BWFC v Burton

2 up and cannot go into half time without trailing. Absolutely shocking.

Whenever we score early we tend to defend like traffic cones.

Pathetic and scrap my earlier maths we are doomed and personally gloomed.

That’s it then, no point making signings now, bring on the penalty for the Donny and Brentford games, decide if KH is the right man for next season or not and if so concentrate on bringing through the young players we want to keep next year and wait to recruit in August for League2. I think today just proves what a weak, brainless bunch we’ve got with another avoidable and pointless sending off. I just can’t get any enthusiasm now to make the journey to see this bunch. We used to ask what the players did in training under Parky but it’s just as questionable under Hill I’m afraid. A great if surprising start thrown away without blinking. I wasn’t there today and I’m so glad because I’d have been tearing my hair out. I’m finished for the season now I’m afraid, I just can’t justify the complete waste of time and money turning up but good luck to those who do.

Well that was truly pathetic.

Take away the first and last 10 minutes and we were absolutely shocking. Woeful defending, dreadful midfield and just no attacking at all.

We had our usual slow start but this time it only lasted 5 minutes. We actually could have been 1 down but for an excellent block by Wright. From this block, we immediately broke upfield, Verlinden found Dodoo who stormed into the box from the right. I think the goalie was expecting a centre but Dodoo shot between the keeper and the near post. Good hard shot – not sure if the keeper should have saved it.

And we were on top. Verlinden cut in from the left and hit the post with a cracking shot and then Dodoo again broke on the right and centred for Murphy to sidefoot in.

10 minutes gone and 2-0 up. Was this the day when confidence would be built up in the squad with a good win? No!

2 minutes later, Emmanuel tried a tackle on the edge of the box but someone left the opponent with the ball, who then shot into the corner. 2-1. Our 2 goal lead had lasted 2 minutes!

From that moment on, the game was gone.

Passing was awful, defence was in mass panic mode and Burton just easily passed the ball between themselves. Having said that, the equaliser was so preventable. They broke on their left, put a ball in and we watched as everyone just stood watching the ball trickled out for a goal kick except Aitken who wafted a leg at it (way beyond the far post) and saw the ball bounced past Matthews who seemed to be on his knees and trickle in. What Matthews was doing I don’t know.

So anyway, we would be going in al-square and the manager would have chance to put things right! But No. Wright did some absolute schoolboy defending and allowed Aitken to receive the ball on the edge of the box and turn and shoot and score. Amateurish defensive play.

I seem to be saying this often but I expect our management to gee the players up at half time and get them going but, yet again, we came out meekly and allowed Burton to have all the possession and control of the game.

Luke Murphy then showed his stupidity. He received the ball but lost control (typical of his whole game), the Burton man took the ball past and Murphy pulled him back. An obvious yellow card to go with the one from the first half. Nonsensical and he’s supposed to be a senior player!

From then on we hardly had an attack. Buckley came on followed by O’Grady and Politic but little changed. Except that Wright went to sleep again, allowed a man to turn and shoot and we were 4-2 down.

The game seemed gone but we perked up. The keeper let slip a shot from Weir and Politic “scored”. Offside. Politic then scored with a good shot and we were attacking.

And then in the last minute, Chicksen broke and centred to the other post where Darcy vollied over. He should have scored.

We were beaten – deservedly so. We are a very poor side and relegation is a certainty.



Much will be made (Marc Iles etc) of “Brave Bolton”, “fighting with 10 men”, “nearly got a point”. What should be noted is that we were outplayed for 40+ minutes prior to the sending off. We were distinctly second best.



Have we reached the stage now where we should be planning for next season – results seem irrelevant. Getting a decent squad playing decent football ready for league 2 seems a priority. Let’s get the points deduction from the EFL and build for next season because this one is finished.



Marks:-



Matthews - 3 From the sublime of Sunday to the ridiculous of today. What on earth was he doing for their 2nd goal? Maybe the other goals all found the corner of the net but no 2 – that was dreadful. Plus his kicking was abysmal – rarely found a white shirt.

Emmanuel - 3 Just too casual. Caught out a number of times and how slow was he in taking throw-ins in the last few minutes when we desperately needed some haste. Did Burton’s time wasting for them.

Earl - 4 Very sloppy. Caught out too often and passing ball from defence was not good.

Wright - 2 Dreadful. Goals no 3 & 4 both resulted from a Burton striker receiving the ball with his back to goal and being able to turn and get a shot in with no reaction from Wright.

Chicksen - 4 Struggled to be able to get the ball forward.

Murphy L - 2 He was awful throughout the game. Poor passing and ridiculous fouling. The sending off showed a lack of brains.

Weir - 4 Started poorly with a couple of dreadful passes but improved and was no worse than Murphy or Lowe in previous games.

Dodoo - 3 9 out of 10 for the first 10 minutes. 1 out of 10 for the remainder. Just disappeared from the game.

Darcy - 6 Brightest spark in the team. He then missed a sitter for a last minute equaliser.

Murphy D - 5 Took his goal well but was totally isolated yet again. The midfield just cannot feed him.

Verlinden - 5 Started well, hit the post but then, like his colleagues, just faded away.

Buckley - 3 Did anyone notice him do anything?

O’Grady - 3 Just never got in the game.

Politic - 5 One goal disallowed and then a good shot for no 3. He needs to be in the team more often.

Of course I’ll go again OM, you’re right, I was just peed off with today. After all these years of sufferance I’m not likely to give up on them now when they need us but it’s just so disheartening to see supposed senior, experienced players being so inept. Actually I’d rather watch the kids play than most of this bunch, at least they try and mistakes are a learning process for them to get better. I wasn’t there today so maybe I shouldn’t comment but why is big Zouma not getting a game when the likes of Wright make mistakes and nothing is said? Politic also today seemed to prove what he can do yet has been sidelined by Hill. I think we’re all pretty much resigned to relegation now so probably performances matter more than results but I hope KH sticks to playing those of our permanent players for the rest of the season rather than any he doesn’t intend to keep. Let’s get the makings of a team sorted now then add some quality and experience in the summer.

I don’t think there’s anything we can do about the reffing Kenglo, that’s out of our control but we can do something about players doing stupid things like Lowe and Murphy. Totally avoidable both sendings off and both players need to be taken to task for it. As for general refereeing standards, as I say, we can’t do anything about that but I don’t see referees going out to intentionally penalise us so I suppose we have to just suck it up like every other club does. Over the years we’ve had some really appalling refereeing (remember Ipswich in the cup and the Everton goal that wasn’t?) performances but then I suspect if you ask any teams supporters you’ll get the same story. I still prefer that to video replays because at least it creates discussion and to be fair we’ve had some positive decisions go our way too over the years so it’s not all one way.

I don't think that the referee cost us the game.

He wasn't very good but Murphy was just plain stupid.

He also didn't stand off and let strikers turn and shoot as Wright did.

I think we also have a problem with physical strength. Football is a contact sport and we get knocked off the ball much too much. Kevin Davies would have flattened all our current defenders - no problem (and also no foul!).

Having said that, I agree the standard is average at best. Could it be that the demands of VAR has sucked all the decent refs into the Premier League, leaving us with what last season would have been National League standard refs this season?