Once again I wasn’t able to get the to the match today, so it was the Tangerine World with the commentary from two stereo typical cockney’s who after managing to turn up their mikes didn’t really have a clue about our team, apart from Ciaran ‘the one with the hair’ Donnelly.
Through grit and determination we managed to grab a point today and as one of the Bees commentator put it, pretty much secure our survival in League One, I hope he’s correct on that as he wasn’t correct on much else today.
Grayson made no changes to the starting eleven that defeated Swansea on Saturday, as the saying goes you shouldn’t change a winning side. The only change to the squad was Tony Butler replaced Neil Wood on the bench.
Brentford made three changes to the side that drew with Rotherham on Saturday, Sam Tillen, Junior Lewis and Alex Rhodes replaced Jamie Smith, Darren Pratley and Paul Brooker.
First Half
I missed the first 10 minutes of the match while trying to get on the internet, but that doesn’t matter too much when your watching the pool the action tends to be all in the last 10 minutes normally conceding goal but today was going to be different.
Brentford had the first chance of the half, Lee Jones saved well from a long shot from Ricky Newman. Pool also looked dangerous, one of our players having a shot, which was parried by Stuart Nelson, as I said the commentary this afternoon wasn’t the best and if it wasn’t Donnelly, Parker or Clarke on the ball then they didn’t know who it was.
Numerous shots came in from the Seasiders, in a half which even the two Bees commentator said that we had a fair few chances. But the Bees also managed to create many half chances but neither side were able to the break the deadlock.
Late on the Bees had a shout for a penalty, Lloyd Owusu was pushed off the ball, the crowd and the commentators claimed but there were no complaints from the Brentford players.
The scores at half time weren’t look the best for us, Rotherham were beating Swansea 2-0, Yeovil were holding Forest 1-1, Swindon had a slender 2-1 lead over Scunthorpe. MK-Dons had the lead over Hartlepool which meant that Walsall were at the foot of the table as they were losing 0-1 to Doncaster.
Scores have been going for us the past few weeks, had that slice of luck that we’ve had recently run out?
Second Half
With some atmospheric music from the film Rocky and Hey Jude from The Beetles, the Bee came out looking to give the Tangerine a sting up the backside.
But within five minutes, the noise level had reduced at Griffin Park with the Seasiders managing to nullify the pressure from the Bees.
But, the Bees managed to open the scoring on 54 minutes, Rob Edwards brought down Jay Tabb in the box, he picked up a booking for the foul and Lloyd Owusu was able to send Jones the wrong way to give the Bees the level and raise the noise levels back up at Griffin Park.
Moments after the opening goal, the game burst into life, Jason Wilcox appeared to elbow Jay Tabb but no card was shown and then the Bees nearly doubled their lead, Alex Rhodes smashing his shot onto the bar.
Ciaran Donnelly, ‘the one with the hair’, had a fantastic opportunity to get the sides back on level terms, he shot wide in a chance for all intense and purposes was a open goal sitter.
That was Donnelly’s last contributes of the afternoon, he was replaced by Sam Stockley, Rob Edwards was also replaced by Ian Morris. Joseph moved into centre back allowing Stockley and Morris to operate down the right.
With ten minutes remaining and no chances made since the introduction of Morris and Stockley manager Simon Grayson threw Blinkhorn on who replaced Gareth Williams.
Prendergast and then Southern picked up a bookings late on.
Now whenever the Seasiders have been losing this year Peter Clarke goes up front, Clarke is the type of player that no matter where he plays he’ll do a good job, I’m sure if he went in goal he’d be awesome.
Playing with Blinkhorn and Parker upfront for the last 5 minutes, Clarke beat Nelson with a fine piece of skill and fired in from six yards and give the Seasiders a vital late equaliser.
Summary
From the three games against three top sides I expected to yield no points, 4 points from 9 is a fantastic outcome. Although we haven’t played great football or dominated the games hard work and determination has been in abundance in the three matches. Despite going behind today we managed to hang on and get a great late equaliser, something that we are normally are on the receiving end of. Survival is now just one step away.
We now move onto 51 points, level with Tranmere, Rotherham beat Swansea to move closer to us. Yeovil lost to Forrest but wins for Swindon and MK-Dons doesn�t help us as we remain 5 points away from the drop.
Brentford –S Nelson, S Tillen, S Sodje, M Turner, A Frampton, J Tabb, R Newman (90 C Willock) , J Lewis, A Rhodes (85 D Pratley) , L Owusu, I Rankin
Subs – P Brooker, M Gayle, C Willock, D Pratley, A Bankole
Blackpool – L Jones, M Joseph, R Edwards (69 S Stockley) , P Clarke, J Wilcox, C Donnelly (69 I Morris) , M Bean, K Southern, R Prendergast, K Parker, G Williams (80 M Blinkhorn)
Subs – S Stockley, T Butler, M Blinkhorn, L Pogliacomi, I Morris
Well done to Toronto_Pool and I for guessing the correct score today, we know what we’re taking about you know!
