Busy weekend at Wembley with the EFL's biggest games
Bank Holiday weekend in May usually it's the end of the football season however for 6 teams it was the last game of their long gruelling seasons. Saturday was the League 2 play-off final between Tranmere Rovers and Newport County. Sunday was Charlton Athletic and Sunderland in the League 1 final, and on Bank Holiday Monday was the Championship final between Aston Villa and Derby County. The winners would get promoted the losers would stay in the same division next season and look to go up next year.
| Newport players celebrating going to Wembley |
Saturday's match was the first of them was between Newport County and Tranmere Rovers. The two teams went down on Saturday and only filled over 25,000 of the seats at Wembley which showed the amount of the support in League 2 especially where both sides are in the country. Tranmere has an issue with being the little brother to their Merseyside neighbours Liverpool and Everton (despite having Premier League referee Mike Dean). Meanwhile, Newport was the only football team in the town, but they have to contend with the rugby team for fans.
The game itself was lacking in style and to anyone who watches Premier League matches could see the difference in quality. Both teams were split in possession as both teams couldn't put a string of 5 passes together at a single time. The 90 minutes were few on chances with the 1st big chance came on the stroke of halftime when on a quick break from Tranmere's Jay Harris and James Norwood nearly headed the ball into the box. The next big chance was with 12 minutes to go in the second half as Padraig Amond's shot was saved by Scott Davies. The game was looking to go to extra time. However, Newport had to spend extra time with 10 men as Mark O'Brien was sent off for a double yellow card.
| Connor Jennings celebrating the winning goal |
Extra time was becoming the same as the 90 minutes, and it looked like it was going to be decided on penalties until right at the death in the 119th minute Tranmere clinched victory by Connor Jennings with a close-range header. The result meant that they were joining Lincoln, Bury and MK Dons in League 1 next season.
Sunday's match was the League 1 match and as the game was getting previewed there were little reminders of the 1998 play-off final when it was 4-4 after extra time and then a nailbiting penalty shootout. Back then it was promotion to the Premier League now it was to go for the Championship. Also, both Charlton and Sunderland were coming off horror seasons with threats of administration and back to back relegations along with a Netflix documentary series threw into the mix meant that the game was highly charged and filled with expectations. The match started off bad for Sunderland as they were forced to make a substitution because of an injury. However, Charlton gave them something to cheer as Naby Sarr's backpass went past his goal-keeper and made it 1-0 Sunderland. Then half an hour later Charlton got the equaliser thanks to Ben Purrington.
| Oh, dear. Not a good start |
Were there elements of part 2 to 1998? No, sadly it wasn't as Charlton and Sunderland were slugging it out for the 3rd goal. Even Will Grigg for Sunderland, who's got a song dedicated to him, couldn't find the back of the net. Instead, it became a half of missed chances, and for Sunderland, a lot of seeing yellow as 4 of their players were given yellow cards by the referee. Then just like the League 2 play-off final the day before right at the death, the winning goal was scored by Charlton's Patrick Bauer. The victory meant that Charlton was joining Luton and Barnsley in the Championship next season.
| Patrick Bauer celebrating the winning goal |
| Frank Lampard after victory at Elland Road. |
John spent last season as a member of the Villa squad so when Dean Smith was appointed manager the first person he called to have as his coach was Terry. Villa's road to Wembley involved defeating local rivals West Brom on penalties at the Hawthorns. Lampard was appointed manager of Derby at the start of the season, and people didn' predict them to be in the hunt for promotion this year. However, he got Derby to the play-offs and even brought back a familiar face in Ashley Cole to be a mainstay in his team. Derby came from having to fight for a playoff spot on the final day of the season and defeating Leeds United.
The game was providing entertainment from the start as Grealish almost made Derby pay for an error 7 minutes in. Then Tammy Abraham in the 33rd minute, bent the ball around the keeper however it went wide of the post. Then 4 minutes later Derby's first big chance from Mason Mount at a distance was saved by Richard Steer. On the stroke of halftime, Anwar El Ghazi nodded in Ahmed Elmohamady's cross into the bottom left corner of the net.
| El Gazi celebrating |
The second half was looking to be comfortable for Villa. They made it clear on the hour when John McGinn nodded in a looping cross and making the most of Derby's goal-keeper error. Then Derby decided to attack and started asking questions of Villa's defence which in the early part of the season was an issue, especially being involved in a 5-5 draw. Their efforts were rewarded as Jack Marriott's strike made it 2-1 with 10 minutes to go in the match. Derby then spent the rest of the second half going for the equaliser but just couldn't find the back of the net and Villa held on to secure promotion after being in the Championship for 3 years. The Villa fans were relieved especially the Duke of Cambridge, oh yeah he is a Villa fan, and happy to see their team back in the big league.
| Captain Jack Grealish and Dean Smith with the trophy. |
That ends another season of English football, and it's a warm-up for Wednesday night as Chelsea take on Arsenal in the Europa League final and the Champions League final next Saturday.
KRO Mark
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