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Rotherham (a) - League - 4th March 2003

Reports and reaction from the 2002-03 season as Walsall finished 17th in Division 1
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Rotherham (a) - League - 4th March 2003

Wed Dec 08, 2004 9:02 am

By 1933 (81.131.91.227) on Tuesday, March 04, 2003 - 10:38 pm: Edit

0-0 Very good result

Nerve-wracking listening to it on the radio - Byfield sounded like a constant threat. Walker again made some excellent saves.

Phew.

By woodster (195.92.67.65) on Tuesday, March 04, 2003 - 11:01 pm: Edit

Definitely happy with that. Listened in on the internet and heard one or two of the after-match TEXTS sent to WM. Half the messages were about getting rid of the ex-Dingles... What is it with people?

By red until im dead (62.30.112.3) on Tuesday, March 04, 2003 - 11:49 pm: Edit

someone even text wm saying that lee could go at the end of the season.....
i dont think so myself.
and as for this ex dingle stuff what a load of balls mart ex blues dont hear anyone wanting him to go

By Jonny (195.93.49.12) on Wednesday, March 05, 2003 - 12:00 am: Edit

I heard the txts on WM these people who go on about ex dingles all the while realy are braindead I suppose they were pissed off when Robinson scored at Bradford. Anyway it was a good result tonight and listening on WM it sounded like our fans were giving the lads great support as they sounded loud on the radio.

By hullsaddler (213.249.171.93) on Wednesday, March 05, 2003 - 12:49 am: Edit

An excellent battling performance, in which we had a bit of luck, but also showed that with passion & detemination that we can come away with a point. Wrack was my m-o-m,excellent throughout.Cant see Ziggy getting back in unless Darren has to step into midfield due to injuries. Jimmy was also VG,one outstanding save from brilliant shot from Byfield.We had some bright movement going forward in 1st half,Shuker was like a whippet everywhere but I felt Jorge going off meant that we were unlikely to pose a real threat. Zdrillic did nothing to convince me that he will be here next year.One disappointment was the quality of some of the crossing ,especially from Bazeley-too many easy balls for their keeper-if only we could have got balls into the box like Rotherham did, though thankfully they could not take advantage.It was important to get 2 successive good performances & lets hope they can make it 3 on Sat.
PS 18 pounds to get in at Millmoor- a ground that except the seats at away end does not seem to have changed at all in all the years that I have been there.


By popperpancake (81.79.35.154) on Wednesday, March 05, 2003 - 01:22 am: Edit

I'll take that.

By Frank Stubbs (195.93.49.12) on Wednesday, March 05, 2003 - 01:24 am: Edit

Hard fought draw,the sight of Byfield celebrating in front of me kept flashing through my mind,every time Rotherham attacked but our passion and die for the cause attitude won through.The back four were colossal and when Corica won a clerance the sense of togetherness was complete.Jimmy top draw as usual,Sammways improved from saturday,Shuker did'nt stop running all night,the negatives were MOC and Jorge going off, Zdrillic did,nt show a lot and our forward play suffered at times for this.We could take lessons from the Millers in terms of crossing,they have it down to a fine art.All in all a point gained,looking forward to seeing Shuker terrorising Milwall on saturday!
One other thing to report the obnoxious Fat steward took on the roll of family stand bully tonight leaving us all alone,and not trying to view the action through a brickshithouse.

By Shifnalsaddler (62.6.119.133) on Wednesday, March 05, 2003 - 01:48 am: Edit

Yes Hull Saddler, Wracky put in the sort of performance that would make any parent very proud. He should keep his place ahead of Aranalde.

Difficult night for the defence but they all worked hard and earned us a good point. Good game from Barras again, Roper same as usual, Jimmy did it again when needed.

Corica won a challenge in the six yard box. A strange night.

By SheffieldSaddler (194.202.181.189) on Wednesday, March 05, 2003 - 09:08 am: Edit

I thought it was a very solid and committed performance. 4 points from Bradford and Rotherham away, no-one can complain about this. Must admit Rotherham look a decent side.
Defence played very well and must admit I thought Robinson was man of match, he really got stuck in and fought for everything in midfield. Cant see a lot of teams getting a lot from us if we have O'Connor, Robinson and Samways in midfield.
A very strange night as I didnt have any problems at all with the stewards.... cant remember the last time this happened at an away match :o)

By Geordiesaddler (213.205.138.250) on Wednesday, March 05, 2003 - 10:23 am: Edit

That amount of effort and commitment will keep me happy on any away trip. One nagging negative looking forward though is that the biggest test of CL's Walsall career looms - replacing Martin O'Connor.

By HillsboroughSaddler (143.167.6.86) on Wednesday, March 05, 2003 - 10:46 am: Edit

A decent performance and good result. Jimmy made two great saves, the lads were very committed in defence and I cant believe how good a left back Wracky looks! In fact this might be the strongest team we can put out at the moment and if the quality of our crossing had been better we might have pinched three points last night.
Agree with Sheffield on Robinson - he battled so hard all night and I lost count of how many shots and crosses he blocked.
Shukur looked very good as well, ran his socks off. Roper and Barras were excellent, MOC solid as a rock while he was on the pitch.
Three points on Saturday and we can stop worrying about relegation so much and start moving up the table.

By Neil Ravenscroft (62.172.127.2) on Wednesday, March 05, 2003 - 10:58 am: Edit

Spot on, Geordie. We haven't looked the same side without him in any game this season, which is hardly suprising, as Blues had the same problem. Samways could play a similar role when he is fully match fit, but he hasn't got that long left and wants to go back to Spain anyway.

Any ideas anyone?

By Cockerney Saddler (212.82.80.1) on Wednesday, March 05, 2003 - 11:05 am: Edit

Just read on teletext that leicester's Stefan Oakes is up for a free at the end of the season. He's a decent player and could be the right sort to go for. Whether or not he's a replacement for MOC is another question.
Great result last night!

By RushallSaddler (217.207.41.4) on Wednesday, March 05, 2003 - 11:36 am: Edit

If he stays lucky on the injury front, I think he's got another two years left minimum, look at McAllister and McCall both 38 and still going strong in Div One, MoC's only 35, and hes managed to play in 30 games this season, I remember early on in the season, some people on here saying we'd be lucky if he played a dozen games all season, how wrong they were.

By Dazza (213.48.84.59) on Wednesday, March 05, 2003 - 01:00 pm: Edit

Thanks Dad, Long may your encouragement continue. I know you will always support me even during my difficult periods. As a special request, could you also support the other, less skilful members of the squad as well

By zigor (134.220.2.2) on Wednesday, March 05, 2003 - 01:28 pm: Edit

e.g me

By Paul G (134.220.2.2) on Wednesday, March 05, 2003 - 01:36 pm: Edit

Why do we boo Byfield? It was the management that instigated his move. He did not ask to go and was playing his best football for us at the time of his sale. I prefer to remember those crucial goals at Cardiff, Grimsby and home to Barnsley. He looked very busy last night and seems to play more as an orthodox centre forward for Rotherham. For us he often sat deep outside the box or even wide on the wings even when we were attacking.

We looked very hard to beat last night but never really convinced ourselves in the final third. I'll whisper it quietly but this changed only when Corica came on. Rotherham are very good at closing down space and blocking the attempted balls into the box. In contrast we sit back and allow the ball to come into the danger area. But from there the defence and midfield always seemed to get a head, leg or toe to the ball.

By Salop Saddler (213.78.120.31) on Wednesday, March 05, 2003 - 02:13 pm: Edit

Don't whisper about Corica. If he recaptures the form we know he's capable of he could play a major role for us, and, I hope, will continue to do so next season.

By SheffieldSaddler (194.202.181.189) on Wednesday, March 05, 2003 - 02:14 pm: Edit

Paul G - I dont agree it was the management that instigated his move, it was Byfield/Byfields agent. The way I understood it, he was going to be made one of, if not the highest paid player at Walsall FC, he agreed terms and then decided via whoever to go and talk to Rotherham.
Then again I may have got it all wrong!

By RushallSaddler (217.207.41.4) on Wednesday, March 05, 2003 - 02:36 pm: Edit

He couldn't be the highest paid, because there's a certain player who has a special clause written into his contract that he will always earn £1 more than any other player at the club

By Delves Saddler (194.73.163.108) on Wednesday, March 05, 2003 - 03:12 pm: Edit

I must have been watching a different game. I thought Wrack struggled at left back - it was down that flank they created most of their chances.

Their centre-halfs basically outmuscled our strikers on the odd occasion we threatened. they tried to bully Shuker into submission!!

A damn good point though, with Roper/Barras/Jimmy all outstanding (apart from Jimmy's kicking!). Shuker will be a major threat in the remaining games, especially at home.

Replacing O'Connor is going to be very difficult. Every time he's substituted, we look a weakened team without anyone knitting the midfield together/driving the team as a whole forward, which leads to a lack of service to the strikers.

It's not so much Byfield leaving that annoys me, it's the fact that he seems to put in way more effort for Rotherham than he ever did for us. Last night he ran his nuts off chasing down every ball lumped forward to him and always made sure he was in the box at the right time - two things he failed to do for us.

By ian hemmings (195.93.49.12) on Wednesday, March 05, 2003 - 04:03 pm: Edit

he might just have been up for that game i know the rotherham fans that we were drinking with before the game have been calling him lazy and no good and that we can have him back if we wanted him!

By PJD (213.122.168.252) on Thursday, March 06, 2003 - 01:02 pm: Edit

MOC is the best central midfielder we have had at Walsall for decades, in both stints he has had with us. One thing may help his longevity is that he didn't play huge amounts of league footie till he came to us.

Did you hear him at Bradford on Saturday roaring at the team to defend a Bradford corner?

I have tried to think of players who could replace him, but only come up with people who would be way out of our budget. For example, he has been replaced by Robbie Savage at Blues. I've only seen Savage play once (For Leicester against Villa, crap game, don't ask) and I wouldn't swap him for Mart even now!

By Ulster Saddler (212.3.176.14) on Thursday, March 06, 2003 - 02:36 pm: Edit

A point at a place like Rotherham this season is a point gained - no doubt about that.

I like the sound of the way the team battled and didn't roll over like we sometimes do to powerful/strong sides like Rotherham.

Lets carry this on and take 3 points on Saturday.
UP THE SADDLERS

By Tim Wilkes (213.2.51.198) on Friday, March 07, 2003 - 12:31 pm: Edit

Re MOC.
Look's like Derby will off-load Burley...probably beyond our means, though.

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