It was a Sam Smiths pub so very cheap (about #1.50 a pint!). Just after midday we moved on up to the Brewery Tap, met several of the BHAlba who had arrived by train from Edinburgh, Glasgow etc. We celebrated the news that Palace had gone 5-0 down and about 2.30 left for the ground.
We paid over our #11 and joined the other massed ranks of noisy Albion fans on the fantastic terraced end! We said about 2,000 in total with the 250+ in the seats but the Argus said 1,725.
The players at least looked up for it today, but at times our football was a shambles. Knight and McPhee had great games up front, Nathan Jones was Nathan Jones, Pethick sat quite deep, Carpenter was once again our single midfield player who knew what to do.
The defence, well Cullip was captain and usually leads the back 4 by example, sadly he was all out of sorts again, his heading away was dreadful, and the only time he spoke to players was to have a go at them for mistakes they had made. Take a look at your own game Mr Cullip.
Kuipers was all over the place, seeing the goals on TV he was slow to react to both goals, he appears to dive backwards rather than sideways to block the shot. The one plus today was the attacking form, we look dangerous and could have scored more than 2. The negative side was we could (and should) have conceded more than 2 goals.
The goals
0-1
Slack defending all over, we gave them far too much space and it was a good finish by McKenzie who beat Butters in the air to head the ball firmly towards the corner of the goal, but as I said before Kuipers seamed to see the ball late and was very slow in getting down and the ball was in.
1-1
Nathan Jones broke down the left, got the lucky bounce to beat the full back, slotted over a great cross, that Knight reacted to just seconds before the defender and deflected the ball into the net
1-2
Paul Watson headed a ball that was going out back into play (from miss hit
Kuipers kick?), the Posh defender picked up the ball, Mayo failed to get a
tackle in, he shot and before Kuipers had reacted the ball was in off the
post
2-2
Mayo took the long throw, Butters headed the ball on , (did another Albion player also get a touch?) and Knight let the ball run, turn his defender and slammed in the equaliser. Quality finish.
After this, we did push forward and the keeper made a fantastic save from a McPhee effort. He curled the ball and it was heading for the top corner before the keeper got his hand to it. The keeper also pushed a Pethick free kick over the bar.
Peterborough also had 2 great chances, luckily one hit the bar and the other was saved by Kuipers. A draw was a fair result and I enjoyed the game as every time either said attacked a goal was possible.
We showed plenty of spirit, but McGhee will have some interesting training sessions to come and I hope it contains
1) How to tackle
2) How to pass to a team mate
3) How to encourage each other (not moan at them)
Ratings
Kuipers - 4 not up to his usual standard
Watson - 5 nothing of note
Mayo - 4 gave away the ball, but once again was left exposed by Jones
Cullip - 3 Hopefully McGhee will sort him out, something must be wrong, I rate him as one of the best players I have ever seen play for the Albion, but he has been a different player for the last few weeks
Butters - 5 once again his inability to jump and head cost us a goal, but he did hold the back 4 together at times
Pethick - 4 not really a midfield player who is likely to change a game with inspiring passes!
Hart - 4 his cross at the end, which hit the roof above us summed up his game at the moment
Jones - 4 set up the goal, but that's was the only good thing he did
Carpenter - 6 battled so so hard again
McPhee - 7 I think he showed how much he has come on this season, never say
die as well as some great touches
Knight - 9 brilliant - if this had been Zamora we who have been raving over him, struggling to get the recognition he deserves
Suds
Wilkinson (for Jones 59 Minutes) - 7 looked lively and had desire to get the ball unlike several other players
Roberts, Rehman, Hinshelwood and Harding not used
We paid over our #11 and joined the other massed ranks of noisy Albion fans on the fantastic terraced end! We said about 2,000 in total with the 250+ in the seats but the Argus said 1,725.
The players at least looked up for it today, but at times our football was a shambles. Knight and McPhee had great games up front, Nathan Jones was Nathan Jones, Pethick sat quite deep, Carpenter was once again our single midfield player who knew what to do.
The defence, well Cullip was captain and usually leads the back 4 by example, sadly he was all out of sorts again, his heading away was dreadful, and the only time he spoke to players was to have a go at them for mistakes they had made. Take a look at your own game Mr Cullip.
Kuipers was all over the place, seeing the goals on TV he was slow to react to both goals, he appears to dive backwards rather than sideways to block the shot. The one plus today was the attacking form, we look dangerous and could have scored more than 2. The negative side was we could (and should) have conceded more than 2 goals.
The goals
0-1
Slack defending all over, we gave them far too much space and it was a good finish by McKenzie who beat Butters in the air to head the ball firmly towards the corner of the goal, but as I said before Kuipers seamed to see the ball late and was very slow in getting down and the ball was in.
1-1
Nathan Jones broke down the left, got the lucky bounce to beat the full back, slotted over a great cross, that Knight reacted to just seconds before the defender and deflected the ball into the net
1-2
Paul Watson headed a ball that was going out back into play (from miss hit
Kuipers kick?), the Posh defender picked up the ball, Mayo failed to get a
tackle in, he shot and before Kuipers had reacted the ball was in off the
post
2-2
Mayo took the long throw, Butters headed the ball on , (did another Albion player also get a touch?) and Knight let the ball run, turn his defender and slammed in the equaliser. Quality finish.
After this, we did push forward and the keeper made a fantastic save from a McPhee effort. He curled the ball and it was heading for the top corner before the keeper got his hand to it. The keeper also pushed a Pethick free kick over the bar.
Peterborough also had 2 great chances, luckily one hit the bar and the other was saved by Kuipers. A draw was a fair result and I enjoyed the game as every time either said attacked a goal was possible.
We showed plenty of spirit, but McGhee will have some interesting training sessions to come and I hope it contains
1) How to tackle
2) How to pass to a team mate
3) How to encourage each other (not moan at them)
Ratings
Kuipers - 4 not up to his usual standard
Watson - 5 nothing of note
Mayo - 4 gave away the ball, but once again was left exposed by Jones
Cullip - 3 Hopefully McGhee will sort him out, something must be wrong, I rate him as one of the best players I have ever seen play for the Albion, but he has been a different player for the last few weeks
Butters - 5 once again his inability to jump and head cost us a goal, but he did hold the back 4 together at times
Pethick - 4 not really a midfield player who is likely to change a game with inspiring passes!
Hart - 4 his cross at the end, which hit the roof above us summed up his game at the moment
Jones - 4 set up the goal, but that's was the only good thing he did
Carpenter - 6 battled so so hard again
McPhee - 7 I think he showed how much he has come on this season, never say
die as well as some great touches
Knight - 9 brilliant - if this had been Zamora we who have been raving over him, struggling to get the recognition he deserves
Suds
Wilkinson (for Jones 59 Minutes) - 7 looked lively and had desire to get the ball unlike several other players
Roberts, Rehman, Hinshelwood and Harding not used