A Review By John Taylor
After the usual run of pre-season games and a bit of a treat with the visit of Malaga to Town, we began in earnest with the familiar trip to Blackpool's Bloomfield Road, seemingly only a matter of days since we'd last been there. The first Saturday in August is at least 2 weeks early for those of us that enjoy a break from the game, but I don't see a return to the later start, given monetary considerations and the need to steal a march on the Premiership for a week.
As ever, the first day was sunny and we began with a new keeper, Barry Roche and Mancunian Jamaican, Paul Hall making debuts along with Rueben Hazell on the bench. After Downes missed an early chance, we were swiftly behind with a strike that seemed to owe much to a set-up via handball. In most untownlike fashion, however, we turned the thing round and won 3-1 with goals from Allison, DeBolla and Blatherwick, to end the day top of the table. It wasn't the best of performances, but Adam Smith tormented the Tangerines' rearguard and our midfield and defence generally restricted the home side to half chances and long-range punts.
CELEBRATIONS AT THE SEASIDE
Midweek saw Martin Allen's well-fancied Brentford in town with considerable changes from the squad that lost out in the play-offs to our neighbours from up the road. Hall scored his first goal for us before the break, but the visitors played us off the park to win by a comfortable 3-1 with Rankin's brace securing the points. The London outfit mixed skill and pace with hard work, aggression and a degree of professionalism that saw them work Premiership referee Chris Foy to perfection. He hardly penalised them all match and everything they appealed for they got. Why Martin Allen was so agitated all evening, I don't know, as they won't get a more comfortable win all season. The game saw Aaron Downes injured to add to Davies and Bailey from the opening fixture. The squad was starting to look thin, particularly with Niven and O'Hare having had no real pre-season, so looking unsurprisingly rusty.
Paul Hall levelled for the Spireites
Hungarian Janos Kovacs pictured right was finally recruited to take his place for the visit of Rotherham the following Saturday. The game was played in amazingly wet conditions that helped neither side. We huffed and puffed but looked to have no edge and the Millers finally won at Saltergate for the first time in 33 years. Butler's excellently worked goal early in the second half did the trick, finishing off a neat passing move. The visitors looked only a modest side, but deserved their victory with former Town favourite JCR returning to play his part in our defeat. We looked non-too-impressive and clearly lacked bite and guile in midfield. The game was one where we could not take many positives, save the impressive debut of Kovacs-he looks a real find. The Chief and Larkin looked a better combination up-front than N'Toya and Folan, but we still created too little. Two home defeats in a few days was becoming worrying.
A week later we were at the much unloved and very expensive Boundary Park where we always seem to let in 4 and can't cope with the wide pitch. Included in our line-up was Phil Picken and Kevan Hurst on loan from Old Trafford and Bramall Lane respectively. A surprisingly red-clad Town outfit effectively lost this encounter in the first 4 minutes by being asleep. After 30 seconds, Oldham won a corner (wrongly) and Branston headed in with ease. On 3 minutes Liddell rifled in after we failed to challenge effectively for a long throw, though Kovacs did appear to be pushed. This was beginning to look like Plymouth 2 seasons ago, but this time we composed ourselves and started to play some good football, but still went in 2 down at the break. Shortly after the resumption Niven scored after good work by Larkin and we were looking good for a point. The referee, Mr Jones, had other ideas as he allowed Warne to push Nicholson away from a cross to head a goal on 55 to kill the game off. The referee should be ashamed of himself: he clearly saw the blatant foul (admitted by Warne) but decided not to do anything about it. After that it was impossible for us to compete and the Latics gave the game a very lopsided feel with a late goal by Warne (again). Other than the 2 debutants on loan, both performing well, the game saw the debut of Sam Lancaster on as substitute for the last 10 minutes.
Next up was Huddersfield in the League Cup (or whatever label it's got these days) with Brandon on the pitch, but not Hudson for the Yorkshire side. Muggleton was back in goal with Roche having a slight back strain. Since it was the cup, we lost, though the 4-2 result flattered the Terriers no end. Our goals, both equalisers, came from Niven, with his head, and New Whitt lad, Hurst with a fine individual strike. Our very disjointed defence, however, allowed Abbott to net in the first half and Taylor-Fletcher (formerly Fletcher, in his early days at Lincoln) to bag a hat trick in the second half. In fairness, though, their third came when the ref overruled the linesman to give them a throw, catching us on the hop, and the 4th came right at the death as we strived for another equaliser. To add further to the gloom, however, the crowd was under 3000. Temporary manager, Lee Richardson (again deputising for Mr Mac with mumps), was less than impressed with his charges' defending for the second game-he look very glum on the website photos. There was some good stuff though, as Larkin looked promising and our loan players caught the eye. Niven is starting to appear fit and combative once more after getting a few games under his belt.
To compound our problems, we had another home game on Saturday, against another top-tip, Tranmere, mercifully without our tormentor, Eugene Dadi, recently departed for Forest. This time, the good football that we produced in the previous 2 games did not materialise and we certainly appeared a little anxious and lacking in belief. Rovers missed numerous opportunities, notably when Hume twice hit the same post within seconds when it was easier to score after former team-mate, Paul Hall, had set him up with an awful square pass. Just when we looked like we might grab a lucky draw, Jackson scored from a corner with no effective challenge from Roche, who may have been impeded. This was a shame, as the big Irishman was starting to look the part, though he'd look better not wearing those dreadful shorts with the orange edging at the bottom. Rovers' implausibly impressive second, by Roberts, in the last minute, merely added insult to injury on another Saltergate day of misery.
Bank Holiday Monday saw the interesting trip to Somerset for the first time since Bristol Rovers played in Bath. Given our poor form, the distance involved and the holiday traffic, only 267 stalwarts made the trip to Huish Park for our first ever visit to Yeovil. Mr Richardson tried to augment his defence by the ploy of 5 in midfield and only Folan up front in the blinding sunshine that defied the usual trend for this annual holiday. It failed miserably in the first half as the Glovers had the bulk of possession but scored just once after 35 minutes when Amankwah skinned the exposed Nicholson, not for the first time, and Alvarez applied the finishing touch. Here we go again, we thought, but we fought back and equalised just before the break as Hall netted after a corner wasn't cleared properly.
The best was to come after the break as Adam Smith replaced the suffering Hurst and he proceeded to rip the Yeovil defence to shreds, scoring his first and second league goals to give us all 3 points and leave the new boys winless. We even had some sensible refereeing as Mr Taylor could have dismissed Folan (2 clumsy fouls close together) and Roche (conceding a penalty) but chose a bit of common sense and understatement in his actions. Roche even added to the home fans' annoyance by making a fine penalty save from Bastianini to add to his other significant saves in the game.
Adam Smith celebrates at Yeovil
So, we conjured up a win when most had given up on the idea, to sandwich between the tasty bread of 2 victories 5 unsavoury defeats. It was an odd month and ended with the good news of Sammy Clingan's return on loan from Wolves. Honour Gombani, the Zimbabwean, won't be following him, as he can't get a work permit, having played too few internationals.
Let us hope that Clingan's return can revitalise a midfield that was a worry pre-season and has turned out to be a problem. Whilst all have made some contribution, there has been no one to take a game by the scruff of the neck. It's a lot to ask a youngster to do it, but it needs to happen. Paul Hall has been a major disappointment, despite 2 goals, but the lack of continuity with the injuries may have hampered his settling down. Time will tell.
The defence looks a real problem, with 16 goals conceded in the month, 9 of them coming from set pieces. Again, the constant change of personnel has not helped, but no combination has looked like a unit. Nicholson needs help as his lack of pace has been exposed, but the problems from dead ball moves seem to highlight a lack of organisation and responsibility at the back, which is a real concern. We have many possibilities up front and the pairing of Allison and Larkin looks favourite at home, whilst away, the mix is less obvious. N'Toya looks like a lost soul at the moment and Folan and DeBolla appear more suited to spells coming off the bench. It's a puzzling thing this trying to fathom the best team from what we've got; it's a challenge that the management team need to get to grips with pretty quickly.
So, to finish, who's my man-of-the month? Not an easy decision given the changes and lack of consistent selection in August, but I'm plumping for Adam Smith. The Adam Smith that plays in away games that is, since he has been the key to our 2 victories in the month. It would be good if that away form could be brought to bear at Saltergate where we need to improve on just 2 wins in the last 17 competitive fixtures.
