Relegation Blues for Town

Hallelujah. At last Newell sees what we have all been saying for ages re Robbo and drops him. As I read on the Luton Outlaws message board yesterday Robbo's play reminds you of those annoying little kids running around at a wedding. Irritating and pointless.

The Town team:

Beresford

Keane Heikkinen Carlisle Davis

Foley Langley Bell Emanuel

Talbot Barnett

So some good news, and some peculiar news - Barnett at centre forward? Ho hum.

The Town started brightly, and Hull were on the back foot straight away. Langley burst through the middle and set Talbot free down the right, but nothing cameof the chance.

Keith Keane shot well after a surging run and 1-2 with Foley, and Bell had his dancing boots on again. It all looked promising.



But on 21 minutes Hull's first attack, a cross from the right wing to 7 yrds saw yet another soppy goal as Beresford refused to come and collect it, and instead saw David Livermore loop it softly past him into the corner.

1-0

And the game changed at that moment. For the rest of the half it was all Hull, a minute later another break down the right past a static Sol had us worried, and on 29 minutes it was almost 0-2 as another header from 6 yards went narrowly wide.

Beresford went down on 30 mins after a challenge at a corner. He didn't get up and was stretchered off, his replacement Dean Brill receiving big applause.

At half time Mike Newell was clearly booed off with chants of 'What a load of rubbish', the first time I have heard Newell directly and prominently targeted. The news that QPR were winning away at Derby, Leeds drawing at Leicester and Southend level at home too provided little cheer.

The Town had been bereft of ideas and width, with the left in particular a cultural desert, Sol having a mare and Emanuel providing little threat. The obvious change would be Morgan for Emanuel, but Newell had a different view:

Feeney for Langley, with Barnett pulled back to midfield. Potentially an improvement, as Barnett had been abysmal up front, but Langley had actually been playing quite well, and this did nothing to provide the width the game needed.

Clueless it continued, and on 62 minutes no surprise to see Hull go two up, as Michael Turner volleyed a right wing cross past Brill.

Newell at least made his last possible change, bringing on Dean Morgan for Emanuel, and it made a difference as we started to use both flanks. Not convincingly, but at least we did.

With 15 minutes left a Morgan free-kick was curled into the box and Talbot glanced it over Boaz Myhill. 1-2.

But we never looked like getting another, and City manager Phil Brown managed the game out.

Hull are staying up and we ain't. Simple, and deserved.



Scores



Beresford 5 again failed to command the 6 yard box, and Hull scored as a consequence

Keane 7 yet another determined performance, kept Stuart Elliott quiet

Heikkinen 6 not at his best

Carlisle 6 sometimes great, at others cumbersome. No doubting his commitment though

Davis 2 struggled to get going. No pyscho moments, but he seemed on another planet today, and was repeatedly beaten

Foley 5 never really got into the game, which was bunched anyway

Langley 6 not sure why he was taken off

Bell 7 classiest player yet again, but not able to create the necessary chance

Emanuel 4 he and Sol never link up, and Lewis hasn't the ability to beat a man himself

Talbot 6 usual hard-running and tricky performance, capped with a goal

Barnett 1 an absolute nightmare - rubbish at centre forward, rubbish in the middle, and poor when moved back to defence



Subs

Brill 7 good performance and a couple of important saves

Feeney 4 just pathetic really

Morgan 6 not on for long but desire and talent on display

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