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The Weston Report: If It Was A Penalty, I Have Three Heads!
Monday, 9th Mar 2015 07:05 by Ryan Weston

I’m going to start this with an apology. I’m still upset. I’m still stunned. I’m still enraged.

With the catcalls of the jubilant Blues fans still in my ears and with me wondering just what course the ‘referee’ passed on route to him being awarded a badge, I might slip in this odd f… lippin obscenity in here... just kidding Ed (don’t worry I have my finger on bleep button — Ed).

I should be writing about a comfortable 2-0 victory, seeing us 2 points clear at the summit, our difficult week not turning out too bad. Instead, I really fear what the 93rd and 96th minutes of yesterday’s game will mean for our season.

I guess I could go straight to the end. But I’ll start at the beginning. The Rams drafted in Albentosa (the saviour of all mankind judging by some social media comments…) for his first league start, Hughes and Christie in from the midweek reverse down on the coast. And for the most part, it worked.

The game immediately settled into a familiar pattern-Derby having the lion’s share of possession and the opposition trying to hit us on the counter. For all of our early endeavour, a succession of corners was all we had to show. Birmingham, backed by the sort of away following that makes you wonder what they are all busy doing when they play at home, had a couple of dreadfully poor Cotterill set-pieces.

Then with the first real chance of the game, we were ahead.

Good build up play found Russell, playing down the middle, create space on his favoured left-boot. Curling a shot goalwards, goalkeeper Randolph, who I have always rated as highly as a rat-infested hotel, could only push the ball straight out to Ward. Doing his upmost to miss, Jamie almost made my pre-meditated celebrations look silly, as the ball hit the post before rolling in.

After Cotterill had finally got a free-kick above waist-high and onto the head of Kiernan who headed at Grant, we almost added a second. After 3,585 failed attempts, a short-corner almost bore fruit, with the ball being set-up for Hughes 25 yards out. Taking a touch, Will aimed and let fly, crashing a strike off the bar and away.

Now we were playing and a nice move finished with Hendrick testing out Randolph’s handling from outside the box. Russell looked lively at the top of the tree, with the defence looking largely untroubled.

Birmingham were content with bedding in and looking for the counter and also looked content to turn the game ugly. Thankfully, they had a referee about as much use as Steve McClaren’s hair-gel. Even in the opening half-hour, coughing was deemed an offence, with him guilty of some shockers. For both sides. And it was to get worse. Much worse.

Having been on the receiving end of a strong (but, for my money, fair) challenge moments before, Russell was then clattered from behind, with no whistle once again. With tensions rising, a lofted ball sent Ince away. To his credit, Randolph did well to bravely stoop and head the bouncing ball, subsequently clattering Tom in the follow-through. Queue mass-boos, but for the one of a limited amount of occasions, the idiot in the black was correct.

Not that Russell thought so, as he proved by smashing the ball out for a throw-in instead of returning to the goalkeeper following Ince’s treatment. As the half-time whistle blew, Russell’s rage blew over, an angry exchange with ex-Ram Rowett leading to ugly scenes as the teams went in for the break.

An early goal to take away the sting was what we needed. And it was exactly what we got.

Hughes, capitalizing on an advantage decision, found Ince on the right. Cutting into the box, Tom side-stepped two defenders before smashing into the far corner.

In complete control, you wouldn’t have bet against us recording another 4-0 drubbing against the Blues. It was very nearly 3-0 soon after the second when a corner was not cleared, the ball was helped in from the left and Albentosa flicked on. Following a cut-back, the ball found Russell, whose shot went under Randolph but was scrambled off the line by Novak.

At the other end, Cotterill was getting closer with his set-pieces, which were plentiful under the referee’s new non-contact ruling. His shot fizzed wide of Grant’s far post before a moment of controversy.

Dyer ran at Christie on the left and appeared to be clumsily brought down by the right-back inside the area. As the referee gleefully saw another excuse to blow his whistle, instead of pointing to the spot, he instead booked Dyer for simulation… which was rich considering he himself had been simulating a referee for the past hour.

Danger gone but a warning that there was still a game to be won.

For the most part however, we were in control. Lingard was introduced for Ward as we looked for a killer third. Jesse teed up Hughes, who produced a juggled catch from the clown in the opposition goal.

Bryson and Dawkins were subsequently brought on for Russell and Hughes as we looked to see the game out. Which, despite Birmingham huffing and puffing, we were doing quite adequately.

And then it happened.

With a glance at the other scores and with us jubilant that we were to return to the summit, the referee added on three minutes.

That’s THREE minutes.

Clear? Ok.

People were leaving, content with what they had witnessed. The Birmingham fans had resigned themselves to a defeat.

With a minute or so played in added time, Ince carelessly lost the ball to Forest loan man Tesche on the right. As the German advanced into the box, Ince atoned for his error, nicking the ball away and watching it trickle through to Grant. Unbelievably, the referee, who I can only suggest felt guilty about not giving the first one, pointed to the spot. Or perhaps he had both teams to score on his accumulator?

Anyhow, Caddis despatched the ball past Grant, in what was surely the last act of the game. I felt disappointed to have not kept a clean sheet, especially after such a decision. But we still had the points. Didn’t we?

As play went on… and on…. with a couple of throw-ins, the referee didn’t blow up. Instead, he inconceivably gave a free kick on Forsyth, who jumped up to cleanly head away a ball down the right. So incensed was Forsyth that a booking was his reward.

Still no whistle.

With the Brum goalie now in the box, I had a feeling. A feeling which got worse as the lofted delivery was knocked down to Spector, whose effort was kept out at point blank range from Grant and away for a corner. Surely, there was no time left?

Except there was. And you knew what was coming. The corner came in, was half-headed away to the back stick, to be helped back in onto the head of Donaldson, who somehow stuck the ball into the net via Ince’s leg.

Queue pandemonium to my right. Anger all around. And sheer disbelief. By the time the referee had actually blown, I was too shocked to move. A sort of deep, hypnotic trance normally reserved for after 10 pints. When I did come round, I won’t tell you exactly what I said, but I hope no children heard me…

I know officials have a difficult job. I have respect for them putting their balls on the line. But surely all can read a watch? I’m not buying into the idea that a penalty adds on an additional 3 minutes either!! And if it was a penalty, I have three heads.

Before I work myself up again, I’ll leave you with this. On another day, with a competent official, we would be top of the league and back on track. The performance was good and the defence looked solid.

Yes, you play to the whistle. Yes, we should have defended better for the second goal. The fact however is, that there shouldn’t have even been a first goal.

I’ll end on a positive. We are equal top. We’ve 10 left. Our injured players are returning. We have to play those virtually in and around us on the table.

It’s in our own hands.

Now, someone get me a drink…


Weston’s Player Ratings:

Lee Grant — 7: Didn’t have too much to do, apart from fish the ball out of his net twice.

Cyrus Christie — 7 His best performance for a while.

Richard Keogh - Solid again.

Raul Albentosa — 7: Very assured debut. Will get better.

Craig Forsyth — 7: Another good display.

Omar Mascarell — 7: Another who had a better game.

Jeff Hendrick — 7: Ticked us over nicely.

Will Hughes — 8: Excellent as per usual.

Tom Ince — 8: Well taken goal, just wish he would use his right-foot more.

Jamie Ward — 7: Good to see him score.

Johnny Russell — 7: Did well down the middle.

Subs:

Jesse Lingard — 6: Looked ok.

Craig Bryson — 6: Not on for long.

Simon Dawkins — 6: On for less.


Match Info / Rams Team:

Ref: Iain Williamson

Crowd: 31,522


Derby: Grant, Christie, Keogh, Albentosa, Forsyth, Mascarell, Hendrick, Hughes (Bryson 80’), Ince, Ward (Lingard 74’), Russell (Dawkins 83’).

Unused Subs: Roos, Buxton, Thomas, Shotton.


Match Stats — Derby / Birmingham:

Goals: Ward (20’), Ince (48’) / Caddis (90+2’), Donaldson (90+5’)

Possession: 58% / 42%

Shots On Target: 6 / 3

Shots Off Target: 8 / 12

Corners: 8 / 7

Fouls: 19 / 15


We Said / They Said - Match Reaction:

We Said — Steve McClaren:

"I think it was a double mugging. It's a freak result but we can't blame anybody. The game is 95 minutes not 91, 92 and you have to see it through.”

"When you are 2-0 up with two minutes to go you should see the game through but we didn't and there's a lot of anger going around."


They said — Gary Rowett:

"Whether we deserved it or not is not really relevant. The fact is we've kept going and kept believing and trying to get something out of the game.”

"As we all know, until the game is all over it's not over. But I'm sure if you are a Derby fan or player you will be hugely disappointed you haven't won."


Highlights / Post Match Interviews:





Up Next For The Rams:

Norwich v Derby

3:00pm — Saturday 14th of March




Photo: Action Images



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