The month began with the difficult home fixture against Port Vale, who started the season in excellent form but had dipped of late. With our somewhat improved resources and the boost of a couple of wins, we were a little more confident, whilst Vale were, at best, lacklustre. Town started the better without really causing Vale too much difficulty and in a rare attack, they nearly took the lead, but Muggleton pulled off an awesome save to thwart Paynter. The first half ended with honours even and a rather flat feel to the game.
The second half saw the hard-working David Reeves pick up a minor knock, and he was replaced by Marvin Robinson. On about the hour mark, Robinson headed in Uhlenbeek's right wing cross for a decisive finish following a suspiciously foul-looking throw from the Dutchman. Vale were unable to offer much of a threat thereafter, though they got increasingly physical, and we ran out worthy winners. Vale manager, Brian Horton was less than impressed with his team in a very vocal condemnation after the match.
Next up was the short trip to Sincil Bank for the LDV second round tie. The pre-match firework display was surprisingly impressive and if you weren't a Spireite, so was the game. Andy Richmond came in for Carl Muggleton for his first game of the season and this appeared to have an unsettling effect on the defence, in particular Steve Blatherwick, who had probably the worst game I've ever seen from a Town player. We gave away an early, sloppy goal with a poor clearance setting up Fletcher for an easy strike. Blathers then attempted an own goal effort with a near post header and the Imps were really causing problems at set pieces.
Much against the run of play, Chris Brandon got behind the City defence to net an excellent equaliser just after the half hour and we thought we then had a springboard to go on and win. What a foolish notion! After the break, a long clearance left Blathers seemingly running on the spot and Yeo raced past him to blast a 20-yarder past Richmond. A few minutes later we were level again with a rare piece of opportunism: Warhurst dinking a Beckhamesque 20-yard free kick over the wall and into the top corner before Lincoln keeper Marriott was ready. I've seen us concede like that plenty of times, but never get one before. Imps boss Keith Alexander was less than pleased with the effort and his protests resulted in banishment to the stand.
Town were pressing with some resolution now, with Brandon looking back to his most dangerous, but just when it looked that we might bag a winner, Warhurst and Blathers were skinned in the box, Blathers bringing down Yeo for a penalty, duly converted. With only 8 minutes to go, that was it and a few Town fans left in disgust. We still managed to hit back, however, and Brando scored his second with only a minute or so to go to send the tie to extra time (the new silver goal variety). Naturally, we blew it with Lincoln netting the winner despite our better possession. So, yet another utterly depressing away day ended with defeat-at the least the journey home was short.
The manager threatened a shake-up after this shambles at Blathers was relegated to the bench for the FA Cup tie at Birkenhead. Stuart Howson, David Reeves and Andy Richmond were also out. Davies, Dawson and Robinson came in. In the end, it made little difference as we still conceded early, Dadi netting in assured fashion after just 3 minutes. Tranmere had the better of the rest of the half, though Brandon's re-found buoyancy did give us some hope. Ten minutes before the break, however, the game livened up when the idiot of a ref awarded Rovers a penalty for absolutely nothing and booked Gareth Davies into the bargain. Hume was so embarrassed by the decision that he tamely rolled the penalty towards goal and Muggleton saved with ease. The incident did fire us up and resulted in a yellow card for Dawson just before the break for a very rash challenge. The manager wisely substituted him at half time to prevent the inevitable dismissal. So, the defence was rearranged again.
Early in the second half, we found an equaliser when Allott's long throw was only partially cleared and Davies wellied the ball into the net from the edge of the box-oh what fun! We caused them some problems for a while and we even thought of victory, but Warhurst lost the ball on the edge of their box and a swift, flowing move saw it planted firmly in our net by the impressive Hume within a matter of seconds. With only 10 minutes left, recovery seemed unlikely, but we surprised everyone when Evatt converted another Allott throw for his first goal for us. Another fruitless replay beckoned, but we were saved the expense when Evatt gave away a penalty with a naïve challenge and Mellon converted this one. Concerted pressure by Town was unlucky not to produce yet another equaliser, but it was not to be. So, we could all look forward to our traditional Christmas shopping trip on round 2 day.
We were back in the north west a week later for a visit to the ever-changing Bloomfield Road. The wreck of a stand behind the goal has been demolished whilst the old paddock on the side has suffered a similar fate, to be replaced by temporary open seating. We had more fans in attendance than expected on a cold, but dry day, but we had little to cheer, save for the appearance of a Town streaker, doubtless fuelled by alcoholic refreshment. The game was dull, between 2 poor sides and was settled just before the break when Coid beat a poorly advancing back line on the left to cross for Taylor to net at the second attempt. Alan O'Hare, for once, made an error in clearing and the ball fell kindly for the Blackpool striker to kill us off. Yet again we did not muster a serious effort on goal and it was all very predictable and miserable. The experiment with Paul Warhurst was ended after this encounter: he was not the right man for this kind of fight, despite his undoubted class.
After England's awesome victory in the rugby world cup, a fine home win against Ian Dowie's beleaguered Oldham was just what the doctor ordered, but it was not to be. After a first half of total dominance with fine performances from Innes and Brandon, we had just a single goal to show for our efforts: a Steve Blatherwick header from O'Hare's corner (and it wasn't Easter Monday). Brandon picked up a ludicrous booking just before half time when an Oldham man slammed a quick free kick against Brando as he was walking away, solely with the intention of getting him booked, so it would seem. After a pretty impressive half, we couldn't repeat it and poor defending by Blatherwick and hesitation by Muggleton left Zola with a simple opportunity to equalise. It was very similar to Tranmere's first at Prenton Park and, again, we seem to be learning no lessons. After that, we never really looked like getting the win, whilst the Latics looked the better of 2 uninspired sides. Cade and Robinson coming on as subs did little to improve matters, though Hudson's late arrival brought a little more urgency to proceedings.
This was to prove Cade's last appearance as the mighty Colchester stepped in and offered him a contract, but Marvin Robinson, after much agent-inspired messing about finally put pen to paper. It didn't get him a start at Luton, though, in the month's final game. Bizarrely, we turned out at Kenilworth Road in blue, but with the away sponsorship of VK. It failed to herald a change in fortune, however, as Howard's slightly fluky second minute header won the day for the Hatters. Muggleton and O'Hare kept us in it first half with some excellent work and Luton winger Forbes was lucky not to be dismissed for a vicious assault on the Irishman off the pitch. Coventry loanee, McSheffrey, in his last game was very lively but could not find a finish for his confident approach play. In the second half, we came back well, easily dominating possession, but for all that could not test Beresford once. Blatherwick missed a back post header after a fine Brandon cross and Brandon went among the flying boots from a Blathers knockdown but his effort flew over. Substitute Robinson was rightly booked at the death for a petulant whack at Keeper Beresford and that just about summed up our day in Bedfordshire.
So, a month that started brightly ended with 3 cup exits, if we include the youth team at Swindon, 4 points, a lot of team changes and some really dull away trips. Despite the manager's efforts with loan players we continue to make too many errors that are punished and, away from home especially, we create nothing. The midfield just does not function, though Evatt has started to show a few signs of doing something. With only 2 away games left, this year could well be the first since 1907 without an away win, and I will certainly not be putting money on our winning at Hillsborough. The thing that surprises me most in all this grimness is the patience of the fans who have not seriously attacked the manager, or the team. Maybe the majority realised that it is the result of a certain underhand individual bearing the name of a colour and that Mr McFarland is working with one hand tied behind his back, proverbially speaking, of course.
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