So I’ve still never been to Brentford and
seen us win. Not in normal time anyway. The boys did it again, with penalty drama and
everything thrown into this one.
On a bog of a pitch the Bees settled into
their stride well before we even got going and could have been out of sight
before half time. A catalogue of misses
and Walker saves kept the game tied and goalless. It genuinely only looked a
matter of time before we conceded but somehow we got to the dressing room
level.
The second half was a different story as a
much improved Saddlers performance saw us take control of the game. The longer
the game went the more at ease the back four became and the more regular the
chances came.
With nine minutes left Wrack went on a run
down the right, cut inside the full back
took the ball to the bye-line and rounded the keeper. He then pulled the ball back for Rammell to
score into an open goal. Well
nearly. Rammell uncharactoristically blazed over somehow and the
game moved into extra time.
Ray was ultra cool at this point, eventually
appearing from the stand to discuss tactics just as Ron Noades had finished his
talk. Sixty seconds later Ray was back in his dug out with the boys ready to win the game.
Substitute Wayne Thomas, on for Pingu, hit
the post and extra time was really a case of will we win it here and now or are
we going to need penalties?
The goal never came so it would have to be progress via the long way round. Walker saved the first and I
think Watson, Pointon, Thomas and
Brissett converted for the mighty greens. I say I think because it’s bit difficult to
tell who is taking it when your crossed fingers cover your closed eyes and you
are holding a breath you took several minutes ago. How a grown man with a child can get so mixed
up in a game between to obscure lower division teams is a question for
tomorrow.
I was too tense to worry about trivialities
like that though. Walker saved the
last Brentford penalty and we were through.
I took breath and untangled myself and unleashed a cry a “get in you
bastard”. We were through. Don’t tell me that this competition doesn’t matter.