for Those Who Could not Attend

For Those Who Could Not Attend. Tuesday Jan 1 2019.
Visitors - Middlesborough
Referee :- Robert Jones
Crowd :- 28,123
Weather/Conditions. Cloudy, then bright and dry and a bit chilly.
Pitch Condition - Immaculate, as ever.
Team:-
Carson, Bogle, Keogh, Tomori, Wisdom
Evans, Wilson, Mount,
Marriott, Waghorn. Josefzoon

Subs. Nugent, Pearce, Lowe, Roos, Huddlestone
After our stunning and very important victory at Delia’s place, we should all be in a confident mood in spite of our poor record against ‘Boro. Another 3 points on the first day of 2019 would be just great and super start to the second half of the season.

As expected Frank kept the same starting XI and we continued to play in much the same manner, with the difference that we scored after just 90 seconds. On our first attack, Marriott played a beautiful pass into space for Wilson to collect. After a sublime first touch that took it way from their defence, but still under his control, he smashed a shot just inside Randolph’s near post. A really lovely goal and a shake up of Pulis’s team right from the start. Derby continued in this vein for 10 minutes or so until ‘Boro began to believe in themselves and exert some control over proceedings. They started to create a few chances which we defended or they contrived to squander and I think we were relieved to go in for half time at 1-0.

The second half continued in much the same way but with Derby still having good possession against a very physical ‘Boro, who clogged their way to some sort of superiority and with no protection from the referee, Robert Jones. One tackle (assault) by Savile on Marriott merited a red card but was allowed to pass with a mere yellow. Wilson too get battered. At one time our physio and doctor were on the field to attend to 3 consecutive injuries, purely due to the over-exuberant attentions of the Pulis team’s violence. Eventually the pressure yielded ‘Boro a goal. There was a cross from their left wing which no Derby player attempted to win and Hugil had the simplest of tasks to head beyond Carson. Apart from the lenience of the ref towards their rough tactics I suppose It has to be conceded the goal was deserved, and the ultimate result was a fair one. Late on Derby had better legs than ‘Boro and they looked likely to repeat their Norwich exploits and score a late winner. Nugent had a great chance but just could not avoid their keeper with his shot. One would have expected an experienced striker like Nugent to have kept his cool and slotted it in. I suppose if he had, we would have said Derby deserved their win. I also noticed how Frank in his post match RD interview did not criticise Nugent personally. A wise manager with his tongue well under control.

Who played well? All Derby players were good. We appear to have discovered a new left back in Wisdom. He had a very creditable game and put in some good crosses, any of which could have resulted in a goal. Bogle was good and our two central defenders - except for not meeting their cross that led to Bore’s goal. I think it was just between the two and neither saw it as their ball to meet. Evans was great in midfield and Wilson is now shading Mount imho, well though Mount played. Don’t know if he was marked out of it or is just a bit below par. Waghorn had a good game. Marriott was a handful all match and was the sponsor’s MOTM. Josefzoon was improved and needs to keep his place. Holmes when he came on for 25 minutes was very impressive. He has to be starting I think. Nugent tried hard as always but oh… that miss. What a difference that would have made. ‘Boro were a big, well organised and brutal and boring set up and in the end to get a draw was a good result. Thank goodness we don’t have to watch that kind of football every week. If only the referee (who gave 2 yellows to Boro and none to Derby players), had done his job properly? Savile deserved a straight red, I and many others thought.