CCFC's Christmas Turkeys Get Stuffed!

By CCFC Sid
December 27 2004

As I get older, the pile of Christmas presents gets ever smaller, so I don't ask for much these days, just three points on Boxing Day. Well, b*ll*cks to you Santa, I won't bother behaving next year if you can't deliver that simple request....

A decent enough crowd of just over 21,000 turned up at Highfield Road (Though Boxing Day did used to be a sell-out), with probably around 17,500 supporting CCFC. Sadly, the `stayaways' that turn up once or twice a season won't be back after this display - and from some of the moans heard after the match, it seems some of the regulars are considering staying away until Reid and/or McGinnity are gone too.

For some reason Michael Doyle replaced Isaac Osbourne, with Osbourne not even making the 16 - why not? (Having seen IO at half-time, he didn't look particularly injured, unless he's having bladder problems, as he was asking where the toilets were when I saw him!). Adie Williams also replaced Shaw, despite last weekends clean sheet. What's that old adage? Never change a winning side? I'm sure Peter Reid know's what he's doing, as our journey to the play-offs come May will show....

CCFC lost, but it could have been so different had CCFC taken their early chances - big yawn. From then on, only Steele, McSheffrey, and one or two other were worthy of the Sky Blue shirt supporters wear with pride....

Stern John should have had a hat-trick or more inside the first half hour, but his audacious flick from a McSheffrey cross (12 minutes) was just over the bar; he then aimed a soft penalty in the absolute (Rather than general) direction of Bennett in the SU goal; he scored after 18 minutes; and produced possibly his finest moment in a CCFC shirt so far (Not a particularly long video!), going on a dazzling run, but watching his effort strike a post and bounce out to safety on 27 minutes. Nuts!

The penalty award had been soft, and a far more `stick-on' penalty should have been awarded after 16 minutes when Adebola seemed to be fouled in the area. John's chance to make amends from the spot (Or yet again pick out the opposition 'keeper with a back-pass (Having also done this versus Ipswich)) was denied by the linesman, who stuck his flag firmly between his legs - I don't think this was quite what the home crowd were suggesting he do with his it....

Much like last years fixture against the same side, there did appear to be two sets of rules - one for each side. Fouling CCFC's 'keeper was deemed acceptable, and so came about one of Sheffield United's goals - much to the total disgust of Luke Steele. Some of the SU defending, as in attempts at stopping CCFC players, would have looked more at home in a wrestling ring too, while Dele Adebola was frequently guilty of .... well .... just being Dele Adebola. This seemed enough to make the referee blow his whistle and award a free-kick to the away side. As a result, CCFC's most consistent performer over the last few games, was quiet.

The time-wasting antics of last year were also repeated, while Morgan managed to avoid a yellow card, despite being involved in three incidents in five minutes (Though was finally booked soon after). I'm still waiting for `these things to balance themselves out'....

With goal number one from SU coming from a poor CCFC clearance, goal number two was down to some bad luck AND poor defending. An SU corner had been dealt with well by CCFC, but, having passed the ball in the direction of Stern John, it failed to reach him/he failed to be urgent enough to claim it, and within seconds Steele was picking the ball out the back of the CCFC net. Defeat from the jaws of victory again....?

The home crowd, who had managed at one point to turn Highfield Road into a proper stadium momentarily by backing their side very loudly (It brought a tear to the eye!), were silent - as they were during the half-time entertainment when the compere shouted: `let's have a win!' It's as if CCFC supporters knew they wouldn't get anything from the match having fell behind....

What was said at half-time only the players know, but, judging by the second half display, it must have been something along the lines of: `as you're about to pass the ball, close your eyes and see if you can still pick out one of your own players' - it was dire stuff (Again), and somehow made the performance versus Watford look almost decent.

The first 10 minutes were totally dis-jointed from CCFC, with a McSheffrey free-kick on 50 minutes (Straight to the SU wall) summing up CCFC's second half display. Laville, supposed to be Bolton's finest (And only with CCFC to gain match fitness), and Williams, rated as one of the best central defenders in the division, were absolutely abysmal.

McSheffery did his best to at least gain a point for CCFC, though SU should have put CCFC supporters out of their misery way before 4.50, spurning chance after chance to add to their score.

Steele will know doubt be blamed for one or both of the goals, by CCFC supporters who either love or hate certain players (Steele, John, Doyle, McSheffrey), though once again he made some superb stops throughout this match (With notable saves in the 55th minute, as an SU player was left totally unmarked at the back post, and in the 63rd minute, getting down well to save from a free-kick). And on the only occasion that he was beaten in the second half, the post came to his rescue.

Wood replaced the anonymous (Since the 30th minute) Stern John, though rather than replacing a striker with a striker, Reid pushed McSheffrey forward instead (A strange decision, as McSheffrey looks to be growing into the left midfield/wing position). Within a matter of minutes, Wood, who already seems to be becoming a target for CCFC boo-boys, probably wished somebody else had been called upon.

Soon after, Johnson replaced the ineffective Morrell, and it is now time for Reid to make a decision about the former Wrexham man. The excuse for leaving him out on the right was that he was still scoring goals - well he hasn't looked like scoring for a good while now.

Failure to take enough/any points from the matches against Gillingham, Rotherham, and Leeds, will surely see Peter Reid's stay at Highfield Road come to an end?