An
absolutely gutted Sower approached me 'half way down the stairs' at
half time yesterday and shared one of his pearls with me, 'Sausage'
he said, 'You know these days the match is a fuckin' interruption
on a great day out!' Sadly, how very true that is.
We had assembled early doors at the BK lounge, in the company of Brian
Harris who is 69 tomorrow - Happy Birthday Brian, full of the joys
of the last game of the season. The fans were definitely up for it,
the game was a sell out, we were more than due a performance after
the shite which was dished up in the last home game against Blackburn
and the second half performance at Wolves and we were hoping that
the lads would repay us in some small way for what we have suffered
in what has been a very poor campaign.
The party atmosphere was beginning to flow along with the Stella,
we laughed at Ruud missing his pen and at the faces on the Manc's
when they realised that it was only 3rd place for them this year,
only 3rd place! Fuckin' Hell, we'd die for third place and they consider
it failure - how times have changed.
The team news brought mixed reaction, Big Dunc was back but at the
expense of The Rad, sometimes Moyesy has you baffled, it's as though
on occassions this season he has found one of Walter's old manual's
- will it be 5 at the back next so we don't lose to City? There was
also the news that refereeing for the penultimate time in the Premiership
was Paul Durkin, a man who has a long hatered for our club and would
not give us the steam of his shit, not that we would want it. He's
48 now and we will be glad to see the back of him, yesterday proved
no exception!
We started brightly enough with Osman playing in the centre of midfield,
he looked lively as did Wayne & McFadden, Bolton looked lively
too but then they should being the form team in the Premiership and
a side littered with medal winners.
It was Everton who should have drawn first blood when Watto created
a chance for Big Dunc but the ball fell just behind him and he could
quite hook it in and it flew just wide. But shortly afterwards Bolton
missed a great chance when Pedersen put wide when it looked easier
to score, it didn't take long before Bolton did go ahead & what
a comedy of errors it was. A misplaced pass by McFadden was won back
only for Yobo to again mispass, this time Nolan seized on it and played
Djorkaeff in, there didn't seem much danger as both Hibbo and Davy
Weir were covering him as he cut in from the edge of the box, he fell
to the floor on being tackled, somehow got up and poked the ball past
Big Nige. It was a steal, good determination and quality but he should
never have got past both defenders. Oh shit, here we go again, up
against it, would we come out fighting? Would we fuck.
We were booed off by many at half time because our response was laboured
and poor, they bossed midfield and were running riot up front our
only effort was a long range one from Wayne which fizzed wide. Moyesy
needed to work miracles at the break if we were to get back into this.
A small bit of fortune came his way - Pisto fancied an early end to
his season, another trip home, he collapsed in agony after jumping
for a header and a stretcher and SIX St John's ambulance crew were
called for. I near pissed meself when Sandro lying there in supposed
agony, removes his headband restyles his hair then replaces the headband
whilst lying on his back receiving attention. The stretcher was not
needed but the Italian (who most have lost faith with long ago) did
not reappear for the second 45.
HALF TIME 0 - 1
It was no surprise to see The Rad come on for Pisto but it
WAS a surprise to see Harry Hill coming on for Nyarko, not that the
man who loves the blue shirt had done well in the first half it is
just that Carsley had been shite at Wolves - he continued where he
left off last week. The main change was dropping Wayne back into midfield,
he ran the show for us and with the pace of The Rad we suddenly looked
a different team. Watto slotted in a right back and had the desired
effect on McFadden who suddenly caused all kinds of problems.
Half chances fell to Carsley with a header, a great move which ended
in The Rad hitting the post and a volley from Osman which went wide,
we were on top and the goal looked sure to come, it did and it was
a belter.
From a throwin Rooney set The Rad off down the right, he burnt off
a couple, put in Osman who crossed from the right and Big Dunc thumped
it into the Street End - cue celebrations - now go on and win it.
Now we always knew we would be up against it with Durkin but he came
up with an absolute beauty which had the whole ground puzzled.
Big Dunc was through on goal and wash brought down just inside the
penalty box by Thome, so the result is penalty and a red card, right?
Wrong! Indirect free kick for a pass back! Unbelievable and total
Bollocks! Needless to say we did not benefit, they had 10 men on the
line and Djorkaeff pissing about near the ball with Durkin allowing
him to get away with it - Wayne smashed the free kick into the bodies
and the danger was gone.
Everton were the better team in the second half, just as Bolton had
been in the first and we did not deserve to lose this game but somehow
we did. With just 3 mins remaining we allowed their fullback, Charlton,
to get to the byline past two defenders and cross for Djorkaeff to
score his second from a tap in which somehow went between Watto and
Big Nige - cue bring on Kevin Campbell (the only No.9 in the Premiership
who has not scored a single goal in any competition this season!).
We were done for, they kept the ball and time ran out.
The players & staff led by Moyesy trooped around the pitch in
a lap of dishonour, Moyesy clapping what was left of the crowd whilst
shaking his head in apology. Fuck knows where we go form here, oh
yes to Man City of course, but what will we see? If we tighten up
at the back and play the second half side maybe, just maybe they will
sign off with a win at City, at this rate I doubt it very much - thank
God we are safe - for now!
Blue Kipper Star Man contenders were Wayne, The Rad, Hibbo & Joey,
I gave it to The Rad as his introduction changed things totally in
the second half, he hit the post, made the equalizer & caused
endless trouble with his pace (if only his brain worked as fast).
So it was off then to the BK Lounge for some snap, comedian Frankie
Allen (who said if he offended anyone they can 'Fuck Off'), some quality
Kipperites singing Kareoke and copious Stellas into the early hours.
What a pity the team can't gives us something to celebrate?
