So yet again, we fail to win or even get a deserved point from a game due to lacking the quality in the final 3rd and that final ball just letting us down. Thankfully were not losing many as JW has meaned up our defence. But they switched off with a minute to go to concede from a long throw. Due to our recent good form at the back, we have been able to push players forward and taken our chances up front. But yet again injuries have seen our hard work be ruined. And all of a sudden our attacking players are injured leaving a lack of quality to get the goals. So where were now not taking our chances, that has a reverse effect that put pressure on our defence hense the result tonight. With another player out injured for 9 months (Clucas), and add Clarkson, Hammer and Brunt who have picked up injuries in last 2 games and who are all attacking players and potential game changers, our bench is all of a sudden looking very weak so unable to change things when needed. That bit of quaility from either Clarkson, Hammer or Brunt could have made the difference tonight in the final 3rd which may have seen us take the points. Although we have lost the game, there was many positives to take from the game which keeps my spirits high.... Northampton are the 2nd highest scorers in the league and have a great home record on a winning run. We were solid and defended very well (apart from the goal of course). Our midfield had a lot of the ball and bossed it, when the ball was lost every player was fighting hard to get it back and the amount of times we won the ball back as a result was fantastic, we never gave up. This is massive improvements compared to a few months ago. If we keep this level of performance up then no way will we go down. We all knew we were never going to win every game so a defeat now and then will happen but as long as we gave 100% and never gave up then fair enough and as far as im concerned based on the radio coverage, we did just that tonight. So tough luck tonight but we must take the positives and move on to Saturday. Hopefully Brunt will be back. Think Hammer and Clarkson is a week or 2 away from being back. Maybe we should offer the trialist a chance with a short term contract until the end of the season just to give us another option while we are lacking options in the final 3rd. If anyone who went to the game tonight can give a match report then that be great
Some twitter comments from the players after tonights game.... Parkes: Richards: Harrison: Mildenhall: Hitchcock: O'Toole: Smith: clucas: Mildenhall: (again) O'Toole: (again)
I went last night Captain - and to coin a phrase "we wuz robbed !!". It was pretty much a non-event of a match, Mildenhall barely had a save to make, although in fairness thier keeper didn't do much more, apart from one great save from a screamer from Richards which looked in all the way at the start of the second half. (I see the BBC website is showing 21 shots on goal, but how they've come up with that I have no idea !!) Although the result is obviously disappointing, if they are one of the form teams in the Division, then we really haven't got too much to worry about, 0-0 would have been the right result, and to concede right at the end from pretty much nothing is annoying, but we certainly matched them, and in the second half were probably the better team. The most memorable bit of the game was the size of their centre forward (Akinfenwa) - I've never seen anyone that chunky playing football !!
It was feckin freezing and a fairly poor game, but I was quite encouraged - we thoroughly deserved a draw at least last night against a team with 7 (8 now) home wins on the bounce. Only 1 point form the last 3 games, but all tough games, and certainly last night we deseved more. As someone said on another thread, our last few games of the season are against much lower opposition - I feel totally confident that relegation worries will become a distant memory !!! (Fingers obviously well crossed !!)
