Portsmouth vs Vauxhall (Championship)
Venue: Fratton Park
Attendance: 16,725
Starting line up: Dean Bouzanis — Ken Harris, Sashi Chalwe, Mervin Simon, Grant Baddeley — Alex Chamberlain, Mark Brown, Suso, Keith Higgs — Andrés, Ibrahima MBow
Team Talk: You can win today!
Portsmouth were in 10th place before the match, they had nothing left to play for other than pride. That meant that they didn’t have any pressure either and that showed right away, they put together a superb team move eight minutes into the game and took the lead. We had to react at that point and we did but we didn’t have too much luck this time either. Right winger Alex Chamberlain was the man who was driving us forward but he was denied by the crossbar on the half hour mark and then by a stunning double save from the goalie during stoppage time.
Half time score: 1-0
Half time team talk: Sympathise.
Half time substitutions: Jason Banton for Higgs, Lenny Nangis for Andrés
We deserved an equalizer and we finally got it six minutes after the re-start, a long throw from left back Grant Baddeley found substitute Lenny Nangis inside the area, the striker displayed a brilliant first touch and then fired home from close range. He had a similar chance just three minutes later, he was unmarked inside the six yard box but his finish hit the post! We continued to push forward but Pompey were defending well and even caused some trouble on counter attacks. We had one last chance during injury time, Jason Banton unleashed a good-looking shot but the ball hit the post for the third time… We could and should have won this game and I guess we can blame bad luck for the result.
Full time team talk: Sympathise.
Man of the match: Grant Baddeley
Flop of the match: Andrés
Match Stats
Video Highlights
Click here to watch the match highlights.
We had one last game to play and the situation was not looking good: Middlesbrough were top of the table, two points clear of second placed Brunley who were just ahead of us on goal difference.
Our last game of the season was away at sixth placed Sheffield United, a team that was still fighting to snatch a playoff place, while both Middlesbrough and Burnley were playing at home against Leicester and Swansea respectively.
Sheffield United vs Vauxhall (Championship)
Venue: Bramall Lane
Attendance: 28,170
Starting line up: Dean Bouzanis — Ken Harris, Sashi Chalwe, Mervin Simon, Grant Baddeley — Alex Chamberlain, Mark Brown, Suso, Keith Higgs — Andrés, Ibrahima MBow
Team Talk: For the fans!
Our chances of getting that automatic promotion were pretty slim, our fate was not entirely in our hands anymore. We had to do our part though and hope for a favorable result in the other games. The game didn’t start too well for us, right back Ken Harris hobbled off the pitch after just eleven minutes and was replaced by Kaka, but we got lucky on 23 minutes as a powerful shot from Suso was deflected by MBow and went straight into the top corner! That goal gave us wings, the lads were playing with real fire in their bellies and the reward came on the stroke of half time when a counter attack saw Ibrahima MBow drilling in a low cross and Andrés firing in with a splendid first time finish! We were leading 2-0 at half time Middlesbrough were also leading Leicester 1-0 but Burnley were being held to a goalless draw by Swansea! We were in 2nd place at half time, it looked like that infamous promotion was there for the taking after all!
Half time score: 0-2
Half time team talk: Pleased.
Half time substitutions: Jason Banton for Higgs
We continued to look fairly confident after the break but a great shot from distance suddenly brought Sheffield United back into the game on 56 minutes… I was fearing a fightback at that point but my lads were still looking pretty calm. I made another change on 70 minutes as I felt the need to add some fresh legs in midfield, Connor Newton for Alex Chamberlain. While I made the substitution I also checked the scores on the other stadiums and Burnley were still being held to a 0-0 draw by Swansea, our chance was still there… It was for just five more minutes though, Sheffield United surprised my defenders with a quick move and it was all square 15 minutes from time! We didn’t panic though, my boys started pouring forward and we had a huge chance eight minutes from time, Suso had all the time and the space in the world to score from inside the penalty area but he missed! The ball went behind, their keepers kicked it from the corner of the six yard box, a long and peculiar kick that somehow converted into a clear chance and our opponents didn’t miss, we were 3-2 down with 7 minutes left… I leaned back in my chair, all hope was gone… I got back up four minutes later, midfielder Mark Brown unleashed a swerving shot from the edge of the area an it went in, there still was a glimmer of hope… Come on lads, come on… We were pushing forward desperately, relentlessly… And we had one more chance before the final whistle, a Mervin Simon nodded a corner kick cross towards goal but it was cleared off the line by a defender, so close… Too close…
Full time team talk: Sympathise.
Man of the match: Mark Brown
Flop of the match: Sashi Chalwe
Match Stats
Video Highlights
Click here to watch the match highlights.
Burnley vs Swansea ended 0-0 but that was of no use to us anymore, Burnley were promoted on goal difference while we had to go through the playoff purgatory…
It’s quite ironical, we’re going to meet Sheffield United in the semi final and I admit that I’m not having a good feeling about that game. It’s 12:25 am while I’m writing this and I’ll probably play the game sometime tomorrow if I’ll have some quiet minutes but I feel that my players are as demoralized as I am, their confidence might not be too high at the start of that match. I hope I’ll find the right words to motivate them by then.
That’s how it was folks but I wouldn’t call it a disaster, that word has a completely different meaning to me after what happened in Japan. I guess heartbreak would be the right word but that doesn’t matter too much, we missed out on promotion but we’re still in with a chance. We’ll fight right till the finish, stay tuned for that!
Josh Allen
18 марта, 2011 at 22:44
Thats a real shame Johnny, you deserve automatic promotion. However, we know that you can win the playoffs and lead Vauxhall into the Premier League!
Josh
everythingthatisfm.blogspot.com
Johnny Karp
19 марта, 2011 at 10:24
Thanks for the encouragement Josh, I’m not that confident at the moment but I will try to motivate the team.
Sears
18 марта, 2011 at 23:43
That was a major shame Johnny, automatic promotion was so close…. I’m sure you can cause a shock in the play offs, looking forward to see if you’ll be in the Premier League next season or if another year of Championship football awaits you. Good luck pal.
Johnny Karp
19 марта, 2011 at 10:25
Thanks Sears, we’ll need better luck than we had during those last three games…
hils
19 марта, 2011 at 06:38
Hi Johnny,good 2 months there!!!!!!!!!!!! Unlucky on not getting an automatic promotion spot!!!!!! Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!
Johnny Karp
19 марта, 2011 at 10:25
Thanks Hils…
Vaibhav C.
19 марта, 2011 at 07:09
Hey Johnny,
I am a little depressed now that you didn’t make it for automatic promotion, Any team who scores 104 goals in a season deserves to make it. Maybe you should sign another defender next season, but it is totally up to you. The post always denies me as well, I have hit the post 7 times in the last 2 games, and I drew them both. Anyways, you really deserved automatic promotion, and hopefully you can win the playoffs.
Johnny Karp
19 марта, 2011 at 10:27
I agree that we need better defenders, that should be taken care of come July as I already have a few targets shortlisted.
Kevin
19 марта, 2011 at 07:57
Hi Johnny
Thay my friend is sheer disappointment especially after such a great win over Middlesborough away from home though I feel you have what it takes to win the play off final and get promoted that way. I have to say though this is some of the most dramatic and intense writing you have produced.I was absoultely rivited to the story and could feel the tension and the emotion as events unfolded particularly in the final game. Brilliant!!!!!!!!!!!
Johnny Karp
19 марта, 2011 at 10:29
Thanks Kevin, I’m happy that I was able to pass on some of the emotion that I have lived during the final stages of the season. That match against Middlesbrough was almost perfect, we totally outplayed them but it didn’t do us much good, Boro won the title and we got sent into the playoffs…
Lye
19 марта, 2011 at 08:51
Hi Johnny,
You were so close. It’s a shame but i believe the players did their best. The challenge now is to rally the players and promote through the play-offs. You can do it. Good luck.
Johnny Karp
19 марта, 2011 at 10:30
Thanks for the encouragement Lye, much appreciated.
Laxeyman
19 марта, 2011 at 10:59
Hi Johnny, you were so, so close, in the end you were unlucky not to get promoted, although it looks like your dodgy defence has cost you. Still, you’ve got a good chance of going up in the play offs, I reckon you can do it. Good luck!
Johnny Karp
19 марта, 2011 at 11:31
Thanks Laxeyman, I guess you are right about the defense costing us the promotion. However, we should have won against Portsmouth at least and that would have been enough…
Darren Smith
19 марта, 2011 at 15:43
Ow Johnny, lady luck can be a bitch sometimes!!! I’ll just echo everyone else and say you were robbed of the top two. Especially after taking a two goal lead against Sheff Utd. The only upside is your readers now get an exciting play-off post. :)
Must admit I’m keen to read that one. I think you’ll go up mate but the only thing to stop you could be bad morale.
Johnny Karp
19 марта, 2011 at 20:59
Thanks for the encouragement Darren. I have checked the players’ morale and they are alright, no major problems there. We’ll just need a bit more luck I guess.
Excessive
19 марта, 2011 at 18:37
I dont see what everyone is getting so disappointed at in all fairness. You got promoted last season and to come in and get a comfortable playoff spot in a league that is really competitive, it is a great achievement!
Johnny i know your a very good manager, if it doesnt happen this season (god forbid.. the site will go into meltdown ;) ) it will the next. Just have to keep battling away, bolstering that ever changing and seriously good squad. No doubts though that you can get in through the playoffs, enjoy wembley!
Will be as good as your Blyth team in 4-5 seasons, can guarantee that :)
Johnny Karp
19 марта, 2011 at 21:04
I agree with part of what you said Jake, finishing third is a very good achievement and I should be satisfied with that. However, we were very close to finishing second or even first, the automatic promotion slipped through our fingers and that can be disappointing and frustrating. It will be tough to achieve what I did with Blyth but that’s where I want to go, top of the world! :)