COLUMNIST KEN BUCKLEY

From my seat: Tamworth (H)

By Ken Buckley   ::  07/01/2012 We are through to the next round and, in FA cup terms ,nothing else matters. A gate of 27,564 ? of which approx 4,500 were from the West Midlands ? means we still have a hard core of some 21,000 which I suppose isn?t bad considering our recent performances and the perceived position of our club being one of negative progression.

The team and subs as texted through were acceptable considering our position on the injury front and were expected to be enough to see off the Conference?s 15th placed team. Before the game I met up with some Tamworth fans who stumbled across our local boozer and they told me their average gate was around 1,500 so to have brought 4,500 fans shows that the FA Cup still has appeal outside of the closeted arena of ?Premier League rules all? It meant something to those fans and fair play they showed it throughout.

We took the field resplendent in white tracky tops and the time of applause for Gary Ablett was celebrated by all. 46 years of age and struck down by such a condition left me applauding along with respect for Gary for those with no profile that we never hear of yet the heartache will be no different for their nearest and dearest and friends.

The game started with us well in control and within five mins we forced a corner which was taken superbly by our on loan Yank Donavon. It eluded keeper Collister a life time Blue and found the head of Heitinga who unerringly found the net. The celebrations were OK but of the ?We expected this? nature. We continued on top and the keeper blocked well from Big Vic and then Bilyaletdinov blazed well over from no more than 15 yards.

The recently acquired McFadden had chances to score his first goal since August 2010; first he headed wide and then after a cheeky back heel from Bilyaletdinov fired just wide of the post.

We looked comfortable but that feeling of needing a second goal was never far from the mind yet you could not see it coming as we did OK so far but things just petered out at the business end. Tamworth seemed to take heart from our hesitancy and roared on by their faithful tried hard and on the half hour mark this nearly paid off when Patterson was allowed to run to the edge of our box and his shot was close to the post, fortunately the wrong side but none the less a warning. According to the proey he was a team-mate of Landon at LA Galaxy and tested us again by firing straight at Howard and the faithful started to get a touch agitated and let our lads know.

The half ended and whilst well on top many bemoaned our lack of convincing firepower but a glance at the subs suggested little would change.

The second half started much the same as the first finished with us on top but without that final ball and clinical finish. What we didn?t want was any more injuries but after less than a quarter of an hour Fellaini went down in some discomfort after a true Conference tackle and many held their breath.

After treatment he was up and made his way to the touchline and it was only then that I noticed Coleman being led off limping in a way that suggested six weeks and Baines being thrown on. I hope the lad is less of a worry than my assessment. It is always strange to me how long subs warm up before we make them and it may be for a very good reason yet when Coleman came off Baines went straight on with no prolonged warm up and as far as I could tell was none the worse for it. Fellaini came back on and looked OK.

We played on but without much quality which leads to not much conviction but it was enough to remain in the box seat. Just before the 80min mark we at last put some joined up stuff together and the combination of Baines and Donovan down the left suggested that is something the manager can work on as they combined to set up Bilyaletdinov who shot well but it was beaten away by that pesky Blue Collister.

Drenthe replaced McFadden on 65mins and Denis replaced Big Vic on 75mins. Drenthe appeared to be playing on roller skates as he cut in and fell over a few times. As far as Denis goes ? well if you are a fan of his well OK but I am bewildered as to how we have signed him. Is Sven a better judge than our man?

On 80mins Drenthe once again cut in and appeared to be brought down in the box and the Ref. agreed and pointed to the spot. If I am honest from my seat it looked a little soft. Bilyaletdinov, Heitinga and Baines contested the take but Baines prevailed. The Blue fan keeper watched Baines place the ball then strode out and squirted water onto the ball, the Ref. noticed this and booked him. You think you have seen it all then this.

Just like the keeper at WBA daft tricks don?t seem to faze Baines who merely took it all in his stride, stepped up and plonked it home with keeper going the wrong way.. 2-0 thank you and good night. Donovan still had time to make it 3-0 when he strode forward and from some 25 yards crashed a shot of the angle of post and bar with the keeper well beaten. That would have ben some goal.

Final whistle and fans made their way out of the ground with a philosophical air?were through. One thing throughout the game that puzzled me was that Phil Neville was booed throughout the game by the Tamworth fans. What could he have done to upset a Conference side when he has never played at that level. Could it be that most of the support was made up of West Midland clubs supporters rather than their own?

MotM ? Heitinga?He scored and was untroubled throughout.

Overall ? A good day out. A few pints in good company, an FA Cup win and in the draw for the next round and all our ills can wait till Tuesday night. Now that could be hairy but hey who knows this is footy after all and even the Conference didn?t look that far away from the Prem at times today.

The hard core reminded us "We are on the way with Moyes?s army" plus the "Davy" song and the odd "EV-ER-TON, EV-ER-TON"; other than that, the atmosphere was yet again akin to a Library. Yet just five more cup wins and we are winners.... Can we?

See you Tuesday ? worry beads in hand!!!

UP THE BLUES

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