Bayo on Fire at Hillsborough
11/04/2024 04:15 PM
Having been unable to take part in the Taylor Trek due to a bout of Covid, I felt guilty about taking the sponsorship money under false pretences, so decided to walk the 18 miles on Friday instead. The only problem with that was that I was seeing the Saw Doctors at Hammersmith Apollo on Thursday evening. I was loving the gig but, as they kept on playing, I had a bit of a panic about getting up the next morning. I arrived home at 23:50 hoping for a decent night's sleep.
As my old person’s Oyster card isn’t valid before 9, I planned my journey around that, arriving at Tufnell Park station at 22 seconds past nine allowing me to catch the 9:23 from Euston to the Junction where I connected with an overground to the High Street station, to minimise the pre-walking, so was with GT outside the Vic just before 10 to start the long walk.
I was a little concerned about walking the 18 miles on my own, particularly as I have no sense of direction, but the route map that the Trust had sent out was brilliant and meant that I was able to stay on track. I knew that it would be a good day when a kingfisher flew past me by the Grand Union. I had a lovely morning doing the Watford to Kings Langley stretch and stopped for lunch at Dalling. As I headed out of Kings Langley, I bumped into Geoff Seal who was on the Supporters' Trust board with me some years ago. It was really lovely to see him again. The route through Abbots Langley is interminable, which made the walk to North Watford and through Bricket Wood Common and the Munden Estate more pleasurable. On arrival at the Meriden Centre, I told them what I was doing and was given the welcome of the world and had my picture taken with the mural of Graham. When I arrived back at the Vic, I was welcomed by the lovely Rob Smith, who had been tipped off by our Rose. He gave me a great welcome and a medal for taking part.
I have been very generously supported on this walk, so would like to thank everyone who has donated to these very worthy causes https://watfordfccsetrust.enthuse.com/cf/the-taylor-trek-2024-0048b
I awoke on Saturday hurting but ready for the trip to Sheffield. I thought that I had arrived at St Pancras ridiculously early, but Fuzz was already there with a bag containing refreshments for our journey. We almost got on the wrong train, as there were two on the platform, but realised our mistake quickly enough and found two seats together on the correct train. We arrived in Sheffield just before midday and caught the tram to the designated pre-match pub. Some lovely locals made sure that we got off at the right stop. Graham and the Happy Valleys were already at our usual table and were raving about the chicken and chorizo dish. I ordered a pint and the food and was equally impressed. It was absolutely delicious. At the appointed hour, we left to get the tram to the ground. The From the Rookery End lads were at the tram stop, so I had a chat with them on the way to the ground. On arrival, we were soon in our seats in the upper tier ready for whatever was to come.
Team news was that Cleverley had made two changes from the Blackburn game with Dwomoh making his league debut in place of the suspended Sissoko and Ebosele making way for Bayo. So, the starting line-up was Bachmann; Porteous, Sierralta, Pollock, Larouci; Ince, Dwomoh, Kayembe, Chakvetadze, Baah; Bayo.
It was Wednesday's match for Remembrance Day so, prior to kick-off, there was a minute's silence followed by the Last Post. There were still a number of people in the concourse at this time, but a shout for silence soon quietened them.
The first chance of the game went to the home side as Bernard met a free kick from Johnson with a header that flew wide of the target. The next chance followed the same pattern although the free kick came from Charles on this occasion. The first chance for the Hornets came as Dwomoh played a low ball to Bayo whose shot cleared the bar. Wednesday threatened again as, after a good passing move, Gassama played the ball back to Windass whose shot was high and wide. Then Chakvetadze played a good ball for Ince to run on to, but the keeper, Beadle, was first to the ball. Bayo then found Larouci on the left, but the shot flew well over the target.
The first bookings of the game came in quick succession. First Porteous was cautioned for a foul on Gassama, which means that he will miss the trip to Swansea. Then Smith for a shove on Pollock. Just before the half hour mark the Hornets took the lead. Ince played a free kick short to Baah who did brilliantly down the right, beating a couple of defenders to get to the byline and put in a low cross for Porteous to turn home and spark great celebrations at the other end of the ground. Chakvetadze had a chance to increase the lead for the Hornets, but his shot from distance cleared the bar. The Hornets were not ahead for long as a passing move the length of the pitch finished with Johnson pulling the ball back for Smith who turned the ball in past the unsighted Bachmann. The home side had a chance for a second as Smith played the ball out to Bannon whose shot was blocked by Sierralta. Pollock was the next to be cautioned for taking Gassama down. The Watford defence did well to prevent a second Wednesday goal before half time as Bachmann and Sierralta combined to frustrate Windass. There were 3 minutes of added time during which Bernard found Gassama in the box, but his low shot was easily gathered by Bachman. Then Johnson was stopped by a brilliant tackle from Baah in the box. So, the Hornets went into the break level after a competitive half of football.
There were no changes at the break and the first incident of note in the second half was a penalty awarded to the Hornets when Bernard handled the ball as he tried to stop Bayo reaching a cross from Chakvetadze. After Kayembe's great effort last week, I was a bit surprised to see Ince stepping up to take it, but he made no mistake finding the bottom corner as the keeper dived the wrong way. The bloke behind me had buried his head in his programme, unable to watch the penalty. His programme was needed again five minutes later when Iorfa knocked Bayo over as he bore down on goal. The referee paused to check with the lino that the foul had taken place in the box and pointed to the spot. Again, there was surprise at the taker as Bayo stepped up. He belted it down the middle to give the Hornets a two-goal cushion. Cleverley made a change soon after bringing Ebosele on in place of Porteous who had picked up an injury. The home side then had a couple of chances to pull a goal back. First a ball into the box was gathered by Bachmann, then a shot from distance by Gassama cleared the bar. Wednesday made a double substitution at this point bringing Jamal Lowe and Valentin on in place of Charles and Gassama.
The changes did not revive their fortunes as, almost immediately, Chakvetadze put in a lovely cross for Bayo who headed home from close range to give the Hornets a 4-1 lead. At this point, the home fans started streaming out. Wednesday tried to hit back with a shot from Windass, but it was straight at Bachmann. The Hornets had a great chance for a fifth when Chakvetadze broke forward and played the ball back for Kayembe whose effort cleared the bar. Wednesday made a triple substitution as Smith, Windass and Iorfa made way for Ugbo, Musaba and Max Lowe. The next booking of the game went to Baah for a foul on Palmer who then had a decent chance to pull one back for the home side as he received a ball in the box in an acre of space, but his shot was blocked by Bachmann. Cleverley made a double change with 10 minutes remaining as Louza came on for Dwomoh, who had impressed on his league debut, and Baah made way for Sema. The home side then pulled a goal back as Lowe crossed to the back post where Valentin prodded the ball past Bachmann to start the nerves jangling in the away end. The next booking went to Jamal Lowe for a foul on Ebosele. Festy then did brilliantly after he appeared to have been nutmegged, he retrieved the ball broke into the box and chipped the ball for Bayo whose shot was just wide of the target.
The same players combined again as Ebosele played a lovely through ball for Bayo who advanced into the box before sending a gorgeous lob over the keeper for his third. The goal was a thing of beauty, the nerves were calmed, and the spirits were revived. I don't think anyone had been expecting a Bayo hat trick, but he wasn't finished as he met a low curling cross from Larouci at the back post and found the net from close range. "Bayo's on Fire" was ringing out in the away end as we celebrated mightily. But that was the end of his game as he left the field to a tremendous ovation and was replaced by Jebbison. At the same time, we got our first look at Keben as he came on in place of Ince. There was eight minutes of stoppage time during which we sang our hearts out and the Hornets tried for a seventh. First Ebosele went on a run and pulled the ball back for Kayembe whose shot cleared the bar. Then Sema tried a shot from the edge of the area that was blocked by the legs of Beadle. So, the Hornets ran out convincing winners on a wonderful afternoon in South Yorkshire.
I finished my report last week hoping for some fun at an away game. I couldn't have imagined that it would be this much fun. What a way to halt our terrible run of away defeats.
The post-match celebrations were joyous. Bayo picked up the match ball from the referee and filmed himself and the crowd who were blasting out "Bayo's on Fire". I was so thrilled for him. He has been given so much grief by the crowd for his failures in front of goal but has never hidden. He was absolutely superb on this occasion, a little bit of confidence allowing him to score goals that you know he would have missed on another occasion. He was man of the match by a country mile, but there were plenty of other great performances. I was impressed by Dwomah who fitted in very nicely so that we didn't miss Sissoko. I was disappointed that Ebosele did not start, but he did very well when he came on. The score doesn't tell the full story of the game as Wednesday had been tough opponents until the second goal went in when they collapsed.
Personally. I was thrilled to see six goals away from home as the last two times that we have done it, I was on business trips to Tokyo.
The home stands were empty by full time which meant that there was a very small queue for the tram back into town. We stopped at the Sheffield Tap for a celebratory drink where we sat at a table that had been vacated by some Wednesday fans who had been there for a while.
The journey home was full of smiling Hornets. The regular travellers deserved that after recent performances, but they weren't getting carried away. More than one person commented that they didn't think that we would be relegated now. I am certainly feeling happier about my trip to Swansea, and I suspect that a few more tickets have been sold since Saturday.
