Three points more important than anything else

This was a game where in all honesty I was hoping it would be postponed because I felt windy, wet conditions were the last thing we needed with the burden of a 14 match run without a win and especially to be against those conditions in the first half where it was so important that we at least were still in the game at half time. I actually didn't think we were as poor as some have made out and we put some good moves together and deserved to be level at the break rather than one down. I can see changes in the way we play under Garner and for me it is for the better. I have hope that his plan can be implemented better in the summer where players are out of contract but that is for the future. For the present we appear to be moving in the right direction and a few wins will do us no harm whatsoever however lucky or unlucky they are. Many a  team have been sparked into life by the type of goal that won yesterdays encounter and it is a shame that we couldn't be following it up with a slightly less daunting opponent than an in form Sunderland!

Blackman 8.5 MOM Some tremendous saves and great reading of the game to control his area in very difficult conditions. Kicking was mixed but hardly surprising with the wind which caused problems as it always does 


Little 7 I felt he had his best game for us and always strived to get forward and be available. Crossing could have been better but people often criticise without taking into account the horrendous conditions in which the match was played. He should have done better oo the goal conceded. 
Kilgour 6.5 Tremendous goal to get us back in the game but until that moment he struggled to get his game together and looked uneasy in possession. Should have cleared the Blackpool goal but again you have to take in account the conditions which probably favoured a Blackpool side who are quite direct anyway.
Craig 6 Should have scored one and not his usual commanding self. In fact I would say he has struggled a bit in most games since Garner came in as you can't teach an old dog new tricks- well you can but at a cost.
Leahy 6 Not for the first time a goal conceded has come down his side and been cut back to score. This is a problem you are always going to get when you expect your left back to take free kicks,corners on the opposite side and such like. He had a reasonable game both defensively and offensively really. 


Upson 6.5 His usual game really in far from ideal conditions. Mixed it up and kept possession the majority of the time. Was the only midfielder who can make time on the ball and kept us ticking over but I can't help but feel that especially against ten players we could have replaced two of the defensive midfielders. Personally I would have kept Upson on and replaced both Ogogo and Ollie Clarke but can understand some people would have replaced Upson and Ogogo or Upson and Ollie Clarke. It really depends if you prefer a good footballer who lacks pace or all effort and commitment with little quality.  Upson gave another silly yellow card and must surely be near a suspension.
Ogogo 5.5 Covered a lot of ground and got in some tackles and tries hard but for me he lacks the quality but you do need somebody doing the dirty work and he probably fits the bill better than most but there is no real point in my eyes of having three similar players with little creative prowess especially when you are playing a team down to ten men. 
Clarke 5 Off the pace and being asked to do things he is not capable of under Garner. You cannot make a player a good passer of the ball-they either have it or they don't. He has been struggling all season and seems to have lost what was his main quality which was chipping in with a good number of goals. 


Rodman 5.5 Flits in and out of the game and often flatters to deceive but I would still have kept him on as he does have a bit of pace and the ability to attack players and is strong in the air. half time cried out to change the midfield three and get an extra attacker or two on. 
Clarke-Harris 7 Our main threat and gave Blackpool problems throughout, defended well when needed and held the ball well most of the time but I would like to see thhe "diving" taken out of his game as it nearly cost us dearly at the end. Unlucky not to score with the header that looked as if it had put us 2-1 up but was somehow brilliantly cleared off the line. 
Mitchell-Lawson 5.5 Conditions didn't really suit his game at all though I felt he was better in the first half than the second and showed some good awareness and more than a little skill with the ball at his feet.



Subs: Ginnelly 5.5 Scored the all important goal however lucky it might have been at least he got himself in the position to divert Clarke-Harris shot and send the keeper completely the wrong way. It was not really a game for wingers and he fared about the same as the others but it is nice to actually have some attacking players other than Clarke-Harris and the biggest plus IMO for Ben Garner.  
Abraham 6 Effort, pace  and obviously wants to do well- everything you could ask for in a loanee and I have the feeling that he has a goal in him if he is given the chance. Willing to run back and harass players and would like to see him start sooln although not sure if Sunderland away is the ideal time. 
Barrett 6 Has the air of a good stylish player about him and IMO he must start in place of one of the three central midfielders. Seems the ideal outlet for Upsons short passing game. He came on and tried to bring a bit of creativity to the side and IMO succeeded. Played to the left and after he came on we finally started to create moves down that side. 


Crowd 6 Not a bad crowd in the circumstances of such horrible conditions and IMO entertained by not as bad a performance as some are making out. 
Ref 7.5 Brett Huxtable is a name that does not run well with good refereeing but I felt he had a good game and got most of the key decisions right including the sending off. It was a terrible tackle that is the very type that should be cut out of the game rather than some of the tackles that red cards are given for that are powder puff and mistimed rather than rash. 
Blackpool 6.5 Probably deserved a draw but their time wasting tactics and play acting especially by their keeper made it a delight to beat them and to be fair there have been plenty of games under Garner where we have deserved a bit of luck and a win and haven't got it.

BG I still think and hope that he will be a successful manager for us. He gets criticism for not playing players he has signed but he will know far better than us what condition they are in physically. My main worry is that we don't have the central midfielder to really play the game he wants to play and in that department we have not strengthened sufficiently but in truth you might not pick up that type of player especially in January and probably not without spending a bit of money and the same goes for a striker with a goalscoring record to take the pressure off Clarke-Harris. I am more than willing to give him till at least January next year to build his side but my main worry would be as to whether we have any hope of signing any of the loanees because if we can then fine but if we can't it will pretty well mean starting from scratch in the summer.

So we now head to Sunderland probably at the worst time to play them which is something that sums us up this season but at least the win yesterday should restore some confidence and also relieve the weight of that first win off the shoulders of both the Manager and the players. Although I don't feel we should EVER put out a central midfield of Clarke, Upson and Ogogo together I can at least see reasoning behind it when going to an in form Sunderland. UTG