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Looking
back, it was a good win against Wrexham.
They
played some neat and tidy football, but I always felt we were in
control of the game, and even after they scored to make it 2-1 I
never felt as though they would equalise.
It
was a good professional performance by the lads that took us up
to second in the league.
Our
away form has been pretty good recently, and I know many fans expected
us to get something from Brentford away.
I have
to say though, that despite our recent good form, we got the result
I always expected (a 2-1 defeat).
I
don't know why exactly, but I never felt as though we would get
anything from the game, even when we had the better of the first
half.
Fortunately
a lot of the results went our way, and we retained that all-important
second place. If only it was 46 games gone!
Two
cup games to come this week, both away, and both local. The atmosphere
is always different at away games, and cup games often deliver something
special, so I'm looking forward to a good week.
I was
talking to a very depressed Leeds fan earlier this week - bemoaning
the level his club has slipped to.
I then
produced my two tickets - York away in the FA Cup first round, and
Sheffield Wednesday in the LDV Vans Trophy - this is a stark reminder
of the level your club is actually at.
I forgot
that there was anything before round three for many years, and as
for the LDV! Well, it does give you the chance of a day at Cardiff
I suppose.
Interestingly,
a fellow Barnsley fan, when asked which game he would prefer to
win if we could only have victory in one of the two games, said
that it would be the LDV game every time.
The
feeling is that if we come through on Wednesday we would have a
real opportunity, plus he, like many other Barnsley fans, would
never want to see us lose to the 'big club' from down the road.
(How it must hurt them being in the LDV and round one of the FA
Cup, I think that they should receive a special dispensation to
go straight to the final of both tournaments - well they are such
a big club after all!).
Personally,
I would love to see us beat the Owls, but if I had to choose I would
go for the FA Cup game.
The
chance of a big draw later in the comp is what fans of all lower
division teams look forward to.
However,
we don't have to choose - so lets go out and win them both!
I think
the York game will be great entertainment. A typical cup match,
real blood-and-thunder stuff. I think that our extra quality will
tell in the end, and I'm expecting us to record a very professional
2-0 victory to seal our place in the second round, with Rankin to
score for the Reds.
Additionally,
I'm sure Mitch Ward will get a fantastic reception from the Reds
that make the journey - or maybe not!
We
can then turn our thoughts to Hillsborough on Wednesday night. It
will be a strange one, because neither manager will want to throw
the game away, but both will be aware that they have bigger priorities.
Will one of them dare to put a reserve side out in a game that both
sets of fans will want to win?
I think
it will go to extra-time and penalties (which we will come through).
Maybe normal time will even bring a 0-0, so get ready for a late
night everyone, and remember the times of the last trains and buses!!!!!
As
I said, I'm looking forward to this week. It's a week off from the
grind of the league campaign, and an opportunity to lift the mood
further and build the confidence ahead of a very important period
for us.
Of
course, an end to the administration saga would also help. It seems
to be taking longer than expected at every stage, and I'm going
to stop even suggesting when it might all be over.
However,
second in the league and victory in both cups would help numb the
pain I'm sure.
So
- COME ON YOU REDS!!!!!
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