Very frustrated after tonight. The disruption to our early season excellent back four cost us tonight and showed up frailties in our squad. After a super start with two goals from Billy I thought that we would go on to get an easy victory. The ref did well in trying to play advantage but allowed Akinfenwa to get it away with even more of his usual pushing before the ball arrived anywhere near him!
We let them back into the game by taking our foot off the gas and gifting them a soft first goal. This gave The Dons the impetus to take the game to us and without Crooks in midfield they began to overun us. They started to play some really slick ,quick attacking football which we could not deal with and they equalised deservedly.
When we got the third goal with a great lay off from Terry for Sean to finish expertly I thought that we had weathered their storm. However, the enforced substitution of Deano at half time really affected our balance and shape. Pearson did not seem happy playing at the left centre back position and I don't think he made a proper pass after half time! Bruna was brought on at left back where he is inexperienced and he was under the cosh from the start of the second half. Was Terry injured or was the substitution 'tactical'? Procky did not get with the pace of the game at all. They continued to play a high paced flowing style of football and in the end they fully deserved the victory. The new lad Halliday did ok and played quite well in the second half when the rest of our boys were 'drowning' under the pressure!
Taylor was a real handful, how I wish we had a player like him!
Coley will learn from this I am sure and to his credit on Radio Lancashire he wasn't making any excuses regarding the injuries to key defenders! I will though!
We have now lost four of our five first choice players form the solid defence of earlier in the season. I hope that we can get Deano fit for saturday or else I fear we will have another match under extreme defensive pressure!
KEEP THE FAITH
ON STANLEY ON