned enjoyable either way.
Richardson 7. Another 90 minutes of good, honest toil, and unlucky to be foiled by the bar.
Gash 6. Rolled his sleeves up and got stuck in to reasonable effect.
Jaszczun 6. Assured comeback from suspension.
Bloomer 5. Five minutes playing up front makes for one of his more bizarre
appearances.
Match Summary: Jimmy Quinn's first team selection deserved a fighting draw but was defeated by two top-quality goals. The seeds of recovery are there, though... we just need one of them to flower into a prolific marksman.
Man of the Match: Mark Peters. Worthy inheritor of the "You'll never beat..." chant from Mick Heathcote, he quite literally stood out head and shoulders above the rest.
Ref Watch: Scott 4. Another of the new young 'long chat' brigade, his major decisions were unconvincing and his bookings little short of laughable.
Soundtrack of the Day: Scott Matthews 'Elusive'
JB's Jukebox: Jon Brady lends an ear to the Pirelli Stadium sounds. "Now when it comes to music, I'm as open-minded as the next guy, as long as he's not averse to a bit of the old Classic Rock once in a while! All I ask at a footie match is a bit of variety and some bloody good songs to sing along to. But strewth! I have never heard such a load of flamin' roo's doos as my ears were subjected to tonight! It was like being in a bloody school disco, and I don't mean those modern ones with 21-year-old Sheilas dressed as schoolgirls, no, they're fine! Ripper, in fact! No, this was non-stop 'dance' and 'R&B' stuff which no-one over 16 likes: Pussycat Dolls, Black Eyed Peas, Ne-Yo, and a load of shonky remakes of old Eighties song with a disco beat! Christ on a bike! If I'd have wanted to listen to rubbish I'd have stayed in to watch the Scissor Sisters at the weekend! As for McFly doing 'Don't Stop Me Now': I'll stop you by any means necessary, you little mongrels!" JBJ rating: 0/10
Andrew Bennett
Now talk about it on the message board!
Previous match reports:
U's 1-0 Stevenage
U's 1-1 Kidderminster
Forest Green 1-1 U's
U's 1-3 Exeter
Dagenham 2-0 U's
U's 1-2 Halifax
St Albans 1-1 U's
U's 0-1 Northwich Victoria
Pre-season match reports:
Histon 0-0 U's (3-4 on pens)
U's 1-3 Norwich
Fakenham 0-7 U's
Enfield FC 0-2 U's
Cambridge City 0-2 U's
U's 4-4 Ipswich
U's 0-4 West Ham
Bury Town 1-2 U's
Leyton 0-3 U's
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