2023/2024 CHAMPIONSHIP PLAYOFF EXTRAVAGANZA #2
We have booked our place against Burnley at Wembley in the play-off final. I chose the team carefully, because these are the men to take lowly Hednesford into the Premier League. Guilherme Neves has been outstanding in goal all season and today won't be any different. He is protected by the back four of Hanousek, Noubissie, Milic and Dieme. I've dropped our captain Dedryck Boyata in favour of Milic, who has made less stupid errors. Christie has the anchor man role locked down, and I trust Janssen and Bakic to control the midfield and feed our attack. Barmby and Canos have been amazing servants and I wouldn't want anyone else bombing down the wings on this momentous day. Finally, the striker is five star Paulinho, who will put the Burnley defence under immense pressure. Burnley vs. Hednesford, let's do it.
Burnley took control from the outset, stretching our defence in the early going. Only 16 minutes in right back Dieme pushed too far forward, and Burnley winger Sinan Kurt made him pay. Kurt collected the ball and burst from the halfway line into our box, placing an easy cross for the unmarked Paulao to volley in. 1-0 to Burnley.
Burnley locked the game down and the key highlights stopped. In an instant it was half time, and I was telling the lads they needed to lift to get anything from this game. In the 59th playmaker Marko Bakic went down with an injury, and I brought Fredrik Ulvestad on to replace him. Nothing changed until the 72nd minute, when Burnley midfielder Pasalic whipped a cross past our dormant defence. It landed perfectly in the path of Drmic, who smashed it into the back of the net, ending our hopes of promotion. But wait?
Little yellow man raised his flag for offside and the dream is still alive. I didn't dare change anything as I backed in the 11 players I picked today. In the 83rd minute another key highlight finally popped up. Burnley came forward strongly but Noubissie intercepted and cannoned the ball forward. It found Barmby on the left wing, who could do nothing but head the ball on towards Burnley defender Will Keane. The ball spun past Keane straight into the lap of the waiting Paulinho, who was now one on one with the keeper. Never in doubt, he placed the ball into the bottom corner and revived Hednesford's hopes for promotion.
The score was now 1-1. The 90th minute, and then the 105th minute passed. The possession and shot count were both neck and neck. At the 105th minute Dieme and Janssen came off for Uronen and Bielik, we needed some fresh legs to find a winning goal. Just 30 seconds later we won an innocuous free kick just inside our half. Sergi Canos stepped up and launched a delicious ball all the way into the opposition box. Fredrik Ulvestad rose highest and nodded the ball past the keeper into the back of the net.
We were 2-1 up with only 15 minutes left. I once again didn’t dare to change anything, and the team defended defiantly for the remaining minutes. The final whistle blew and Hednesford are in the Premier League.