Festive Friday followed by a Sanguine Saturday?


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Wednesday                          Derby County 

Last Friday was Mrs Durruti's birthday and, as a sort of test run for the Owls Alive comedy neet in May, a party of 17 of us went to the comedy club to celebrate said fact.

The Mrs and I had had a great day that included a first visit to Cafe Ceres on Sharrowvale Road which is a little French place that I would recommend to anyone who likes that sort of funny food; time at Homebase buying a barbecue and lots of walking the dog which is absolutely not a euphemism (after 21 years of marriage).

The comics were all a bit reactionary to be honest trading on stereotypes (Barnsley, Students, Lesbian Midwives etc) but the "cheesy" disco afterwards was highly enjoyable.

I took full advantage of the tuneage on offer and flung my 170 lb frame round the dancefloor to a heady mix of obvious Northern Soul, Wham! and some populist RnB. However, the gayness of my jumper came back into play as some woman (who my mate Dick described as an Asian Nazi) enquired as to whether I was his new boyfriend! Even JP cut some shapes despite spending much of his floor time sending texts. A great night then that would surely be followed by a great day...

Durruti in action

Sweet...

Despite hitting the hay at gone 2.30 I was up and at 'em by 9 and the usual morning routine was only slightly spoiled by the persistent drizzle. Off Yoshiowl went in his fetching rain jacket and we were on time to pick up Andrew (South of the South Stand) and partake in the delights of the Java Lounge experience. Plus we've added something extra to the matchday experience - a trip to the sweetshop on Middlewood Road. It's also joint top in terms of Bill's favourite non-footballing elements of the day in that the daughter of said sweetshop's owner is something of an uber rock chic and also a girl of his own age that he is capable of speaking to...

Several quizzes (won as ever by Jamie - what that lad doesn't know about footer aint worth knowing), a Guinness and a Bovril later we took our seats for the game.
          

          
The Match
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No Varney as expected and the injured JJ replaced by Soares Wednesday started brightly and but for a fine save by Bywater (who surey felt right at home playing next to the river Don) should have taken the lead after Tudgay set up Miller.

Derby responded with a headed attempt that Grant did well to turn over the top before the game descended into a torper
with neither side seeming willing to commit more than their front two to the attack. As the game wore on Wednesday appeared to fall into away side mode with the wingless midfield dropping ever deeper. Derby were edging it by dint of the fact that (a) the referee seemed unconcerned by Hulse's constant use of his elbows (b) Clarke was half asleep and (c) Tudgay had disappeared into his very own hole between midfield and attack.

Fortunately our back five was doing its collective job in competent fashion with Beevers matching Hulse and Tommy outclassing their right winger, Sunu. However, it was Nolan who pulled off the finest piece of defending in the first half when he managed to nick the ball away from Sunu when the Rams looked certain to capitalise from a breakaway that ensued after a poorly executed Owls corner. Of our front six only Soares looked lively and on two occasions he used his strength and skill to create chances that were thwarted by first Tudgay failing to connect with a great cross and then Bywater pulling off another quality save.

          

          
Unfortunately the only points to note in the first 20 minutes of the second half were that Purse went off apparently injured but still walking and that Hazel finally lost patience with Leon after he was dispossessed for the millionth time and brought on new signing Francis Jeffers.

I'd had a £5 on Mark Beevers to score the last goal at 40/1 prior to the game and when the harrying Potter floated a free kick over and Mark rose like a salmon to head home I was already counting my winnings but then just as William Hill was counting it out for me a flying pig appeared under the derby cross bar and Tonged it away.

Aside from a "chance" where the new boy, Jeffers, surprisingly (for a fox in the box) failed to connect with a Miller cross that was it.

0-0 and with both Palace and Scunthorpe winning we were back in the bottom three.

But wait...a tangerine dream of a goal put it all back into our hands.
          

          
Post match verdict

Irvine has sorted the defensive side of our game out completely but it will be squeaky bum time from now until the last day unless we can find some inspiration in the front 2/3s.

Clarke is so hot and cold it's unreal - Drogba one week and bobba the next two.

Tudders is a one in four man at best.

Varney just isn't good enough.

Time then for new signing Jeffers to shine...