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Something To Be Happy About
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Easter cheer, 'n all that.
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By:
Eric Hitchmo
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06/04/2010
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More On Chesterfield
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"You'll forgive me for not expecting much from Monday's game against Chesterfield. Regular readers may have got the impression that I haven't been in the most positive frame of mind of late. Can you blame me? Still though, football does like to spring surprises and this win was no different. Though it wasn't overly exciting and doesn't mean a great deal in the grand scheme of things, there were many positives to take from a fine day of football at Underhill.
The latter part of that sentence is a positive in itself. I'm unaware as to exactly when the last time I was able to say that was. I actually enjoyed the football. We blitzed through a weak Chesterfield side with minimal fuss and there were strong performances all over the pitch.
Chesterfield are an oddity. They are right in the promotion race this year but appear to put in Jekyll and Hyde performances every other week. For instance they were able to beat runaway leaders Rochdale on Saturday and manage to lose to us two days later. They lost 5-0 at home to the worst side I've seen us play this season (that's Port Vale, fact fans) yet they still manage to keep themselves in the hunt. They weren't awful per sè, they just didn't appear to be very good and could not withstand what we had to throw at them in a strong first half performance.
They took the lead in very odd circumstances. The goal didn't appear to have much wrong with it but was disallowed by the linesman for offside - a decision soon overruled by referee Singh who had an indifferent afternoon in the middle. He had to go off in the second half through a mystery injury which led to the introduction of the comedy fourth official whose shorts were a little on the tight side, to the amusement of those of us in the Main Stand. Back to the point though, a strange moment indeed but it looked a perfectly legitimate goal to me. The usually dependable Matt Lockwood was caught dwelling on the ball, and familiar feelings came rushing to the fore at this point, it felt just another one of those days. However a blistering attacking display at the back end of the half was to tear our visitors to pieces.
It started off with a nice basic one. Albert Jarrett, who had one of his good days on the left was upended having once again beaten the right back and from the resulting free-kick, Paul Furlong was there to volley in from close range. Lovely stuff. That was his fourth of the season, though his second best was yet to come (you won't beat that Northampton goal). Before that though, another cross from the left was converted well by Jake Hyde. And that was his first goal for about six months too. Goodness me what's going on here? I suppose there should be some sort of London Buses based quip about now. Both strikers hadn't scored for several months and then along came two at once, it's like London Buses!
Time for one more? Oh OK then. This one was special. Jarrett knocked in a cross from the left and Furlong rose like it was 1990 to smash in what has been described in various media outlets as an ""acrobatic volley"". It was bloody brilliant. I'm wondering though what the right back was doing in this 10-15 minute spell. Was he put off by a particularly witty observation from the East Terrace? Either way, Chesterfield's frailty on this side of the field was clear for all to see, and Barnet turned it on to take a strong lead into the break. Blimey. More entertainment in 45 minutes than you can shake a stick at and all summised within three measly paragraphs. And everybody is happy.
The second half died down somewhat. Chesterfield offered little to nothing coming forward and we were very happy to comfortably repel the weak offering from their frontline. Gary Breen, scorer of two own goals in as many weeks was very vocal in the centre of defence. I'm not sure anyone escaped his wrath throughout the ninety minutes, but it was a demonstration of a leader on the pitch that we have so needed this season. It was good to see and hear.
The main incident of the second half was a penalty for us. After a superb bit of skill from Albert Adomah who weaved his way through countless Chesterfield defenders (probably the right back over and over again), got himself into the box and was crudely fouled, probably by the right back and earned us a penalty. Furlong of course was the man to step and complete his hat-trick, though his effort was brilliantly saved by Tommy Lee. This is the 'keeper who of course has had worse days in the North Terrace goal. He was the one that was beaten by Ashley Carew from his own half. That was a laugh. He put that one to bed though with a low save to his right which bounced up and hit the crossbar. The win was not yet complete.
Chesterfield's best effort was late on where a deep cross was smartly volleyed towards goal only to be brilliantly saved yet again by Jake Cole, player of the year. Otherwise it was a toothless display from the visitors who did very little to give Cole, player of the year, much to worry about. Does anyone actually know the name of their right back? He was rubbish.
For us though, a nice enjoyable afternoon's viewing. It's pleasant to be able to say that again after so long. Some more of that in the weeks remaining will at least allow some sort of positive frame of mind from this website. I'd rather be writing like this than preparing for more depression as has been the case in recent times. Good stuff."
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