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| My View At Hillsborough |
Saturday took us down the road to Sheffield 6 to face our local and relegation rivals Sheffield Wednesday, and once again we left that particular stadium feeling a little hard done by.
The Reds lined up with Bobby Hassell at centre half, Jim O'Brien shook off a training ground injury to start on the wing, and there were recalls up front for both Chris Dagnall and Marlon Harewood.
Wednesday gave home debuts to loan recruits Seyi Olifinjana and Stuart Holden, but there was no place in the matchday squad for fellow loanee Steve Howard, with Dave Jones preferring Gary Madine up top alongside Leroy Lita.
The first half passed by without much incident. It was largely forgettable if I'm honest, but it was clear that both sides were a little cagey in what was a big game in the battle to retain Championship status.
Wednesday's usual direct tactics caused problems for Hassell and keeper Luke Steele once or twice, but the Reds were also hitting too many high balls for my liking, only sporadically getting it down on the deck - which did create one or two opportunities that first O'Brien and then Harewood wasted when well-placed.
I was satisfied however, to go in at the break level. I anticipated a more forceful approach from us after the break, and expected some of the Wednesday players to tire after an hour or so. But for that to happen, we had to get the ball down and play..
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| Llera kept Daggers quiet |
The Reds did start better in the second half. Playmaker Jacob Mellis switched sides with O'Brien and began to grow into the game. Some of his passing was exceptional. He looked the most likely player on the pitch to ignite this rather drab affair.
Unfortunately, the physical nature of the opposition didn't fit well with our desires. We'd get it forward with neat football, but to be fair to the Owls they'd get a robust challenge in to thwart us, and bang - the ball would be launched towards our own box.
Indeed, I expected Madine in particular to eventually profit. Tom Kennedy was struggling to find players at left back, with Olifinjana snuffing out several poorly placed passes, but Hassell and central defensive partner Martin Cranie were equally adept at finding themselves in the right positions to avert any possible danger.
David Flitcroft blinked first, bringing on youngster Reuben Noble-Lazarus in place of the ineffective O'Brien, and he was soon joined by Jason Scotland, arriving as Dagnall's replacement.
The changes nearly worked instantly.
Veteran Scotland should have done better from inside the box, but fired a shot straight at Chris Kirkland in the Owls goal. And a minute or two later it was fellow sub Noble-Lazarus this time testing the Wednesday stopper with a vicious strike from 25 yards that was moving in the air but not enough to deter the former Liverpool keeper who turned the ball over the crossbar with strong hands.
It was a terrific stop, and a turning point.
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| Madine bundles home the opener |
A few minutes later and poor marking from a Wednesday throw in allowed Lewis Buxton to get in behind Kennedy, and his inviting cross was met by Madine who bundled the ball home, in off the Reds far post.
It wasn't the first time we'd been done with a sucker punch at S6...
Heads dropped in Barnsley red, whilst Wednesday heads grew in confidence.
The Owls made it 2-0 when a nothing ball was curled over into Steele's area, the Reds keeper failing to make it his, Scott Wiseman losing Reda Johnson and the Owls left back headed home under no pressure for his 6th goal of the season and to kill off the Reds hopes of a comeback.
It could have been 3-0 soon after. The referee bizarrely deciding that Hassell's face counted as an arm, awarding the home side the most generous of penalties. Fortunately for us, Madine placed the spot kick into the Kop rather than Steele's goal.
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| Mellis smacks home a consolation |
This was then evened up slightly, as the ref then booked Buxton for encroachment at a Reds free kick. Very harsh, as it was the right backs second yellow and off he went to run the bath for his teammates.
It was then all Tarn for the last 10 minutes, and a lovely right foot finish from the corner of the box by Mellis left Kirkland with no chance, and the Reds with slight hopes of a lifeline.
It wasn't to be however.
A late chance for Wiseman unmarked went begging, and the linesman was flagging anyway..
Another defeat at Hillsborough, to add to the other 5 I'd seen over the last 20 plus years...
It was back to Oakwell 48 hours later as we entertained playoff chasing Leicester City on a very cold and windy Easter Monday.
Flitcroft made 3 changes - Stephen Dawson made his long-awaited return from injury to start in midfield, and Chris O'Grady joined Scotland up top after sitting out the game against his parent club.
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| Dawson was back |
It was an exhilarating Reds display, first half especially. And we were in front after just 4 minutes - a fabulous raid down the right by Wiseman, leaving Paul Konchesky for dead, was followed up by a brilliant cross that was hooked into his own goal by Michael Keane, with O'Grady lurking..
It was nearly two soon after - O'Grady combining well with Scotland and the Trinidadian blasted past Kasper Schmeichel only to see it ruled out for a dubious offside call.
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| O'Grady applies the finish |
2-0 did arrive just before the break when once more the combination of O'Grady and Scotland bore fruit, this time the former applying the finish, and this time not to be denied by a linesman.
The Reds didn't let up after the break - a missed penalty (Scotland) and a second goal ruled out (Perkins) for offside.
The performances of Wiseman, O'Grady and Hassell in particular were fantastic. But in all honesty each player played their part in a terrific victory, and a vital one when once again other results hardly favoured us..
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| Mellis and Knockaert |
So a weekend of festivities, and 3 points from 6.
A good haul? On the face of it, I'd say yes.
We still have it all to do, with tough trips to Crystal Palace and Cardiff to come next. But I'd be surprised if we're unable to get another 7 or 8 points, which I think should be enough to guarantee survival.
The home games with Charlton, Derby and Hull look key in my opinion.
If we maintain the stunning home form shown under 'Flicker' I reckon we'll be fine. And what an achievement that would be...
Up The Tarn!
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| Chris O'Grady Is A Red... |
