Sat Oct 09, 2010 9:43 pm
Burton have only been in the top tier league for only 3 seasons while their opponents Wycombe not much longer. The visitors have had some high profile managers such as Laurie Sanchez, Martin O'Neil and Tony Adams while the home side also known as the Pilgrims have been privileged with the famous name of Clough, son Nigel in this case, as their boss. Today 09/10/10 3,044 lovers of football attended this game of which I was one of them.
I took my seat in the ground known as the Pirelli Stadium 40 minutes before KO. I wanted to get that feeling again of what it was like watching football in the dungeon leage. The venue had four separate stands, that is separated from each other not joined like the new bowl places we are seeing taking over our clubs. Three of the stands were your old traditional 20 step standing platforms with crash barrier while the fourth stand was seating. The seating stand that ran along one of the throwin lines was I found unique. Unique is the way it seated home fans to the left side and middle and away fans to the right. Also the standing stand next to the away seating fans obviously was where the standing visiting guys stood. Adding to the picture I am trying to describe here the middle seating part was today occupied by a few Derby fans, one QPR fan, a Leicester supporter and a well known Bluebird.
I really took to this place and what I like about this small pad was its corners because there were none. As you looked at the corners you could see the distant countryside and it made for a peaceful scenary. However this does has its bad points in the fact that a slight breeze and you felt the cold. Today was fairly mild but I felt that breeze so what will it be like come nasty January/February weather? At least our souless bowl we dont have that problem.
Anyway back to the game and as I took my seat the players of both sides were out doing their warmups. I took particular interest in the Wycombe players as there was one guy that caught my attenion. I was impressed with this guy in the way he ackowledged the visiting supporters. As both sides left the field to prepare for the KO this guy was the last off the pitch applauding the seated away fans this time and what a laud clap he had. It was then I noticed he had forearms like the Incredible Hulk as he actually shook hands with some of his supporters. He had scraggy long hair which made it easy for me to see who he was as I looked for him in the programme. It then clicked why he caught my attention as it was Gary Ainsworth ex Cardiff midfielder. I was just about to watch the Man of the Match.
The game got underway with the visitors attacking the home end and literally thats where all the play stayed until the last kick of the first half. Now Wycombe had been relegated last season while Burton were still feeling their way in this matrix system. The first half showed the difference in experience as Wycombe totally dominated. Ainsworth played down the right wing and for a 37 year old he still had his pace. He was causing havoc for the home side and every chance created came from his department. However his strikers were not helping out much so he decided to take a chance himself and powered a 30 yard drive into the top left hand corner of the Burton goal after 16 minutes. I think I have witnessed the goal of the season.
It was a joy to watch the way the Wycombe outfit outplayed their hosts. They played delightful football on the ground and broke the Burton defence time and time again. When they decided to use a plan B and that being the high ball they seemed to win everything and the flick ons just seemed to be going like a magnet to an on running Wycombe striker. Such was their pressure that on the 41 minute they were awarded a free kick 25 yards out and directly in front of the goal after a desperate tackle from a Burton defender. From the free kick a "slow time floated curling shot" was palmed into the net by the Burton keeper. He should have done better but it was what the visitors deserved, a 2-0 lead.
The home crowd where quiet as expected and the away support sang all the way through the half. The noise coming from the away end to my right was boisterious as it should be as their team were delivering a perfect performance with their keeper having to do nothing. However that changed just before half time as Burton finally produced an attack down the left wing that saw the cross fall to an oncoming strkier who coaught it first time. The ball was destined for the net but the Wycombe goalkeeper who had not much to do up to then produced the save of the game. Perhaps that was a sign of what the second half was going to give us.
Indeed the second half started with a difference. Burton attacked straight off and looked like they meant business. They caught Wycombe cold and from a route one ball from their half that was chested down by their centre forward to an oncoming Burton player who pacey shot basically surprised the Wycombe goalkeeper as he watch the ball go into the net.
From the restart Burton attacked down both wings and created enough chances to equalise. One cross from the right caused a goalmouth scramble that saw a shot leaving the Wycombe keeper stranded. Fortunately for him the ball hit the post and rebounded into his arms. That was in the first 5 minutes and all the hard work Wycombe did in the first half was nearly undone in 5 frantic minutes of the second half.
Under Ainsworth leadership, he was the Wycombe captain, they got back into the game. They managed to reduce Bruton to hufifng and puffing for the equaliser but created the best chances themselves. As Burton pushed for their second goal Ainsworth sorted his defence out and got his midfield to attack on the break. This tactic seemed to work as they created the better chances from then on. One chance resulting in a curling shot hitting the Burton goalpost.
As the game came to an end it was Wycombe who looked like scoring. Burton tried but ran out of ideas. The referee vlew his whistle for full time with the score at Burton 1 Wycombe 2. The cheer from the travelling support was load and richly deserved for the Wycombe team with Ainsworth my man of the match.
Summing up: I am so pleased I decide off the cuff to go to this game. It made me realise or should I say remind me where the backbone of our beloved sport lies. The atmosphere was great and the football enjoyable to watch. I would say with confidence that was the best game I have seen this season so far. Now am I saying that because I was a neutral there so being relaxed unlike when I watch my beloved Cardiff where I am sucking the ball into the oppoments net? Possible but whatever the reason without doubt today I saw where the love of football has its roots.