There you go idiot- your name up in lights! That's what you wanted isn't it?
This guy made Uriah Rennie look like a fantastic referee after a second half that simply beggars belief.
Barnsley looked jaded in the first half but were superb in the second 45 minutes but playing against 12 men proved to be an uphill task.
In the absence of Jamal Campbell-Ryce and Anderson De Silva, Sam Togwell and Grant McCann came back into the side whilst Bobby Hassell was in the squad for the first time this season after recovering from injury. Marciano Van Homoet made his home debut.
In the early exchanges both sides looked like they may have had too much Christmas pudding but Stoke keeper Steve Simonsen somehow managed to flick over Istvan Ferenczi's point blank header on 21 minutes It took a penalty for the deadlock to be broken two minutes later.
Brian Howard lofted in a corner and Richard Cresswell nearly flattened Jon Macken in the area. Howard coolly sent Simonsen the wrong way.
Ricardo Fuller was causing problems for The Reds rearguard though and especially to Van Homoet and Dennis Souza and on the half hour, Fuller burst past Souza before falling to the floor, Mr Kettle pointed to the spot. Liam Lawrence became the first player to put a penalty past Heinz Muller, sending the German the wrong way
Souza's rash decisions to dive in too early kept allowing Fuller to get to the by-line with ease and on one such occasion, a delicious cross was somehow headed wide by Mamady Sidibe.
The second half turned into a feisty, blood and thunder affair with Kettle at the centre of attention.
On 50 minutes, Fuller dropped to the floor like he had been shot from the East Stand after a fairly innocuous challenge from Souza but worse was to come from the nippy forward 11 minutes later. Again he fell far too easily from a Foster challenge. But as he left the field to receive treatment he disgustedly spat in the direction of Barnsley fans. Now admittedly the fans were jeering him but there is no place in football for actions like that. And he had to be restrained on the touchline as he argued with the West Stand. From the free kick Lawrence rattled the crossbar with a stunning 30 yard strike.
But it was Barnsley who stormed back ahead on 66 minutes.
Devaney's corner caused panic in the Stoke defence; Ferenczi flicked on and from barely two yards Macken was alive to nod the ball into the roof the net despite Simonsen's attempts to claw it away.
Tackles were flying in hard and fast but Kettle seemed to give the minor ones and totally ignore the serious two-footed crunchers and he rose to the fore again as Stoke equalised with seven minutes remaining.
Macken was upended by Ryan Shawcross but amazingly Kettle waved play on, and seconds later Souza made the same challenge on Sidibe, and Kettle awarded a free kick!!
From it, Stoke produced a breath-taking piece of football to equalise. The free kick was touched by Lawrence to Pugh, who instantly played the ball back to the onrushing winger who slammed it past Muller. A wonderfully worked goal (again from a set-piece) so there was no real need for Lawrence to goad the Ponty End, he was rightfully booked.
Before breath could be taken, The Reds had revenge.
Again Devaney's corner caused problems and Simonsen had a rush of blood by coming out to punch. He succeeded in only colliding with Shawcross, substitute Kayode Odejayi nodded the ball down and Macken was in the right place again to stab home.
With five minutes remaining of a pulsating clash, Barnsley were back in front.
It couldn't end like that though could it? That would have meant The Reds would have made the headlines rather than the ref.
So despite four minutes of added time been signalled, Stoke were awarded another truly disgraceful free kick in the NINETY SEVENTH MINUTE.
Fuller did a beautiful swan dive over Foster's leg on the edge of the area and Kettle took it hook, line and STINKER, showing Foster his second yellow. Worse was to come. Lawrence swung in the free kick, Souza headed away and Kettle pointed to the spot!
He originally awarded it for shirt-pulling then changed it to hand-ball- you make your own minds up.
Lawrence again sent Muller the wrong way for his hat-trick, Shawcross challenged the East Stand to a fight in more disgusting scenes, whilst equally unacceptable a coin was aimed at Lawrence from the Ponty End.
Mr Kettle meanwhile walked off surrounded by his linesmen and will probably get awarded a plum game at Stamford Bridge to referee on Saturday.
Player Ratings:
Heinz Muller: Couldn't be the penalty hero again but was rarely troubled. 7
Marciano Van Homoet: Was run ragged by Fuller really and hasn't convinced me yet. A right-footed left-back never works really. 5
Dennis Souza: Another player ruffled by Fuller. Needs to stay on his feet more. Booked. 6
Lewin Nyatanga: Another confident display. Will be sorely missed when he returns to Derby in a couple of weeks. 7
Stephen Foster: Magnificent display and didn't deserve the sending off at all. An unfortunate victim of a referee's incompetence. Booked. Sent Off. 8
Martin Devaney: Like a man possessed! At the heart of everything and two great corners led to two goals. Does need to cut out the fancy stuff at inappropriate times though. Subbed. 8
Brian Howard: Misplaced passes were not disguised by a confident penalty. Needs to regain his early season form. Booked. 6
Sam Togwell: It's nearly a season and a half but people are now starting to notice why I don't rate this kid. Not fit enough to lace Anderson De Silva's boots and was totally over-run. 4
Grant McCann: Quiet and effective are his trademark. Just quiet today. 5
Istvan Ferenczi: Worked hard again but continually penalised for non-existent fouls. Aren't strikers allowed to challenge for the ball now? Denied a goal by a wonderful save from Simonsen. Subbed. 7
Jon Macken: I said once the goals came he would be fantastic- and he his. Won the ball back countless times. He did a defender's midfielder's and striker's job today and was in the right place at the right time to finish twice. To hear chants of Super Super Jon towards him is high praise indeed. MUST be bought in January. Booked. 9
Substitutes:
Kayode Odejayi (for Ferenczi 81) Caused havoc in the area in the lead up to the third goal. It's a start to getting back to his best. 7
Bobby Hassell (for Devaney 90) Only brought on due to Foster's red card and was so unlucky to be in the mix when the ref awarded the ridiculous penalty. Great to see him back though. 6
Unused Substitutes:
Andy Johnson, Rohan Ricketts, Miguel Mostto.
Stoke: Simonsen, Wilkinson, Shawcross, Cort, Pugh, Lawrence, Eustace, Delap, Cresswell, Sidibe (Parkin 77), Fuller.
Subs Not Used: Hoult, Zakuani, Pulis, Dickinson.
Sponsor's Man of the Match: Jon Macken.
BarnsleyBoy's Man of the Match: Devaney and Foster had superb games but Macken was different class. Had everything in his performance and two typical striker goals.
Impressed by Stoke's: Ricardo Fuller: His attitude is appalling and downright disgusting but his ability is evident.
Ref Watch: Trevor Kettle: There's no words in the English language to describe how bad he was. I can't even give him a rating because there isn't enough minus numbers.
Other Reports:
FootyMadOfficial Report
BBC
Coca-Cola Championship Results: Wednesday 26th December 2007
BARNSLEY 3-3 Stoke
Burnley 1-1 Sheffield Wednesday
Colchester 1-1 Southampton
Coventry 0-2 Crystal Palace
Hull 2-0 Wolves
Leicester 2-0 Ipswich
Norwich 1-1 Charlton
Plymouth 2-1 QPR
Preston 0-1 Scunthorpe
Sheffield United 1-1 Blackpool
Watford 2-2 Cardiff
West Brom 4-1 Bristol City
Barnsley lie in 12th place in the Coca Cola Championship with 32 points from 24 games.
We are 5 points off the Play-Offs, 12 points off the Automatic Promotion Places, 12 points off First Place and 8 points above the Relegation Zone.
Up to and including 26/12/07
Next Up:
At Oakwell:
Coca-Cola Championship Matchday Twenty Five: Barnsley v Southampton Saturday 29th December 2007 Kick-Off 3pm.
Tickets for the big game are priced at:
East Stand and West Stand Upper Tiers
Adults £22.00
OAP/Juvenile £13.00
Juveniles (U11) £7.00
Barnsley Chronicle Family Area
Adults £22.00
OAP £13.00
Juvenile £13.00
Juveniles (U11) £7.00
East Stand Lower and West Stand Lower
Adults £21.00
OAP/Juveniles £12.00
Juveniles (U11) £6.00
Enterprise PLC Stand (Pontefract Road End)
Adults £20.00
OAP/Juveniles £12.00
Juveniles (U11) £6.00
All Disabled Areas £20.00
Helpers FREE OF CHARGE
To book tickets for forthcoming matches simply phone the Oakwell Box Office on 0871 2266777. Alternatively call at the Box Office in person; contact the Box Office by fax on 01226 211444 or e-mail boxoffice@barnsleyfc.co.uk. Please note that Juvenile U11 tickets must be purchased in advance from the Oakwell Box Office and this price will not be on sale on the turnstiles under any circumstances.
On The Road:
Coca-Cola Championship Matchday Twenty Six: Scunthorpe United v Barnsley Tuesday 1st January 2008 Kick-Off 3pm
Tickets:
Adults: £19
Senior Citizens (Over 65): £12
Juveniles (U21) £12
Official Coaches will be travelling to Glanford Park
Price: £10
Departure Time: 12:30pm on the day of the game
Please note that this game is ALL TICKET for Barnsley supporters. The Reds have been allocated just 1,700 tickets for the big game and these will go on sale to Season Ticket Holders Only at 9.00am on Monday December 17, 2007. Season Ticket Holders will be able to buy TWO TICKETS ONLY must produce Special Match Voucher F when purchasing tickets
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