Relive The Season-January A Month of Unusual Occurrences
By John Taylor
January began with the unusual experience of an FA Cup round 3 appearance and even more significant, it was Ipswich Town away, making it the full set of the other 91 senior clubs played in competitive football. We were unchanged from Darlington apart from wearing red and Tommy Lee wearing new black socks rather than his previous grey ones.
The first half was one of hard work and organisation keeping up with our more skilful opponents. We threatened little with Wright not extended in the home goal. Of great note, however, was the substitution of the referee early on after a hamstring injury. He got little crowd sympathy, though. Soon after the break we were up against it though as Picken needlessly handled a cross to gift the hosts the lead via Walters' penalty. We should have equalised seconds later as Kerry had a gilt-edged chance 6 yards out. His effort was weak, however, enabling Wright to save. Almost immediately we were punished as Quinn's neat header set up Counago for a smart finish to put the Tractor Boys well in the driving seat.
After an hour, Jon Stead joined the action which was bad news for us, given his scoring record against us, whilst former Ipswich player Currie replaced Hall. Ivan Campo in the heart of the Ipswich defence had performed magnificently against our forwards but couldn't resist the opportunity to get someone booked as young Boden challenged him clumsily. The Spaniard predictably stopped down ensuring the yellow card for Boden. Soon afterwards a right wing cross found Kerry unmarked 8 yards out, but his diving header was mistimed and Wright gathered with ease. Jordan Bowery made a late entrance for Boden in a rare appearance and just when it looked like we'd make it out of Suffolk with a respectable 2-0 defeat, Stead scored his almost inevitable goal to make the game look like something of a drubbing. In truth, 2-0 was about right with Ipswich showing their class in the 2 areas that mattered: around both goals, whilst we were functional, but lacking in spark. Unfortunately our best chances fell to Lloyd Kerry who had one of those days to forget. So ended our strange FA Cup run, but we'd like another 3rd round next season please.
Next up was supposed to be Rochdale, but the Saltergate pitch was like concrete so the sensible thing was done and we had a blank Saturday. A week later we were at Chester with a few team changes. Back came Lester after suspension, Ward was surprisingly still with us, physically at least after turning down Barnsley, whilst Peter Till on loan from Grimsby made the team. Ward's replacement, Martin Gritton, signed from Macc was on the bench. Phil Picken had wandered off on loan to Notts County between Ipswich and Chester. Tommy Lee kept his black socks.
Peter Till and Martin Gritten arrived
But its was goodbye to Jamie Ward
The game started scrappily without either side dominating, though Chester's forays down the left had Dan Gray struggling somewhat against Ellison and Partridge, but the resulting pressure troubled Lee very little. We started to look the better side and just before the half hour, we took the lead that our overall play probably merited. The source was unusual: Chester's Wilson, heading splendidly into his own net from Gregor Robertson's well-flighted right wing corner. After the resumption, things were different as the hosts piled forward in search of an equaliser. A rare Town break had Lester firing wide when well placed. Chester equalised on 52 with the begloved Mozika heading in a left wing cross after Gray was again left exposed.
Chester were looking very likely to take the game away from us and the 371 visiting fans started to get restless, calling for Mr Richardson to make changes as we were failing to keep possession for more than a few touches. The predicted change was made and annoyed a good few with Till being replaced by Gritton whilst Winter came on for the struggling Gray with Lowry moving to right back. The 2 coming on were not a problem, but the annoyance was that Gritton had no-one to deliver crosses to him with Till being removed. Chants of "you don't know what you're doing" could be heard from the away stand. A mere 9 minutes later, chants of "you do know what you're doing" amusingly rang out as Jamie Winter scored with a scorching 20-yarder when set up by Downes. Four minutes later, we had the rarity of a debut goal as Gritton bundled in Kerry's deflected effort from about an inch to secure the victory. As Town now swamped Chester, Ward missed a couple of opportunities to sign off his Town career with a goal, but squandered them-maybe his thoughts were already on Bramall Lane.
Next up was Morecambe, complete with Barry Roche in goal. Very unfairly he received a miserable and aggressive welcome which was completely undeserved. He didn't depart in the underhand manner of Brandon and Hudson and hasn't attacked us in the press like Beckett. As was expected, the Shrimps were well-organised and hard-working and caused us some difficulties in a half which we just shaded. Lester and Lowry came closest to scoring for us, but the visitors always looked a threat.
Home debutant Gritton missed a good chance after the resumption, heading across goal and Morecambe punished us 3 minutes later when Howe headed in a left wing cross with the defence having evaporated. The predictable "Rico out!" chants then started from the Kop. Gritton equalised after another 3 minutes cracking in a shot from 20 yards after Lester's pass set him up. We should have gone on to win it from here, but defensive frailties reasserted themselves as only Austin was alert to the danger from another left wing cross and Stanley stabbed in from close range giving Lee no chance. After this, the stuffing was truly knocked out of us and an equaliser never looked likely. The Shrimps went home with only their second away win of the campaign and any play-off hopes for us looked idiotic at best.
Midweek saw Exeter in Town and the negligible crowd and jolly away support made for a more upbeat atmosphere. New loan signing, Drew Talbot was included on the right with Till switching to the left. Town looked lively from the off and Downes came close with a header from a corner but the giant Jones plucked his effort out of the air. Another corner resulted in Downes shot being charged down, the Exeter took the lead from a harshly-awarded free kick as Moxey brilliantly smashed in a 25 yarder, giving Lee no chance. The predictable "Rico out!" chants then started from the Kop, but were swiftly quelled as a more positive element recognised the more buoyant and confident nature of the Town side that that 3 days earlier. Lester and Gritton both came close to an equaliser, the latter being denied by a splendid challenge from the wonderfully named Troy Archibald-Henville: an entirely half-back line on his own to quote Ken Foster.
The mood at half time was remarkably upbeat, despite the deficit and the resumption saw Town further pushing the Grecian rearguard back. Eventually the equaliser came as Kerry's astute through ball found Lester for an assured finish. Surely this time, we'd go on and win it, we thought, but that looked doubtful as on 75 minutes the Devonians were awarded a penalty after a point-blank header struck Downes on the arm. The Aussie was duly booked for his protestations. This was the time for hero stuff and Tommy Lee duly obliged, diving to his right to push away Basham's not badly struck penalty. We defended the corner well and looked up for getting a winner. It duly arrived when Winter found Lester who ran on and beat Jones to put us ahead. Substitutions were then made with Goodall replacing the tiring Till (no moans at this) and Derek Niven on for Winter (rapturous applause for the returning, popular Scot). Lester ensured another suspension as he left his foot in and was booked, whilst Exeter's last throw of the proverbial dice saw Lee tip over an effort seemingly bound for the net. The final whistle brought great cheers and even the visiting fans still seemed to be having a good night. Exeter's part in an excellent game cannot be overlooked. Unlike too many sides this season, they came to play football in the right fashion, but we are much more comfortable in opposing teams of that order.
The last action of the month saw us just down the road at Meadow Lane where, for 20 quid we were accommodated in style down the side. In opposition was loanee Phil Picken who, unexpectedly, was largely ignored b y the Town following. That's probably worse that being booed like the pantomime villain. The match began in likely style with both teams attacking with vigour. Both keepers had to look lively and home custodian Lillis even had to clear with his head. Tommy Lee went one better, however, just after the half hour when he flung himself at a suspiciously offside-looking Forester's feet and saved a certain goal with his face. Five minutes later. Drew Talbot latched onto Jack Lester's long pass, cut inside and left-footed a fine shot past Lillis to give us the lead which we took into the break
Drew celebrates his first Spireite goal
Early second half play was marginally in our favour as we sought to extend the lead, but as the half wore on we got pushed further and further back. The defence held firm but from trying to play the ball out, the last quarter was one of aimless hoofing and desperate headers. Hall was dismissed for a second yellow card with 8 minutes to go and an equaliser then looked inevitable. It didn't come though and the day I thought I'd never see-a Town win at Notts County duly arrived. It was only our third ever win at the venue and our first since the 4-1 in March 1972-what fun!
Off the field, we had both the club and CFSS AGMs with interesting debate on funding gaps, share issues, potential investment and a good financial result for last season. It looks better than we thought it might do, especially given the current market conditions. We had numerous transfer doings in the nonsense that is the January window and the first of the Jamie Ward transfer tranches rolled in.
In conclusion, it was a pretty decent month, marred somewhat by the sour experience of the Morecambe match. We still have an outside chance of the play-offs, but need to sharpen up at the back and stop gifting daft goals to our opponents. I will still take an incredible effort to do it though. That said, Danny Hall in defence has started to look the part (despite his dismissal at Notts) and his Chester performance was excellent. Jamie Ward's departure and Martin Gritton's arrival along with Peter Till and Drew Talbot has given the team a far better balance and taken a lot of pressure off the back line by giving a ready outlet for passes. All this has given Mr Richardson a bit of respite.
The month had several highlights: a third round FA Cup appearance, Jamie Winter's great goal at Chester, Kevin Austin's hilarious wing play also at Chester, Drew Talbot's brilliant winner at Meadow Lane and Tommy Lee's face-save also at Notts County. The Exeter game was a highlight in itself, but within that the real bright spot of the month was Tommy Lee's outstanding penalty save. The young Yorkshireman had a fine January following his reinstatement after Trevor Carson's surprise recall announcement by Sunderland and we hope he can keep up this good run of form until the end of the season. Bring on a wintery February!
