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Adam Cottier · 10-09-2005, 22:44

Thought i'd post my thoughts on today's game. I'm full of optimism - which is rare. Excellent performance - here's how it was for me.

Adam

(Kipax you can put this on official site if you want)

It’s rare that I ever consider writing a match report on Stanley, usually I feel like I have said enough on the radio. Tonight I feel a bit different. Tonight I feel a need – a need to tell the people who were not at the Pirelli Stadium and those who have not seen the team this year, just how good Stanley were today.

I, for one, feel that there is a fundamental difference in this team compared to the one of last season. Don’t get me wrong, last year was good; but this year is better. Better, because of the work ethic of the players. Better because of their fitness levels; better for their endeavour to grind wins where last year they may only have drawn.

It’s hard to lay a finger on the reasons but there’s so much of a youthful elegance about the side – young players that are eager to launch their careers having been discarded by their old employees. There’s so much vigour about them; determination; energy - energy that oozes from start to finish in a match. That was certainly the case today.

Stanley’s start to the season hasn’t been helped by unsettling injury problems but they have overcome the adversity to uncover a real gem of a goalkeeper in Darren Randolph – hope and pray he will remain. In front of him there is an organised rearguard that today, led by the excellent Robbie Willams, looked solid and compact. That was, of course, not the case of Stanley’s defence last season. Then there’s the midfield. John Coleman has put his faith in Anthony Barry and Ian Craney in the centre and it has reaped rewards. The pair were combative, direct and dominant again today. And Stephen Jagielka who looks more like a stable right winger each game he plays; Gary Roberts, despite not having the best of games today by the standards he has set, gave the side added balance and another route to goal. Upfront there’s a father figure in Mullin. Not saying that in a bad way, but he leads from the front and by exceptional example. Alongside him is the player, who for me has been Stanley’s most outstanding so far: David Brown.

And Brown it was who orchestrated and scored Stanley’s scintillating opening goal after nine minutes at the Pirelli Stadium. Bursting forward from half-way he spotted Jagielka’s darting free-run down the right. The former Hereford man waited intelligently before playing his team-mate in behind Burton’s defence with a perfectly weighted pass. Jagielka cut the ball back almost instantaneous and it found its way back to Brown who had taken up the perfect position to coolly slot home left-footed from six yards.

Without creating an abundance of first-half chances, Stanley stamped their authority on the game with some sharp passing interplay and firm tackling. On the odd occasion that Burton did break Stanley’s midfield stranglehold, they couldn’t find a way past an equally well-marshalled Stanley defence.

Four minutes into the second half, Stanley were denied a clear penalty when Burton’s Ryan Austin appeared to touch the ball with both arms as he jumped for a header with Mullin. It’s a measure of this Stanley side, however, that they failed to let that rile them and Andrew Mangan’s timely introduction midway through the second period signalled curtains for Burton.

The 18-year-old, who is being eased rather than pushed into his professional career, laid bare his dazzling attributes with 18 minutes remaining. Mullin rose to head a long-ball into the youngster’s path and with defenders still to beat he showed no hesitation in sprinting square of a defender before curling a delightful low shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

It had been expected that John Coleman would feature his two new signings, Alan Navarro and Romi Boco, at some stage in the proceedings, but quite frankly, and this is no disrespect, they were not needed. The Reds carelessly disposed of a two goal lead at Burton last season and that can’t have been far from the minds of all concerned. But, as I’ve said, this is a different Stanley side to last year and it showed as they shut up shop, rolled the ball around confidently and purposefully and only saw Darren Randolph have to pull off one fine save towards the end to keep a worthy clean-sheet intact.

Yes, there is a long way to go but my goodness; was it a pleasure to watch Accrington Stanley today if only for the two awesome goals?

For me it was.

Adam

10-09-2005, 22:44	#1
Adam Cottier Full Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 397 Liked: 0 times Rep Power: 42	Burton Match Report - for the Stanley stayaways! Thought i'd post my thoughts on today's game. I'm full of optimism - which is rare. Excellent performance - here's how it was for me. Adam (Kipax you can put this on official site if you want) It’s rare that I ever consider writing a match report on Stanley, usually I feel like I have said enough on the radio. Tonight I feel a bit different. Tonight I feel a need – a need to tell the people who were not at the Pirelli Stadium and those who have not seen the team this year, just how good Stanley were today. I, for one, feel that there is a fundamental difference in this team compared to the one of last season. Don’t get me wrong, last year was good; but this year is better. Better, because of the work ethic of the players. Better because of their fitness levels; better for their endeavour to grind wins where last year they may only have drawn. It’s hard to lay a finger on the reasons but there’s so much of a youthful elegance about the side – young players that are eager to launch their careers having been discarded by their old employees. There’s so much vigour about them; determination; energy - energy that oozes from start to finish in a match. That was certainly the case today. Stanley’s start to the season hasn’t been helped by unsettling injury problems but they have overcome the adversity to uncover a real gem of a goalkeeper in Darren Randolph – hope and pray he will remain. In front of him there is an organised rearguard that today, led by the excellent Robbie Willams, looked solid and compact. That was, of course, not the case of Stanley’s defence last season. Then there’s the midfield. John Coleman has put his faith in Anthony Barry and Ian Craney in the centre and it has reaped rewards. The pair were combative, direct and dominant again today. And Stephen Jagielka who looks more like a stable right winger each game he plays; Gary Roberts, despite not having the best of games today by the standards he has set, gave the side added balance and another route to goal. Upfront there’s a father figure in Mullin. Not saying that in a bad way, but he leads from the front and by exceptional example. Alongside him is the player, who for me has been Stanley’s most outstanding so far: David Brown. And Brown it was who orchestrated and scored Stanley’s scintillating opening goal after nine minutes at the Pirelli Stadium. Bursting forward from half-way he spotted Jagielka’s darting free-run down the right. The former Hereford man waited intelligently before playing his team-mate in behind Burton’s defence with a perfectly weighted pass. Jagielka cut the ball back almost instantaneous and it found its way back to Brown who had taken up the perfect position to coolly slot home left-footed from six yards. Without creating an abundance of first-half chances, Stanley stamped their authority on the game with some sharp passing interplay and firm tackling. On the odd occasion that Burton did break Stanley’s midfield stranglehold, they couldn’t find a way past an equally well-marshalled Stanley defence. Four minutes into the second half, Stanley were denied a clear penalty when Burton’s Ryan Austin appeared to touch the ball with both arms as he jumped for a header with Mullin. It’s a measure of this Stanley side, however, that they failed to let that rile them and Andrew Mangan’s timely introduction midway through the second period signalled curtains for Burton. The 18-year-old, who is being eased rather than pushed into his professional career, laid bare his dazzling attributes with 18 minutes remaining. Mullin rose to head a long-ball into the youngster’s path and with defenders still to beat he showed no hesitation in sprinting square of a defender before curling a delightful low shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the box. It had been expected that John Coleman would feature his two new signings, Alan Navarro and Romi Boco, at some stage in the proceedings, but quite frankly, and this is no disrespect, they were not needed. The Reds carelessly disposed of a two goal lead at Burton last season and that can’t have been far from the minds of all concerned. But, as I’ve said, this is a different Stanley side to last year and it showed as they shut up shop, rolled the ball around confidently and purposefully and only saw Darren Randolph have to pull off one fine save towards the end to keep a worthy clean-sheet intact. Yes, there is a long way to go but my goodness; was it a pleasure to watch Accrington Stanley today if only for the two awesome goals? For me it was. Adam __________________ Last edited by Adam Cottier; 10-09-2005 at 22:47.