A Game Of 'Ifs' But Improvement And Progression Maintained

Encouraging again, not perfect (more quality and precision in the final third please) but honour was satisfied, might have been better, could have been worse, what is now an unbeaten run continues. It proved to be more than usually a game of ‘ifs’, starting with the major imponderable: if the ref, Scott Oldham, had not been poor, highly inconsistent in his interpretation of what was and what was not a foul, and erratic and ultimately inadequate in his use of the cards, the game would have turned out very different. Both goals could have been ruled out and Rotherham would have played the final 30 minutes with 10 men.

As for the Doncaster game the team was unchanged barring enforced switches (then Gunter and Pearce for Matthews and Lavelle), with Leko unavailable and Jaiyesimi keeping his place, with Kirk added to the bench. And from the start it was clear – if there had been any doubt before – that we were facing a somewhat stiffer test than at the weekend. Rotherham through the game proved to be strong, mobile, well-drilled (especially dangerous from set pieces), and not averse to use of the dark arts, with a tumble to the ground usually accompanied by theatricals. In that they may have taken encouragement from the ref’s performance.

Stockley picked up a yellow very early on for allegedly leading with his elbow, the Rotherham players clearly aware of a reputation and calling for a more severe punishment. A booking, irrespective of the duration of the game, fair enough. Stockley surely has to work on not challenging in this fashion, or subsequently winding up the ref with some chat. But thereafter through the game whenever he was hauled to the ground or pulled and pushed little was done, the ref seemingly intent on avoiding a tough call on who fouled first. Famewo saw yellow for a professional foul as Rotherham broke around the half-way line. Again, fair enough, but this was shortly after their guy had pulled back Gilbey, who had wriggled free around the corner flag and was advancing into the box. No card. Then in the second half their defender was correctly booked for a late tackle only to repeat the sin, again on Gilbey, further forward. A lecture but no second yellow. A big call but a pretty clear-cut one and the ref bottled it (to the extent that their guy was almost immediately substituted).

As for the football, the first half proved fairly even but you have to say Rotherham had the edge. There were periods when it looked likely we would fall behind as and when one of their dangerous positions turned into a chance. We too had our moments, most obviously when Washington from close range was unable to get either the pace or direction with his header to beat their keeper. And just when you thought it was on to the tea and oranges to regroup, Rotherham took the lead. A throw-in led to the ball being curled to the far post, their guy managed to shift it back inside, and another one was first to it to hit the ball high into the net. We protested, but even the TV team couldn’t work out why: foul throw, ball over the line, offside? Seems with replays their guy may well have used his hand to divert the ball back from around the byline. To be fair it was a hard one to see at the time, would have needed VAR.

That laid down a challenge for the second half. Had we done all we could and were behind to a strong team, or was there more in the locker? Proved to be the latter as we created far more and much better chances than them, generally bossing the game. Washington was played in but a heavy first touch saw him only able to nudge the ball close to their keeper, who saved, then Gilbey missed a gilt-edged one. A ball into a crowded area was headed down to him around the penalty spot. Not a cert as there were bodies between the ball and the net, but he chose power, leant back, and blasted it over the bar.

Then we had another ‘if’. If MacGillivray had not stuck out a strong paw and blocked a strong, goalbound header from close range we would have gone 0-2 down and there would probably have been no way back from that. He did, we stayed in the game.

Our equaliser came with about 10 minutes left. The ball was somewhere up in the air and on its way down, covered by their defender. Washington shoved him in the back and out of the way, collected the ball, advanced, saw Stockley draw defenders away, then his low shot took a deflection and went in. I confess I wasn’t that excited as surely the foul would be given, if the ref had been watching. Contact when challenging for the ball, fair enough, a shove in the back when the ball is not being contested is perhaps a different matter. It looked to me like a good foul from a wily professional: no chance of getting the ball without fouling so a percentage one, worst that can happen is the foul is given. But do we care?

We were the more likely to nick a winner in the time that remained, but it wasn’t to be. An honourable draw. JJ generally kept his power dry, with Blackett-Taylor coming on for DJ just before our goal but otherwise no changes, despite an energy-sapping encounter. That was probably a reflection of just how well we were playing and the feeling that a goal was on the cards. There again, the only real options were Clare (no problem here but not the player likely to change the game), Davison (would have been for either Stockley or Washington and that would have been a gamble), or Kirk (a risk too far surely). Not that many options when we were behind and looking to get level or having done so trying to weigh up whether to play safe or go for another.

Man of the match for me just about went to Lee, who was instrumental in our good second-half work, with special mention in dispatches for Gilbey (who again made things happen), Pearce (for another warrior performance), and MacGillivray (for the save that enabled us to go on and get a point).

I suspect a cup game at the weekend and a sort of break will be good for us – as long as there is no upset of course. Some tired legs can be rested, a few can get valuable game-time, and more important perhaps the work on the training ground can focus on cohesion and precision in the final third. We heard JJ talk before about most of the time being devoted to how we act when not in possession, the benefits of which have been clear. More of that for sure, but we are reasonably sure now what – barring injuries – the team, squad and formation will be for the next few games. So an opportunity to work on the partnerships – while us fans try to calculate how many games it will take before we have closed the gap on sixth place. And that is a much nicer place to be in than a few weeks ago.