Mark the blanket where the sparrows play

Rotherham United 0-0 Wycombe
TGAS

The first thing I thought when I approached the bizarre structure that is the Don Valley Stadium, is how much I missed Millmoor. Not something I thought I would ever say, but it’s true. The football phrase ‘corridor of uncertainty’ was born from the alley that used to take you down to the away end and it was a good attempt at a lower league ground. .

What’s worse than the Hayes dream of four and a half thousand fans rattling around in a 25,000 all-seater stadium? 3,471 fans rattling round in a twenty five thousand all-seater stadium - with a running track.

I essentially have three main problems with running tracks at football matches.

1) It takes me back to a painful childhood memory. Circa late 80s I ran in the final (that’s bigging it up somewhat as there were no heats or semi final) of the county 100m at our beloved Handy Cross. Winning after 5 metres I was duly swallowed up by the rest of the field, trailing in by at least 30 metres. It was at that point I realised I’d always have to model my game more on Teddy Sheringham than Tony Daley. 2) The other end of the pitch is almost impossible to see. 3) I wonder if the teams can even hear the supporters or if it makes it akin to a Sunday league kickabout on the Rye.

To be fair, the first half wasn’t much off the quality you would see in such a game, apart from two majestic pieces of play from arguably the two best players on show.

Firstly, the Doc feigning a clip up the line, waiting for the onrushing Reuben Reid to go airborne then dragging it back inside before scooping a pass forward, was worth the trip alone. The fact that Reid had to be carried off, potentially due more to embarrassment than injury, made it all the sweeter.

Secondly, Willo making a beeline for a ball that most centre backs would have left to go out of play by the corner flag. Not only did he drag it back into play, but then put in a couple of shimmies that Gupps would have been proud of, before delivering a first class cross. If only he could have got on the other end of it as well we might have actually looked like scoring.

Thankfully, this was as stereotypical a ‘game of two halves’ as you could get and the Blues came out looking like a different team in the second half. The travelling fans were also a different class, dropping the drone army fuelled and frankly pitiful attempts to rip into the Rotherham faithful, and replacing it with vociferous backing for the team. It worked.

Apart from a top draw save from the boy Shearer, it was Wycombe making most of the running and the introduction of Matt Phillips was certainly a catalyst in making our play somewhat more ‘entertaining’.

To be fair, Rotherham were trying to knock the ball around, although I got the impression they aren’t quite good enough to play that way yet. Our own ‘tidy’ midfielder Gary ‘I hope Gary Holt is happier now’ Holt was content to pump the ball up into the wind. Maybe some of the Rotherham players should have taken note, especially the defender who put Matt Harrold through on goal, with a better pass than we managed to find all day. Another bleedin’ obvious observation, I know, but dear Matt is no Robbie Fowler. I agree he does do a lot of fantastic work in the build up but he didn’t even look half confident of finishing this early Christmas present. I couldn’t help but feel that a certain sulky Northampton bound veteran would have mopped it up like a naan.

Another goal fest then, but still enjoyable. Fair play to our fans for making a fist at producing an atmosphere and fair play to the Millers faithful for even turning up to that woeful establishment.

One final thought - they obviously don’t think much of their football tenants seeing as they didn’t even turn the bloody scoreboard on for them. Maybe that would have saved a certain female roving reporter the embarrassment of giving the full time score as 0-1. Either that or in her head Harrold had finished his chance and we were still top of the league. I know that’s how it was in mine.

03.11.2008. 15:46

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