Blimey – where did that come from?
One could have been forgiven that after Grimsby last week, our season was effectively over.
We weren’t going to get anything from Meadow Lane, and the Franchise victory was likely to be the last high point of this campaign.
Yet all of a sudden, and seemingly out of nowhere – we’re back on track again.
I’ll be honest here. I’ve hardly read up on our game because I was at Norwich yesterday, and I was otherwise occupied during the contest.
I’ve only just watched the highlights and they made it look like County pissed all over us and we got two scabby ones at the end.
For those there – is that true?
Even if it was though, it doesn’t matter. Nobody cares if you have about 1% possession, have an xG in minus figures and what other stats get the Football Manager loving nerds sexually aroused.
The three points is the most important thing by far. Even if it comes off the goalkeeper’s oversized arse.
When was the last time we won away? Crawley just before Xmas, wasn’t it?
You can do the maths for that one, but you can’t deny this was a huge victory. I’d even go so far as to say this was as important as beating Franchise last week.
Why? Because these are the bread-and-butter contests that trip you up. Teams that extend their season win these sort of contests.
And after Grimsby, it’s a great reaction. At a time of year where we’re usually freefalling by this stage.
We’ve won twice in March already, and it’s not even St Patrick’s Day yet. When was the last time that happened?
You can’t ignore one or two concerns right now, though. Kelly is looking more and more ineffective, and already the doubts are starting to creep in about him.
We can’t make a full judgement on him until next season, and he hasn’t had the rub of the green thus far.
But I’m just hoping we haven’t signed another Sam Cosgrove. If we have, then you might want to avoid going to Crewe on the 23rd of this month.
Indeed, our goals came from Mr OG and Balmer. Not from our recognised strikers.
Now, whether this is a tactical thing, and we’re sacrificing attacking prowess for keeping clean sheets, remains to be seen.
Like many others, my stomach (and bowels) sank when we heard that Lewis and Johnson were absent, but Balmer and JJO’T have more than stepped up to that particular plate.
At the risk of making the most obvious comment you’ll see or hear this entire weekend – if you keep clean sheets you don’t lose games.
And at this stage of the season, a point can be worth three sometimes.
For a time yesterday, we were actually in the playoff spots once again. Well, we were until Gillingham decided to equalise against Tranmere.
It won’t have escaped your attention who we’re playing on Tuesday. I can’t remember if this was a rearranged game or not, but I would have preferred not to have this upcoming tie right now.
Midweek games are difficult to get up for as it is, and you would expect it to be flat again on Tuesday.
Why this is likely I don’t know, especially with it being 7th v 8th, but you can almost predict what it will be like already.
But just as we’re winning games this time of the season, maybe it’s time we had a proper midweeker again?
We owe them for the game at their place, though preferably without the floodlight failure this time, as that defeat ranks as one of the most annoying this season.
It’s kind-of a must win game, if we’ve got any legitimate claim to be playoff contenders.
Winning yesterday can’t have done the confidence much harm. I don’t think we are any worse than the teams around us, and I hope that’s being drummed into our players.
The squad have got to be sitting at home this morning, basking in the win, and looking at the league table knowing it’s actually in their hands.
It’s been a tough run of games recently, emotionally as well, but this is the time of the season to go on a proper winning run.
When you look at the post-match reaction (in front of a very good turnout), you do wonder if something might be brewing after all.
It may yet be a false dawn, and it probably is. But after the shit of recent seasons – it would be nice to hope it’s true…