Terrier Kilbane Sniffs Out the Cherries…
Huddersfield Town 3-3 AFC Bournemouth
(aet, 2-2 at 90 mins. 4-2 to Town on penalties)
18th May 2011, Division 1 play-off semi-final, 2nd leg…
Att: 16,444
(First leg 1-1)
Bournemouth’s attempts to pass their way to the League 1 play-off final stumbled against a resolute Huddersfield, mainly due to their occasional weaknesses against crucial high deliveries into sensitive defensive zones, a hesitant goalkeeper and the lack of a more physical forward than Danny Ings, whose goal belied his overall contribution which, although committed, lacked product. The poor penalties struck by Liam Feeney, whose marking at the scoring of the opening Town goal was weak and then the busy Robinson were stark in comparison with the confident spot-kicks taken by the hosts to win the tie and progress to Old Trafford for a Final against Peterborough.
And there was Kevin Kilbane, whose presence filtered through this game like a stain spoiling a pair of beige trousers. He was fortunate to see out the match, as was Gary Naysmith, although the official took a sterner line with the Cherries’ Jason Pearce, whose late absence allowed Town to gain ascendancy, thus becoming more resilient in the penalty shootout.
Kilbane’s early long passes were inaccurate, his tussles with Bournemouth’s Danny Hollands lusty but Town’s blustery start stunned their visitors on a damp, slick surface which was well watered before the game. Gary Roberts’ shot from the largely ineffective Jordan Rhodes’ nudge was blocked by Shwan Jalal in the guests’ goal in the opening frenetic seconds, subsequently the ‘keeper missed a cross and Shaun Cooper and Pearce were like foremen in a factory’s strike-meeting, demanding more and more of their fellow defenders. Roberts’ dribbles were clap-worthy, he also drove wide, Naysmith’s two-footed challenge earned only a yellow card from the hesitant referee and all that Bournemouth could muster during those first fifteen minutes were Ings’ stubbed effort wide and Adam Smith’s drive past the left upright.
The Cherries suddenly began to pass the ball though and despite certainly lacking that physical presence in attack, they survived nervous moments provided by their own goalie too, who lost a long Antony Kay kick then dropped a corner before collecting the loose ball. In the 26th minute, Jack Hunt, impressing at right-back for the hosts, crossed for Rhodes to beat Cooper in the air and head down for goal. Jalal saved fairly well but Roberts’ ensuing right-wing corner was met by Lee Peltier, having pushed off Feeney who reacted not at all and forced a header off the left post and Smith’s shoulder into goal.
Jalal’s communication with his defenders became questionable, Peltier then fouled Hollands with aplomb and Town ‘keeper Ian Bennett saved at the near post as Donal McDermott, gaining in confidence, cut inside and drove low for goal. Ings was quickly foiled by Bennett’s desperate clutch at the loose ball, however.
On 44 minutes, the visitors, who had achieved considerable chunks of possession without causing Bennett too much anxiety, equalised. Good play between Feeney, at last, and Smith, allowed the full-back to move inside from the right, exchange passes with Anton Robinson’s heel only to find himself scythed down by Peter Clarke’s unwise 7 yard challenge. Steve Lovell, who was acquitting himself well, slammed a penalty into the top centre of the goal-net, although it was noticeable that it was the inimitable Kilbane who had failed to track Smith’s run into the penalty-box successfully.
A linesman blundered, giving Huddersfield a corner on the opposite side of the field, despite the facts that the referee was closer to the incident, the assistant’s own view was obscured and that he was simply downright wrong. The flag-kick was cleared but Roberts’ second centre was headed across goal by Peltier for Rhodes who drove his shot over the right angle of bar and post. This action should never have happened but Kilbane soon reared his head again, angering supporters by passing deeply back to his own defence, yet the ensuing long clearance towards the right allowed the awkward Benik Afobi to combine with Hunt and when Danny Ward picked up the ball, he was gifted space at 19 yards when marker Robinson slipped over.
The Town midfielder drove a low shot, curling slightly, towards the left post and Jalal failed to save it. To be fair, the ‘keeper didn’t seem to move his feet, merely performing a falling reach. Half-time had arrived, the Terriers’ fans were noisy but Bournemouth’s fans must have rued that second goal, for their play had been more watchable than Huddersfield’s more forceful game plan.
And of course they had Kilbane…
Cooper diverted an early second period low shot by Clarke past a post but again Jalal seemed rooted to the damp turf, then McDermott’s ugly foul on Peltier was deserving of the booking he received. Naysmith stumbled into the Bournemouth penalty-box in receipt of a pass from Afobe but again Rhodes skied a shot, from 8 yards this time. McDermott for the guests and Ward for the hosts both missed the target from distance then Smith and Kilbane became embroiled in a pushing moment, Kilbane became incensed, chased Smith like barking terrier and manhandled the referee. Surprisingly he was only cautioned…
Hollands was becoming more effective for Bournemouth and his 63rd minute pass initiated a fine three-man, left-footed creation, which afforded Bournemouth a second equaliser. Hollands hooked the ball left-footed and left to McDermott’s shoulder, the winger’s low left-footed pass, angled slightly backwards, found Lovell racing into the penalty-area at 18 yards. Lovell left a defender on the ground, rounded the advancing Bennett veering left and clipped a superb left-footer from the left corner of the 6-yard box high into the far side of the Town net…
Lee Novak replaced the disappointing Rhodes, before Afobe, offside anyway but missed by the linesman, received Roberts’ pass on the left, beat the powerful Pearce and the floundering Jalal as he drove inside but fell over as he shot badly over the crossbar from 12 yards.
Bournemouth continued to impress at times with their passing, Huddersfield were more dogged and strong, Ings was on the fringes of the game, Marc Pugh replaced the tiring McDermott and Kilbane took out Pugh immediately with a head and shoulder butt, being punished with, er, nothing at all. Feeney failed to find three supporting attackers as he broke away on the right for the Cherries and crossed badly, Hollands left Kilbane metres away from him but headed downwards from 8 yards for Bennett to catch easily and Roberts, clever but inconsistent, curled a fair effort past the left upright from 20 yards. Lovell earned a booking for a late challenge on Kay and extra-time loomed…
The overtime period was begun with hesitation from Jalal, forcing Cooper to clear hurriedly as Afobi lurked with some intent, before the tricky Roberts passed to Ward, left side but although the inconsistent midfielder moved inside Smith well, his drive at goal was held by Jalal with some comfort. Jamie McCombe replaced Peltier for the hosts and Lovell was replaced by Michael Symes for the Cherries but the substitute looked a little sluggish from the start. Robinson challenged Kilbane but the experienced midfielder fell a good second later, making spectators hide their faces with embarrassment but he won a free-kick anyway and avoided trouble from the referee.
A 19 yard free-kick for Town, after Roberts was tripped by the uncompromising Smith, led to Kilbane attempting to dummy taking the kick short but he actually touched the ball and Feeney was warned for encroaching… The eventual free-kick was allowed to be taken and Kilbane had escaped trouble again.
Rhoys Wiggins made a fine tackle on Afobe, McCombe escaped punishment for a reckless foul, then Bournemouth, who had maintained their passing ethic, took the lead in the 104th minute. Hollands, working manfully, won possession and fed Pugh on the left and although the winger hadn’t really got into the game thus far, he flicked the ball cleverly for Symes to return it to him as he broke on the flank. Pugh’s centre was perfect for Ings, who affected the game at last and rose unmarked between the two defensive but motionless sentries to head the ball neatly beyond the diving Bennett and into the far right corner of the net from 8 yards. Pearce did well to tackle the slipping Afobe then Naysmith’s 23 yard shot took a touch off Hollands’ head, leading to a left-wing corner and Town’s equaliser just a minute later.
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| INGS NODS AFC 2-3 AHEAD... |
Roberts took it, Kay rose powerfully near the far post to crash a header from 6 yards into the top right corner of the net and half-time in overtime was reached with parity. Tired limbs ached but Hollands was rampaging on for the Cherries and he fed Wiggins on the left but Robinson’s eventual shot and rebound were both weak. Two fine Hollands tackles led to Symes’ shot from 20 yards but Bennett saved with comfort, before a nasty foul by Hunt on Pugh earned him a booking and Alan Lee replaced Afobi for Town. A Symes shot won a corner prior to Pearce’s slack touch leading to a jump-in challenge on an opponent and he, unlike Naysmith, was dismissed. The recipient of the tackle? Er, Kilbane…
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| KAY SCORES AND IT'S 3-3... |
HE SEEMED PLEASED...
Ings was withdrawn, leaving Symes’ lack of pace to hand ascendancy to Huddersfield although Mathieu Baudry had taken Pearce’s place in the Bournemouth defence. Jalal hesitated again but Lee was deemed to have pushed somebody then Jalal dropped the ball, Cooper scrapped near his left post, Kay hacked, Jalal flapped a saving hand at the ball and eventually, Town were awarded a corner. Ward drove wide of the right post as time expired but penalties were by then, inevitable.
Symes drove his shot to Bennett’s right, as the goalie dived left and the side-footed effort was unerring but Novak replied with a low shot into the bottom left corner of the goal, with Jalal some yards away having fallen to his left: 1-1.
Bennett fell left to beat out a poor shot from the obviously uncertain Feeney but Ward drove a left-footer hard into the right corner of goal for Town: 2-1.
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| BENNETT SAVES FEENEY'S SPOT-KICK... |
Robinson struck the top of the crossbar for Bournemouth but Kilbane, who had trodden a fine line with the officials and had not performed well, really sealed Town’s victory by firing a high penalty into goal just right of centre: 3-1.
Cooper drove a great shot into the top right corner of the net but Kay won the match with a fine shot off the crossbar, left side of goal which deflected up into the roof of the net from the turf. Jalal was again nowhere near to saving: 4-2…
Huddersfield’s resilience had won through and Bournemouth’s lack of strength in attacking areas had denied their passing game a victory. Ings netted but didn’t really impress, yet for Town, Afobi, although lively, lacked some finesse. Roberts and Hunt starred for the hosts, with Peltier seemingly everywhere but the Cherries were well served by Pearce, despite his dismissal, Cooper and both full-backs. Hollands was the anchor and marked the man who really affected the game, willingly or otherwise: Kilbane…
It’s what he did then…
Lee Clark: The Power Source
His assistant, thoughtful,
Sat well back,
Distanced and out of range of
The cleaving arm
Threatening harm
And the swinging elbows,
The flapping hands
And accusing fingers of the Manager’s emotion.
Eyes frowned shamelessly,
Glaring accusations.
Incensed and out of range but
Castigating bluntly,
Blinking poignantly
And players winced at abuse,
Infantrymen under fire
From their barking General’s straining devotion.
Every facial muscle
Was wrenched,
Every sinew tense:
The archetypal dictator
Patrolling the perimeter,
Like a wound-up
Clockwork toy.
A dizzy, staccato motivator,
A taskmaster, a parade-ground Sergeant,
A mercurial, rising thermometer…
Pete Ray
Lee Clark, the Huddersfield manger was ‘engaged’, one could say…
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