One Step Closer to Playoffs
It is that stage of the season where results are everything and performance are little. I actually thought we played pretty well for most of the match although we did tend to try to walk the ball in by being over elaborate. Blackburn rarely threatened and the first half was better than most this year with CC going 433 from the start although playing Joao wide left & FF through the middle. This meant that we saw less of Joao's blistering pace but he did magnificently tracking back and making BM10 ineffective.
Our attacks tended to fall down. Hunt (again) couldn't deliver the final ball, Lee seemed to be scared of shooting, FF wasn't quite at it and it just didn't happen for Hooper near goal.
We got a jolt as Blackburn scored within seconds of the second half starting when Hunt dallied and allowed Conway a free header - their only effort on target all night. We fortunately equalised within minutes when Wallace's cross shot was deflected over the keeper to level.
Conway was given a red card after jumping in on Lopez and we upped the pressure. FF made great use of Westwood's long punt, left BM10 on his backside & squared for Wallace to score the winner. FF made the goal but Wallace, Joao & Hooper all got in the box to give him options.
After that it was one way traffic and just a question of whether we would score more. Hooper missed two chances. Nuhiu missed two chances. McGeady hit the bar. Joao was a threat and FF tricked & teased.
We lost Loovens to a first half injury after he intervened to stop BM10 after Pudil was easily tricked. Sasso proved an able deputy on the night but it is no coincidence that the clean sheets have come with Loovens return to the side.
Westwood - 6
Hunt - 6
Lees - 7
Loovens - 7
Pudil - 7
Lee - 7
Lopez - 8
Wallace - 7
Hooper - 6
FF - 7
Joao - 7
........................
Sasso - 7
McGeady - 7
Nuhiu - 7
Stat Attack:
Goals: 1 - Wallace, OG
Assists: 1 - Wallace, Hooper, FF
Touches: 68 - Wallace, Lee, 61 - Pudil, Lopez, 60 - FF, 55 - Hunt, 53 - Joao, 51 - Lees, 44 - Hooper, 40 - Westwood, 25 - Sasso, 18 - Nuhiu, 16 - McGeady, 11 - Loovens
Tackles: 2 - FF, McGeady, 1 - Hunt, Lees, Pudil, Wallace, Lopez, Lee, Sasso
Interceptions: 3 - Lees, 2 - Wallace, 1 - Hunt, Pudil, Lopez, Lee, Joao, Hooper, Sasso
Clearances: 13 - Lees, 5 - Joao, 4 - Pudil, 3 - Sasso, 2 - Hunt, 1 - Loovens, Wallace, Lee
Attempts: 4 - FF, 3 - Wallace, Joao, 2 - Nuhiu, 1 - Pudil, Lopez, Hooper, Sasso, McGeady
Attempts On Target: 3 - Wallace, 1 - Pudil, Lopez, Hooper
Key Passes: 4 - FF, 3 - Hooper, 2 - Hunt, Wallace, Lee, 1 - Lopez
Dribbles: 4 - Joao, 3 - Hooper, 2 - Lee, Nuhiu, 1 - Loovens, FF
Dispossessed: 2 - Lee, Joao, FF, Nuhiu, 1 - Hunt, Hooper, McGeady
Bad Control: 4 - Hooper, 3 - Lee, Joao, FF, 2 - Nuhiu,
Crosses (Accurate in brackets): 10 - Wallace (2), 6 - Hunt (1), 4 - Pudil (2), 3 - McGeady (0), 2 - Lopez (0), 1 - Lee (0), FF (0)
Passing Accuracy (Total Passes in Brackets):
Lee - 94% (54), Sasso - 90% (19), Nuhiu - 89% (9), Wallace - 88% (49), Loovens - 86% (7), Hooper - 84% (31), Lopez - 84% (55), FF - 80% (45) Joao - 78% (32), Lees - 78% (32), Hunt - 77% (41), McGeady - 67% (9), Westwood - 53% (32)
Saturday will be tougher with Bristol City having plenty to play for but we have that ability to keep winning so no reason to be anything but confident.
The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.
