B
Bramley
Guest
Out of date I know, but...
Henderson indiscipline and inept refereeing cost the Blades a point at Forest
By FBFR
The most pleasing performance for sometime, against cheating Johnson’s Bristol shower on Saturday, had given us that most dangerous of all feelings prior to our latest visit to the City Ground in Nottingham... hope!
Would Blacky stick with 4-4-2 formation that was so pleasing to watch on Saturday? Would he be able to do so with players like Del Geary, out on his feet after the hour and a half, non-stop stint he put in on Saturday and with another player needing a half time injection in that match.
Forest’s prices and the global downturn meant our smallest following for years arrived, to be greeted by the news that the gaffer had indeed stuck with exactly the same team from Saturday.
The 150th league goal of Robert Earnshaw's career, however, was enough to get all three points for our hosts, who started much quicker than we did and could have easily have been further ahead, as we seemed unable to defend their corners.
But, they didn't score again and the first half finished quietly, with the Blades coming into a game that was in need of a spark.
Darius Henderson's contentious dismissal 40 seconds into the second half provided just that, and a combination of abysmal refereeing and a home side killing time with their numerical advantage frustrated the travelling Blades.
We gave our hosts a 15-minute head start, during which their on-loan midfielder, Radoslaw Majewski, whipped in a series of vicious corners from the left-hand side, one of which Anderson reached first to flick on for Earnshaw to poke home from virtually the goal-line itself.
This early setback seemed to knock the Blades’ confidence, and it took quite some time for us to see our heroes cause Forest any concerns. Midway through the half, Geary left with an ankle injury and was replaced by Ward at right-back, with Quinn subbed on to left midfield.
After the break, referee Nigel Miller came into his own. He clearly couldn't wait to start on the 'Dirty Yorkshire Bastards', as the home supporters described us throughout the second half. Henderson saw red for at worst a yellow-card spat, then Yeates and Williamson saw yellow as Miller lost any grip of the game and respect from the players.
Yeates twice came close to equalising but saw his efforts go just wide as the spirited Blades battled the ref and the numerical disadvantage to look good value for an equaliser.
All the neutrals, and of course our hosts, will say it was deserved home win, and I suppose it wasn't a travesty for them to get three points, but a better and less ‘homer’ of a referee and more discretion from Hendo, however much provoked, might have seen us get a share of the spoils.
Ratings
Bunn 8 - Good
Geary 7 - Fine (Ward 8 – Inspired)
Bartley 9 - Class
The Nos 8 - Very good
Kallio 4 – Struggled
Monty 6 - All but a killer last ball
Williamson 8 - Very good
Yeates 7 - All but a killer last ball
Henderson 5 - Indiscipline
Camara 6 - Not his fault – he wasn't given the ball enough. See above
Cresswell 6 - Okay
Evans 8 - Very bright
Henderson indiscipline and inept refereeing cost the Blades a point at Forest
By FBFR
The most pleasing performance for sometime, against cheating Johnson’s Bristol shower on Saturday, had given us that most dangerous of all feelings prior to our latest visit to the City Ground in Nottingham... hope!
Would Blacky stick with 4-4-2 formation that was so pleasing to watch on Saturday? Would he be able to do so with players like Del Geary, out on his feet after the hour and a half, non-stop stint he put in on Saturday and with another player needing a half time injection in that match.
Forest’s prices and the global downturn meant our smallest following for years arrived, to be greeted by the news that the gaffer had indeed stuck with exactly the same team from Saturday.
The 150th league goal of Robert Earnshaw's career, however, was enough to get all three points for our hosts, who started much quicker than we did and could have easily have been further ahead, as we seemed unable to defend their corners.
But, they didn't score again and the first half finished quietly, with the Blades coming into a game that was in need of a spark.
Darius Henderson's contentious dismissal 40 seconds into the second half provided just that, and a combination of abysmal refereeing and a home side killing time with their numerical advantage frustrated the travelling Blades.
We gave our hosts a 15-minute head start, during which their on-loan midfielder, Radoslaw Majewski, whipped in a series of vicious corners from the left-hand side, one of which Anderson reached first to flick on for Earnshaw to poke home from virtually the goal-line itself.
This early setback seemed to knock the Blades’ confidence, and it took quite some time for us to see our heroes cause Forest any concerns. Midway through the half, Geary left with an ankle injury and was replaced by Ward at right-back, with Quinn subbed on to left midfield.
After the break, referee Nigel Miller came into his own. He clearly couldn't wait to start on the 'Dirty Yorkshire Bastards', as the home supporters described us throughout the second half. Henderson saw red for at worst a yellow-card spat, then Yeates and Williamson saw yellow as Miller lost any grip of the game and respect from the players.
Yeates twice came close to equalising but saw his efforts go just wide as the spirited Blades battled the ref and the numerical disadvantage to look good value for an equaliser.
All the neutrals, and of course our hosts, will say it was deserved home win, and I suppose it wasn't a travesty for them to get three points, but a better and less ‘homer’ of a referee and more discretion from Hendo, however much provoked, might have seen us get a share of the spoils.
Ratings
Bunn 8 - Good
Geary 7 - Fine (Ward 8 – Inspired)
Bartley 9 - Class
The Nos 8 - Very good
Kallio 4 – Struggled
Monty 6 - All but a killer last ball
Williamson 8 - Very good
Yeates 7 - All but a killer last ball
Henderson 5 - Indiscipline
Camara 6 - Not his fault – he wasn't given the ball enough. See above
Cresswell 6 - Okay
Evans 8 - Very bright
