There's a quote that goes around American football circles. It's called "Win ugly". In the UK, it's called "Do what you have to win". Whatever it means, it happened tonight.
For 60 minutes of the game today, both sides were pretty woeful. We didn't close down, humped the ball forward, and played only marginally better than our woeful, complacent second half performance against Preston on Saturday.
Anyway, we only looked dangerous from set pieces - helped by the muscle of Shittu and sometimes Hall - and when their keeper misjudged one of Taarabt's corners, Hill gleefully accepted the rebound, much to the celebration of 15-odd thousand relieved of knee pain.
Then, minutes later, Hill put in a beautiful curling cross that Helguson nodded in - atoning for his horrible diving header over the bar when - once again - it looked easier to score.
After that, we came on strong. The line-up of Routledge, Buzacky, Taarabt, Derry and Faurlin looked a lot more solid and clever - let's hope Neil Warnock starts the same team. It doesn't look as though Miller will start- after he once again twinged his leg like he did at Preston.
Look, we weren't beautiful tonight. Hall - as a friend of mine said - was an "accident waiting to happen" for a majority of the first half, but he worked well with Shittu, who was one of the men of the match. Kenny once again commanded his box (he's my vote for Man Of The Season thus far) well, and made a couple of good saves in both halves.
But who cares, we won 2-0 in a game most of us tipped to draw and we're 5 points clear (thanks Preston (drawing 2-2 with Forest); Doncaster (drawing 1-1 with Norwich); and Barnsley (drawing 3-3 with Leeds)...all with late goals).
For 60 minutes of the game today, both sides were pretty woeful. We didn't close down, humped the ball forward, and played only marginally better than our woeful, complacent second half performance against Preston on Saturday.
Anyway, we only looked dangerous from set pieces - helped by the muscle of Shittu and sometimes Hall - and when their keeper misjudged one of Taarabt's corners, Hill gleefully accepted the rebound, much to the celebration of 15-odd thousand relieved of knee pain.
Then, minutes later, Hill put in a beautiful curling cross that Helguson nodded in - atoning for his horrible diving header over the bar when - once again - it looked easier to score.
After that, we came on strong. The line-up of Routledge, Buzacky, Taarabt, Derry and Faurlin looked a lot more solid and clever - let's hope Neil Warnock starts the same team. It doesn't look as though Miller will start- after he once again twinged his leg like he did at Preston.
Look, we weren't beautiful tonight. Hall - as a friend of mine said - was an "accident waiting to happen" for a majority of the first half, but he worked well with Shittu, who was one of the men of the match. Kenny once again commanded his box (he's my vote for Man Of The Season thus far) well, and made a couple of good saves in both halves.
But who cares, we won 2-0 in a game most of us tipped to draw and we're 5 points clear (thanks Preston (drawing 2-2 with Forest); Doncaster (drawing 1-1 with Norwich); and Barnsley (drawing 3-3 with Leeds)...all with late goals).
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