One for those who know their Irish slang…
While you’re working that out (read this), I have to admit having a very odd feeling before Camulodunum 1 Wunemannedune 1 started.
There were two reasons for this – firstly, never dropping points against Col Ewe at all in the AFCW era (so you know what was going to happen).
The second one being that game against Fleetwood, a mere few days ago. I wouldn’t say it was a hard watch, but a porn movie involving Wankie and a marrow would make easier viewing.
Indeed, the UN Security Council are about to meet to warn Russia and Ukraine not to replay our game at Highbury to torture captured prisoners.
Because of this, I’m not surprised we let it slip right at the end. Hell, I was half-expecting to be gubbed in six minutes of injury time.
But we weren’t, it’s another Valuable Point Away From Home (TM) and yesterday still won’t decide the auto promotion spots by itself.
The game, like Salford last week too, was ultimately forgettable. That we only really had one moment of proper skill – Browne’s debut goal for us – sums things up right now.
We’re not losing, and we’re coming through that extremely difficult February period mostly intact. But fuck, it’s tough going.
Granted, the pitch was beyond awful, which might explain why Colchester are quite decent at home, but one of our main tactics was to boot it as high as possible.
I was going to say that was our aim, but I think that’s the wrong word to use.
The longer the game went on, and the more free kicks we gave away, the more it was hard not to sense we’d get undone.
And after a free kick that I don’t think was one, and with two minutes left, they crossed it in and equalised.
Really, we got what we deserved. Although we did put up something of a response in injury time, and if we’d done that ten minutes earlier…?
But we’re still in the top three, getting points even in weekends where results elsewhere are working against us, and there’s still two months left.
We’ll have better weekends ahead.
JJ focused on the 12 games unbeaten afterwards, and I understand where he’s coming from. At this stage of the campaign, points are all that matter.
I’ll come onto his other comment towards the end a bit later, but whatever happens this season – he has to feel vindicated…
Plus points: We didn’t lose. Browne scoring his first goal for us. Mostly resolute. Another point in a tricky period.
Minus points: We didn’t win. Conceding in the 88th minute. Only one shot all game. Painful to watch. Fatigue.
The referee’s a…: Oh good grief.
Not that we helped ourselves by giving away free kicks, even the ones that weren’t fouls to begin with.
Them: Only lost twice at home since October, and you can see why. Not the nicest playing surface, effective style of play, and managed to undo us at the right time.
Lest we forget, they beat Walsall in their last game at their place.
Somebody elsewhere yesterday described the ground as what the Kassam would be like if it had four stands, and I can’t unsee that now I’ve heard it.
Your editor is not shy in voicing his dislike over out-of-town stadia, and the Jobserve (or whatever it’s called) remains one of the worst.
Although to be fair, it’s just off a main road and you can get out easily. Unlike Oxford. And to be fair, it has Greggs, McDonald’s and Wendy’s too. Unlike Oxford.
And to their credit, they only charged £2 for a cup of tea.
Their fans had a drum, and all that entails. They also sang “We’ll sing on our own” at, er, ten minutes before kickoff. I guess that passes for humour.
Yesterday possibly ended the love affair with Lyle Taylor. He started off diving for a penalty, clearly didn’t like the “Went for the money” chant, and while he’s still got some prowess he was half a yard slower than I remember.
His sarcastic waving to our fans after he was subbed kinds-of reminds me why Charlton fans hate him** and maybe explains why he was very badly treated at Forest.
** – there’s a story involving him at Charlton which I sadly can’t repeat in public. But it sums him up, and which is why I’m not a big fan of his.
It should be a cue to some of our fans, who should move on now.
Although no doubt this summer, some fuckwit will turbopost on social media about “brING LylE TAyloR hOMe”…
Point to ponder: Was yesterday just a case of being worn out?
In his post game comments, JJ said that he was going to give the players an extra day off, that those who haven’t featured will get some game time (presumably one of those closed-door games), and pretty much implying we could do without a midweeker.
Bugiel in particular looked absolutely knackered yesterday, and indeed the whole team looked like it’s played one too many games recently.
So the question becomes – why haven’t we freshened up recently?
Well, if you’re gaining points then you keep the same starting XI as much as possible. If JJ changed things round and we lost at, say, Fleetwood, the knives would be out against him even before the full time whistle.
Right now, points are the only thing that matters. And if it means playing the same team four times in a row, he’ll do that.
You can’t argue with recent results – draws at Colchester and Fleetwood and Crewe and Accrington are still points earned.
While I think we’re over-relying on winning at Plough Lane, you can’t beat consistency.
And a thought came to me after the game – I don’t feel like we’re going to concede every time the opposition come near our box these days. That is a massive step forward.
We need a rest, and we need to go again and ram it up Bromley next weekend. We’re capable of that, and the players know that too.
One final thing, which JJ also mentioned in his post-match interview. We’ll have the likes of Maycock, McLean and Foyo starting to feature more.
We have JJO’T and Hutchinson waiting in the wings too, and both of those could be regular starters if need be.
At the business end of the season, we will have strength in depth for once, and that’s going to be vital.
Hell, one or two of them might even know where the goal is…
Truth is stranger than fiction: 1) Park and Ride sign actually said “Closed tonight 1930. That is 7.30pm”. I could be sarky, but then I realised nobody in Essex goes to school. 2) Speaking of said P&R, I think anyone who parked there got out free afterwards. Though we’ll now all get penalty notices through the door.
Anything else? We were given 1300 tickets in total, and we eventually sold about 1100 of them including walkups.
I’ve never quite worked out why we never seem able to sell the entire lot for these sort of local(ish) games.
It’s not even a new thing. I’m always surprised when we never take too many (relatively speaking) for Gillingham or Wycombe in previous years.
Granted, we’ve been there before so many times, and I fully accept cost is a major factor for many right now.
But we’ll end up taking as many to Walsall on the 29th March, and if there’s something riding on it Donny in April as well.
Maybe there’s some PTSD about going to Essex, which has stretched back to the Ryman Premier days?
Back then, every other Saturday was seemingly in that part of the world. I almost became on first name terms with the staff at Clackett Lane services, and I’m sure our fans started speaking with the local twang.
Yesterday was a bit of a nostalgia trip in some ways. Driving past Braintree, and Maldon, and especially Chelmsford was a reminder of what we once were.
It doesn’t hurt to remind oneself occasionally of that, when we drive to games at Colchester and Ipswich Town.
Especially when you consider just how important to AFCW Mark DeBolla’s free kick at Staines was…
So, was it worth it? Hmm.
In a nutshell: At least we have a week off now.