This is my first match report and, sitting here this morning, I'll be honest, I don't want to have to relive that ‘performance’ last night, but here goes.
The line-up
Left work at 4pm to struggle through the traffic to get up the M6 on time for a match I'm really looking forward to. My son and I take our seats and listen to the line up. No wingers?
The game kicks off, seems we are playing 4-3-3. Carson; Mattock, Tamas, Meite, Zuiverloon; Koren, Mulumbu, Dorrans; Cox, Bednar and Moore. Quite a decent start. Mattock puts in a lovely ball from the left and after a couple of rebounds Koren strikes, hits the bar and in. 1-0. It looks like we have got over Sunday’s shambles and are back on track.....then, the old Albion return, or should I say the old Albion defence!
Why oh why can’t we do the basics at times and just clear the ball? 1-1!
After the break
It's an end to end game. Finally Koren gets the ball, he shoots, their keeper fumbles it, through his legs, 2-1!
With about a minute to go it's all over. All the Villa chants ring round the ground. Just keep the ball and a week on Saturday we will surely have a sell out crowd for the quarter-final.
Then.......it happened. Zuiverloon, with time and space, instead of heading or chesting the ball decides to hit it first time and misses, the striker picks it up, hits the back of the net. 2-2!
Extra time
Even though it's less than 12 hours ago, it's a blur. All I remember is Mulumbu passing to Zuiverloon (who should have blasted it up the field) pass it straight back to Mulumbu who tried to clear, straight to one of their players, ball comes in the box. I must say it was a lovely strike. 3-2 and it’s all over!
On conclusion
Sorry if that’s a very bleak match report but I'm gutted. Last night there was only one winner...Albion, who weren't beaten by Reading (who did play some nice football at times) but beaten by themselves. Having been to the last 40 consecutive home games and 9 away games in that time, I feel I am in a good position to give a decent account of our current crop of players and I feel Meite, Zuiverloon and Mattock should not play another game. There are basics in football and these 3 don't know them. Harsh but true. Why we still own Moore is beyond me, let alone play him! At one point last night he was in the box and through on goal. What happened next reminded me of my school days in the 3-legged race with my mate Gavin Jones. We could see the finishing line, felt a last spurt from the 2 kids next to us, pushed a bit harder, then collapsed in a big heap on top of each other. Luke Moore has got a special talent of being able to do this on his own.
The only positives from last night are that "we can concentrate on the league". God I hate that term, but it's true. I thought Morrison looked ok on his return (can't help thinking though both him and Miller returned to early, but what do I know?) Mulumbu, Cox, Koren and Carson all had a good game in my opinion.
With a big game now on Saturday against Derby, I just hope Roberto can lift his players and get in two full backs before the end of the loan window as how it stands we can't drop Zuiverloon as we have no one to take his place.
I must apologise to the club for kicking and breaking the empty folded seat next to mine with my work issue steel toe capped boot, when Zuiverloon cost us the game, sorry.
Not happy today but will be there come Saturday supporting our lads.