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Championship Round-up

We begin this week with the farcical scenes at Home Park where Barnsley were cruelly robbed of three points as their match was called off with half an hour left. The Tykes were 4-1 up but the game was abandoned due to the waterlogged pitch, and to be fair it did look ridiculous on the highlights.
Mark Robins insists that if Plymouth had been leading 4-1 there’s no danger the game would have been abandoned while Paul Sturrock admitted it gave his side, and indeed himself, a get out jail free card. I never thought I’d say this but I feel sorry for the Barnsley fans who travelled all the way down there ultimately for nothing. Mind you at least they saw their side score a few even if they won’t ultimately count for anything!
The abandonment means Plymouth remain in the bottom three.

Richard Wood has already made his name at Coventry after scoring a late equaliser at QPR this weekend. Wood had actually been involved in the goal that had put the hosts 2-1 up with Akos Buszaky’s shot (or was it Adel Taarabt?) deflecting off the former Wednesday captain before hitting the back of the net but Wood was involved at the right end to grab the goal which earned Coventry a point.
Stephen Wright earned his nomination for flounce of the weekend after throwing his captain’s armband at the referee after being sent off; Chris Coleman of course didn’t see it in the same way that he definitely didn’t tap up Richard Wood!
Magilton’s Rs remain in a playoff place but now find themselves a full eleven points behind Newcastle who, along with West Brom, seem determined to seal promotion before Christmas.

Darren Ambrose bagged his sixth goal in six games as Wednesday’s third round F.A. Cup opponents Palace put Watford to the sword at Selhurst Park. Both sides are seemingly struggling off the pitch though with Palace facing a ten-day delay on pay and Watford today being bailed out with a £1 million loan by their chairman Jimmy Russo.
And we thought we were skint!
Donny remain winless away from the Keepmoat this season as they were thumped 4-1 at the City Ground. Forest have now gone ten games unbeaten and their summer spending seems to be paying off as they lie 4th in the table.

Gordon Strachan and Mark Cooper are still looking for their first wins at Middlesbrough and Peterborough respectively after the 2-2 draw at London Road. Dave Kitson bagged a brace for the visitors but the highlight of the game was probably Shaun Batt’s belter from the edge of the box which earned Posh a point but more importantly got him a mention on Owlsalive as the goal of the weekend. Bristol City managed to make the weekend even worse for Wednesdayites by equalising against Sheffield United in the 95th minute and then proceeding to concede from the kick-off to gift the Blades all three points. I could have thrown by radio into the river as I walked up Penistone Road...

My vaguely amusing Championship-related story of the week comes all the way from Reading...well technically Derby. The Royals’ winger Jobi McAnuff reckons former footballers should be encouraged to take up refereeing as they understand the game better than the current set of idiots. My words not his, by the way.
His opinion that ‘the standard in this league needs to improve’ is a view shared by many who’ve ever been to Hillsborough. However, the fact that his judgment was based around the sending off of Shane Long makes me laugh slightly as Long’s tackle was a shocker. It has to be seen to be truly appreciated but having not won a free-kick Long goes flying in on a Derby defender and then looks baffled when the ref produces the red card.
Said McAnuff: ‘Don't get me wrong, it was a bad tackle and he probably deserved to get sent off, but you take it back 30 seconds and it's our free-kick and it would never have happened.’

Such is life, Jobes.

Enjoy your football.

Creg,