Shots Galore, But No Goals....

By CCFC Sid
September 6 2003

15,377 turned up for CCFC's opening game of the season - which included the glorious site of a full West Terrace! Other areas of the ground that were once filled were not, so presumably some fans that left Highfield Road disgruntled last season don't believe the CCFC revolution is about to start....

The ball spent the majority of the match on the floor, with both teams playing football the way it should be played in what was a very entertaining match. This wasn't quite `The Alamo', but the majority of the match was played in the Walsall half, and for the third match versus Walsall in a row, neither side managed to find the others' net.

New signing Steve Staunton made his CCFC debut only a day after being signed, but gave a display alongside Mo Konjic that looked as if they had been defensive partners for years. SS's every touch was booed by Walsall fans (Rumours that Colin Lee also joined in are unproved!), having opted to join CCFC over them, but this didn't affect his display. If he carries on like this, he might just be forgiven for being an ex-Villain!

CCFC started brightly, and Suffo shot just wide after 9 minutes following a great bit of skill. Barrett back-heeled an effort just wide after a great CCFC passing move on 20 minutes, and in between those efforts, a foul on McAllister had been ignored and the ball bounced dangerously into the Walsall penalty area, where Walker managed to clear ahead of the advancing Adebola.

Safri was harshly booked after 26 minutes, being found guilty of the crime of winning the ball fairly, and at this point in my notes I actually wrote that I didn't expect him to stay on the pitch for the entire 90 minutes - and so it proved. On 76 minutes he was sent off for an alleged dive, and even Walsall boss Colin Lee disagreed with the decision. There were far worse challenges from Walsall players than the one that earned Safri his first yellow, yet they went unpunished. This includes an off-the-ball kick at Doyle, right in front of the referee's assistant - I thought that was a straight red card offence? - which he completely ignored. He wasn't even booked....

Staunton and Suffo also missed efforts late on in the first half, and, almost on the stroke of half-time, Whing got his foot on the end of what seemed like a totally lost cause, and almost caught Walker out with a cross-come-shot (Quite obviously intended as there wasn't a CCFC player inside the penalty area).

The second half continued where the first half left off, with Adebola missing a glorious chance on 46 minutes, a Suffo cross almost catching Walker out on 48 minutes, and a Konjic blast well saved on 49 minutes. CCFC were awarded a penalty after 55 minutes after Suffo was fouled in the area, but McAllister, normally as deadly from the spot as Van Nistelrooy, emulated the Dutchman's effort of last week by missing. A minute later McAllister missed another effort too, and a daisy-cutter free-kick, which crept under the Walsall, wall was kept out by Walker on 58 minutes.

After 66 minutes Walsall finally had a shot on goal, which unsurprisingly came from the fairly subdued Paul Merson.

Morrell headed a great Doyle cross over the bar when he should have at least hit the target on 66 minutes, and a Barrett effort was saved by Walker on 68 minutes. A Warnock cross was headed just over by Suffo on 70 minutes, and you sensed that, with CCFC failing to take their chances, Walsall might just snatch the points.

Morrell was tripped just inside the penalty area on 73 minutes, but appeals for a second penalty were wrongly ignored, and a minute later Suffo picked out the keeper rather than the net after advancing past the last Walsall defender. A Staunton free-kick was head just wide after 80 minutes, as the match became a re-run of CCFC's home match against Forest last season. Chance, after chance, after chance, going begging....

Though there were plenty of positives from today's match (Hardly a bad performance on the pitch, and the ball - unlike last season - actually making it into the opposition penalty area), but the biggest negative for me was the performance of McAllister. Not just for the penalty miss, and his 86th minute miss - where he failed to even test Walker in the Walsall goal after being put through - but for his entire performance, which was below what I would expect from him. He seemed so far off the pace, and I would have taken him off, and put Jorgensen on for the last 15 minutes.