Our young inspirational reporter and massive Shrewsbury Town fan Corbin is back on the road again and he gave us his thoughts on our away League One game against Portsmouth.
“Well after the disappointment of the Morecambe game on Saturday, we were at it again with a last minute decision to go to Pompey for a Tuesday night game. I was excited because we do seem to be at our best against the more fancied teams last seasons wins at Hull, Lincoln and Doncaster, home wins against Sunderland and Peterborough. So despite our 0 goals and 0 points from two league games this season, I had a feeling tonight could be special.”
“Steve Cotterill mixed up the team again, we started 4-4-2 or 4-3-2-1 Bennett in the middle with Vela, out wide Bloxham and Leahy, Pennington and Pierre centre back, Daniels at right back and Nurse at left back. Cosgrove up top with Udoh dropped to the bench, Ogbeta Davis, Pyke and two goalkeepers named on bench showing our fragile squad.”
“The teams came out to a massive roar from both the 14,000 home fans as 250 of us tried to compete, the noise was deafening. Shrewsbury wearing their new pink and black away kit and in bright in the middle the nightmare referee Mr Trevor Kettle.”
“The game started with Portsmouth on the front foot, two early soft fouls conceded by Town did nothing to encourage our fans to think Mr Kettle was going to be fair. Any master plan Cotterill and his team had went out the window within 120 seconds! Yes 120 seconds or two minutes, Vela’s half clearance on the edge of the box fell nicely to Harkness who squared it to a Pompey player in space and his smash via a slight deflection took it past Maroši in goal. The ground erupted as Portsmouth had the perfect start, it was on the PA Ryan Tunnicliffe, Man United reject had scored as the Pompey fans sang “we are top of the league.” Many Salop fans around us were stunned but not surprised as our defending was sloppy and it was criminal to give any player so much space in the box let alone a player in a team with 6 points from 6. We were so worried this might be another Peterborough from last season and we would concede 5 or 6 goals as Pompey buoyed by the goal and the home crowd roaring them forward tore through our defence time after time. We stood tall with some better defending than for the goal and some poor finishing kept the score at 1-0, we started to grow into the game.”
“However on 30 minutes it was nearly 2-0, another set piece we couldn’t defend but for a Pennington block and a slice wide by Pompey’s forward it would have been a second for the home team. Bloxham who had been decent for Town found a way through to goal but his shot went wide as the linesman put his flag up. A blatant dive from Marquis to try and win a penalty went unpunished by the referee, he had earlier elbowed Bloxham and got away with it. Trevor Kettle had struck again, fouls by Pompey players on our lads passed him by and it felt like he was giving Portsmouth all the decisions.”
“Half time and we still had hope, we were playing better but it seemed to be in pieces rather than constant.”
“In the second half we came out brighter, Cosgrove running through the middle played it wide to Leahy who stumbled but forced the keeper into a smart save. Vela from the edge of the box hit one sweet but it was straight at the keeper. Portsmouth fans sang and sang “We are Pompey” trying to get their team upfield but apart from a free-kick the home team didn’t do much in the second half as it was Salop trying to equalise. Which seemed more likely as Bloxham made way for Pyke and Ogbeta came on for Daniels, straight away we looked better.”
“The game got delayed for a head clash both Pennington and a home team player needed head bandages and replacement shirts. We were pushing forward more and more as the game entered the last 10 minutes and suddenly we looked more of a threat and it was exciting to see if only we could take a chance in the box. Our decisions in the final third cost us against Burton and we were doing the same here. Pierre from a set piece headed towards goal and it was brilliantly saved by the Pompey keeper as the fourth official said 8 minutes of time added on. We won a succession of corners and had forced Pompey back, you’d have thought in added time we were the team on top as the home side hanged on. 8 minutes of time added on became 10 minutes as the usual antics of play acting from a team winning 1-0 started but to Mr Kettle’s credit he wasn’t having any of it and duely added on the time.”
“The final whistle blew and despite a 1-0 loss it felt like we missed a trick, had we scored things and feelings would have been so better but the fact is we lost to a team who were top at start of play. We cant rest on our laurels or allow this to effect us as the games come thick and fast as Saturday we are at home to Plymouth. Tonight we played better than we had in the previous two games but to play like that and leave with nothing shows how light we are in depth, to name two goalies on the bench again shows that but even with those missing through injury we are still well short.”
“Steve Cotterill has promised new signings but he is waiting on other clubs, it looks like loan deals are going to make or break us this season. I’m not overly concerned yet that we are 24th in the league. We go again on Saturday against Plymouth.”
“My Man Of The Match tonight was going to be Bloxham for his tireless work out wide and he did a brilliant job and felt disappointed that Pyke replaced him, so my Man Of The Match is Bennett at times the game drifted from him but he played assured in a midfield role he probably isn’t that used to.”
“Love and Peace, Corbin”
Thanks to Corbin for his thoughts on the game against Portsmouth.
Corbin Davies
“Going Down The Oteley Road”
Going Down The Oteley Road 