What a game of football. In a Premiership where there have been quite a few low-scoring games recently, and as ridiculous as this sounds, this game could easily have ended with 9 or 10 goals. It would be easy (and predictable) to report on Portsmouth’s obvious problems at the moment but, instead, I’d rather concentrate on BWFC. This was a tremendous, and deserved, victory against a team who can cause problems on their day. I have to admit that the Portsmouth goal was a moment of absolute top quality, with a sensational outside-of-the-boot ball from Krancjar providing Peter Crouch with the type of opportunity he simply doesn’t miss from. But the game was virtually over inside the first 4 minutes.
Perhaps it was predictable that Matty Taylor would score against his former club, but what a well taken goal it was. Bamboozling Sylvan Distin before lashing home, Taylor is on a good scoring run at the moment and is quickly becoming our most important goal threat. Dangerous from set-pieces and open play, he is now showing the form which led to rumours of England call-ups during his Portsmouth days and it is vital that he stays fit. It was also a peach of a strike from Ricardo Gardner (which leaves me eating a large slice of humble pie following numerous digs at his shooting prowess…) and Steinsson and Nolan came close on occasion too. It is especially pleasing that the goals are now being spread throughout the team – this is something which stood us in good stead during the heady Allardyce days and is crucial to our success this season too. Long may it continue.
Finally, and not for the first time, praise must be given to Kevin Davies, who was, as ever, outstanding. Chasing every last cause, harrying, closing down and winning virtually every challenge he contested, Davo gave the kind of performance which has made him a cult hero at the Reebok. It would be nice for him to receive some real recognition outside the club (and, as bizarre as it may sound, I do believe he could fill in the ‘Heskey role’ within the England team), though he surely knows how valued he is here.