A match that toyed with the heartstrings of our supporters with us going behind, coming back to take the lead, hitting the bar then conceding an added time equaliser. Life certainly isn’t easy being a Lions fan 
They dominated the first 10 minutes without looking threatening until Bart spilled a shot. I thought he had time to reclaim the ball but Cooper took responsibility andvrather than put it out for a corner or throw-in tried to whack it upfield only for it to hit one of their players and rebound into the goal
We came into the game in the next ten minutes and equalised when de Norre retrieved a corner, centred, Tom (I think) flicked on and Zian headed home. Things were looking promising but slowly they began to dominate possession with the ball almost permanently in our half for the last 25 minutes.
We had big problems! We were being ripped apart down the right, primarily because of BNC being caught ball watching and the wrong side of the player he should be marking. On the left, we were being undone by simple 1-2s (I mentioned this on Tuesday) and Cooper’s distribution was appalling. Goal aside, there were 2 other poor passes that lead to them being anchored in and around and only a brilliant reflex side
by Bart prevented us going behind
Although we had been dominated they looked vulnerable to set pieces and I felt optimistic we could get something out of the game
The 2nd half was a totally proposition. There was no obvious change of formation but suddenly we were in the ascendancy. They were struggling to create anything and gradually we pinned them back. Eventually, after a couple of near misses Wes headed home Saville’s corner to put us 2-1 up. They were gone and if another effort had rebounded from the bar over the line it would have been game, set and match. Unfortunately, it didn’t and after Billy got caught in possession they worked a 1-2 down our right, not defended by BNC, crossed and headed their equaliser
We flashed another centre across their box but that was it. 2-2: perhaps a fair result but gutting.
Player Assessments.
Bart: One brilliant reflex save towards the end of the first half but culpable for their first, shaky all game, over-reliance on punching (that he didn’t do well) and nearly gave away another goal when he dwelt on a clearance. We need Sarkic back ASAP.
Danny: Difficult first half but improved greatly in the 2nd. Encouraging performance.
Wes: Continues to shine and is here to stay. Got caught in possession twice (recovered once brilliantly), scored our second and set an example to the rest of the team. I’d like to see him made captain.
Cooper: I think he’s becoming a liability. Must take equal blame with Bart for their first goal and several misplaced passes caused us problems. Created them problems at set pieces but I honestly think a spell on the bench might get him to buck his ideas up.
Wallace: Typical Murray performance. Up against a tricky opponent and given little support by Honeyman but stuck to his task well and didn’t let us down.
BNC: I wonder if when Tyler left they transplanted his brain into BNC. Threatening but holds onto the ball too long. Constantly caught out of position in the first half but improved in the second. Unfortunately, his lapse of concentration late in the game contributed to their equaliser. Must learn when to unload the ball in attacking situations and defend 1-2s.
De Norre: Typical Casper performance but not as effective as normal mostly due to teammates poor positioning.
Saville: Strange game. Apart from his corner that lead to Wes’s goal didn’t do anything outstanding but somehow held the team together.
Honeyman: Poor. Probably unfit and hooked off not before time.
Longman: An improvement on Honeyman and went close with a shot from outside the box.
Flemming: One of his better games. Scored, went close twice and linked well with teammates. Still too lackadaisical giving the ball away several times with Jed like blind flicks.
Tom: This bloke’s a warrior. He offers much more upfront than some give him credit for, very often without a teammate within 20 yards.
Nesbit: Not on long enough to make a contribution.
Billy: Why he came on instead of Campbell is totally beyond me. Touched the ball circa 6 times, got caught in possession 4 times, one of which was the start of the buildup to their equaliser. Billy is not a Championship player and I can see him going the same way as Thommo
AB: I liked his starting selection and 4-4-2. Don’t know what he said to the team at half time but it certainly worked. Mistake to replace De Norre with Billy. But he didn’t do himself any harm today.
Nearly forgot: Our support, magnificent. Only criticism, I had to stand the entire game with an injured knee
They dominated the first 10 minutes without looking threatening until Bart spilled a shot. I thought he had time to reclaim the ball but Cooper took responsibility andvrather than put it out for a corner or throw-in tried to whack it upfield only for it to hit one of their players and rebound into the goal
We came into the game in the next ten minutes and equalised when de Norre retrieved a corner, centred, Tom (I think) flicked on and Zian headed home. Things were looking promising but slowly they began to dominate possession with the ball almost permanently in our half for the last 25 minutes.
We had big problems! We were being ripped apart down the right, primarily because of BNC being caught ball watching and the wrong side of the player he should be marking. On the left, we were being undone by simple 1-2s (I mentioned this on Tuesday) and Cooper’s distribution was appalling. Goal aside, there were 2 other poor passes that lead to them being anchored in and around and only a brilliant reflex side
by Bart prevented us going behindAlthough we had been dominated they looked vulnerable to set pieces and I felt optimistic we could get something out of the game
The 2nd half was a totally proposition. There was no obvious change of formation but suddenly we were in the ascendancy. They were struggling to create anything and gradually we pinned them back. Eventually, after a couple of near misses Wes headed home Saville’s corner to put us 2-1 up. They were gone and if another effort had rebounded from the bar over the line it would have been game, set and match. Unfortunately, it didn’t and after Billy got caught in possession they worked a 1-2 down our right, not defended by BNC, crossed and headed their equaliser
We flashed another centre across their box but that was it. 2-2: perhaps a fair result but gutting.
Player Assessments.
Bart: One brilliant reflex save towards the end of the first half but culpable for their first, shaky all game, over-reliance on punching (that he didn’t do well) and nearly gave away another goal when he dwelt on a clearance. We need Sarkic back ASAP.
Danny: Difficult first half but improved greatly in the 2nd. Encouraging performance.
Wes: Continues to shine and is here to stay. Got caught in possession twice (recovered once brilliantly), scored our second and set an example to the rest of the team. I’d like to see him made captain.
Cooper: I think he’s becoming a liability. Must take equal blame with Bart for their first goal and several misplaced passes caused us problems. Created them problems at set pieces but I honestly think a spell on the bench might get him to buck his ideas up.
Wallace: Typical Murray performance. Up against a tricky opponent and given little support by Honeyman but stuck to his task well and didn’t let us down.
BNC: I wonder if when Tyler left they transplanted his brain into BNC. Threatening but holds onto the ball too long. Constantly caught out of position in the first half but improved in the second. Unfortunately, his lapse of concentration late in the game contributed to their equaliser. Must learn when to unload the ball in attacking situations and defend 1-2s.
De Norre: Typical Casper performance but not as effective as normal mostly due to teammates poor positioning.
Saville: Strange game. Apart from his corner that lead to Wes’s goal didn’t do anything outstanding but somehow held the team together.
Honeyman: Poor. Probably unfit and hooked off not before time.
Longman: An improvement on Honeyman and went close with a shot from outside the box.
Flemming: One of his better games. Scored, went close twice and linked well with teammates. Still too lackadaisical giving the ball away several times with Jed like blind flicks.
Tom: This bloke’s a warrior. He offers much more upfront than some give him credit for, very often without a teammate within 20 yards.
Nesbit: Not on long enough to make a contribution.
Billy: Why he came on instead of Campbell is totally beyond me. Touched the ball circa 6 times, got caught in possession 4 times, one of which was the start of the buildup to their equaliser. Billy is not a Championship player and I can see him going the same way as Thommo
AB: I liked his starting selection and 4-4-2. Don’t know what he said to the team at half time but it certainly worked. Mistake to replace De Norre with Billy. But he didn’t do himself any harm today.
Nearly forgot: Our support, magnificent. Only criticism, I had to stand the entire game with an injured knee
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