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PMS: Derby 2-1 Town
By Aston December 1 2006
Sadie (Shady Blue Lady) gives Singing The Blues her own unique look at Town’s game against Derby on wednesday.

There are a few changes to the Town side today due to injuries, suspensions and comebacks, in goal Price keeps his place after a faultless performance at Barnsley. Naylor joins Bruce, De Vos and Harding in defence, Garvan takes his final steps towards recovery by starting in midfield along side Richards, Walton, and Roberts, Clarke returns from injury and joins Lee in attack. Supple, Sito, Williams, Haynes and Macken are today’s subs.

 

Spirits seem high in the pre match warm up with Haynes dancing to Kelly Clarkson, Walton and Williams winding up goalkeeping coach Andy Rhodes then Williams continuing to do so until the last possible moment, as amusing as this is, it could be the reason why we never win, we never take anything seriously!

 

In the 1st minute Garvan is defending well from a Derby free kick then Lee goes down taken by all the 3’s (Richards and Roberts) in this case 3 is not the magic number.

 

Magilton is already going mad in the 2nd minute, Lee and Walton make a good link up on the right.

 

On 4 minutes De Vos and Harding are being stupid, just plain stupid, in their own box and there is a drummer boy in the ground.

 

A minute later Harding gives away a free kick for which Garvan is doing the defending again.

 

Stead finds a loose ball on 6 minutes for Derby but shoots wide.

 

Bruce gives away a free kick on 7 minutes for an apparent foul on Derby’s Ryan Smith, the Town defence are asleep then Michael Johnson goes down in the box, the only reason I can see being of total embarrassment of missing a clear chance (Or it could have been the collision with Lee)

 

Onto 10 minutes Stead is offside for the Rams, then so is Bisgaard, and then again, in the space of a minute Derby are caught offside 3 times, its not that fact that bothers me, it’s the fact that they regained possession so easily after 2 free kicks.

 

Derby start another attack in the 12th minute after Jones takes the ball from Clarke, or rather Clarke stands there with the ball by his feet allowing Jones to walk the ball from him, I hope he said thank you- well it’s only polite.

 

Town get a free kick a minute later when Roberts is given a mini flying course for free. Richards sends a good ball in but Walton heads out.

 

On 15 minutes De Vos is in no mans land as Barnes crosses the ball straight past him but it’s too hard for any of his team mates to reach.

 

Roberts and Richards are working well on the wings and get the ball into the box but then the Tractor Boys strike force mess around and lose the ball, how unusual.

 

Williams and Macken come for a run and a bobby comes for a walk in the visitors section in the 17th minute, meanwhile the Rams are pressing hard and effectively on the Tractor Boys.

 

Haynes comes to join Williams and Macken on 20 minutes but then changes his mind, turning round and running straight back down the tunnel, I recon he felt how cold it was so turned to get a warming drink, but as he is only like 12 years old he couldn’t have a whisky so got a hot milk instead.

 

Clarke does well on 21, but Roberts loses the ball, the Rams break and force a top save from Price leaving the visiting fans chanting his name.

 

Derby are attacking again on 23 minutes through Jones and Stead but Naylor steps in and boots the ball out for a throw.

 

De Vos, Garvan and Clarke consecutively fall over and Roberts is in his own world, of which football doesn’t seem to be a part of.

 

In the 25th minute Town attack but our side to side passing is less threatening than a sleeping hamster then on 28 minutes Bruce defends without even knowing it, and it’s possibly the best defending he has ever done.

 

Price saves the ball coming I from Stead on 29 minutes then on the half hour Walton is defending. Derby win a corner which Bruce heads up field only for the Rams to regain possession.

 

Clarke is obstructed in the 32nd minute, our free kick creates nothing but then Lee gets a talking to by referee Mr. R. Lee (Maybe on their common traits) and Derby take the free kick in their own box.

 

Town are enjoying a bit of possession in the 35th minute but still pose no threat.

 

On 38 minutes the Rams get the ball and I know in that instant that they are going to score, and they do, but it is disallowed, so Price kicks the ball up field and when the ball finds Roberts standing in the centre just outside of the 18 yard box, he has a strike, fancy that, we had a shot and we scored, amazing hey, so after all that Town are the ones a goal up.

 

Not much else happens in the 1st half, a bunch of free kicks and a Walton booking before play is stopped for oranges.

 

Town come out for the second half a goal up despite Derby’s dominant start and the goal being Towns sole chance.

 

Both teams are unchanged for the re-start in front of 22, 606 fans at Pride Park.

 

Derby win a free kick in their own half for Alan Lee on Michael Johnson, they get the ball up but Bruce is ready to defend.

 

Play is stopped on 48 minutes for injured Bisgaard, play resumes with a Derby free kick, once again Garvan is on hand to defend and when the ball goes out of play Magilton shows us all he’s still got it.

 

In the 52nd minute Derby pull themselves back level after Steve Howard gets on to a corner ball, 1-1.

 

Not much is happening, in actual fact I’ve seen more interesting things in an empty fish bowl then on the 56th minute Clarke gives away a stupid free kick and Lee is doing twirls.

 

Richards is defending in the 57th minute and sends the ball out for a throw, Derby bring the ball in strong and fast, but Price is on form and saves.

 

A challenge from Walton on the 59th minute leaves Michael Johnson needing treatment and Ipswich down to 10 men, well done Walton. Now both Walton and Harding will be missing for Towns home match on Saturday.

 

On 60 minutes Arturo Lupoli replaces Seth Johnson and the Town fans are feeling a little down hearted.

 

In the 62nd minute Price makes another fantastic save and Williams replaces Clarke for Town.

 

Williams starts well producing a good ball, but Lee can not do it justice. Town now have a massive hole on the pitch where Walton once was allow Derby party space.

 

When Marc Edworthy goes down Alan Lee is booked on 67 minutes, then 2 minutes later Derby waste another opportunity when the ball rolls across the face of goal but no one gets onto it.

 

After Lee is pushed down in his own Half on 70 minutes Town win a free kick, the kick is taken Lee is victim again this time in the Derby half by Michael Johnson who receives a yellow card. Richards takes the kick which Roberts gets onto, he beats the defence but this time shoots straight to the Derby keeper Bywater.

 

Derby again shoot across goal and wide on the 74th minute then according to the Town fans Derby have 12 toes before Sito replaces Roberts on 77 minutes.

 

Also in the 77th minute Derby have a corner, the corner kick is taken and it’s a beautiful one, all the way over to the opposite corner flag without touching anyone.

 

Sito wins a free kick on 79 minutes which Naylor takes, he finds Lee but Lee alone up front can’t make anything of it.

 

On 81 minutes I realize Bywater has not made one save tonight and we have only had 2 shots on target, one we scored and the other was kicked straight to the Derby keeper, he didn’t have to move.

 

Sito has been on for 5 minutes and already the best Town player of the 2nd half, Lee wins a free kick on the edge of the Derby box for which Derby build a 9 man wall, Garvan shoots wide.

 

Onto 86 minutes Price takes his time taking a free kick, I can’t believe Garvan is being made to last the whole 90 minutes, his flame went out by 60 minutes and how is Lee supposed to cope, he is hopeless when he has a partner what on earth is he supposed to do on his own.

 

David Jones almost pulls Garvan’s arms out of the sockets but only gets a yellow, yeah, because that’s fair.

 

I just thought I’d mention that on the 89th minute De Vos defends, first time for everything!

 

When are people going to realize that all this time we have been having defensive problems there has only been one player who has remained in defence that whole time, can you see what I’m getting at?

 

4 minutes injury time added, guess what, ha yes you’re starting to see the pattern too, Derby substitute Lupoli scores and just to make sure Derby have all 3 points Derby make their 3rd substitution with Darren Moore replacing Jon Stead who I feel was man of the match.

 

2-1 to the Rams, lets go home.

 

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