Three In A Row?

There's nothing like three games of football in a week. It's exhausting. I don't know what it's like for the players but after the mental exertions of the Liverpool game, the league victory over Bradford, I was shattered before tonight's outing against Chesterfield.

"It's my fault we lost!!"

I have a confession, and I apologise profusely for the error of my ways. Tonight, I changed our pre-match build up and skipped the fast food delights of KFC or McDonalds. I was convinced that a "proper" dinner as my wife would say, would in the long run, last us the full 90 minutes. None of this Carb High, Saturated Fat Soak and Sugar rush tonight. Proper Chicken, Proper Potatoes and Proper Veg.

Well forget it, that's the last time this season I eat proper food before a match. It's the only thing that changed in the evening and we lost. Yes we lost a game of football that we should have won. Football for seventy five minutes was superb. Crisp, Clean, Competitive and Creative. We played against a side that wanted to play football and we outplayed them at the beautiful game.

For the first forty five minutes we dominated and played them off the park. We missed a few chances and Chesterfield looked dangerous on the ball. We needed a goal before the break and were rewarded in the one minute of added time with a Thornton header following a Jacobs curler, pushed away acrobatically by the Chesterfield keeper. 1-0 half time, we were cruising. Fans were smiling. Drinks and snacks were plenty. Life in Sixfields was good. So what went wrong.

Our referee this evening was Mr Andy D'Urso, notorious, (dubious), reputation as a match spoiler and a man whose middle name could be "Controversy." (There are a string of incidents that back up this statement on Wikipedia if you want to read some of the howlers. There were probably a few more tonight, but it seemed like he didn't want to be over seeing tonight's game and would have preferred a quiet night in. No control. Not enough cards. No vision, nothing. (Un)ably assisted by the linesman tonight's squad of officialdom will probably be condemned to the Conference if they are lucky, (Sunday league would probably do them a favour).

Chesterfield's first goal was our own fault. Poor handling by Dunny allowed the ball through his grasp for a corner. Chesterfield were allowed all the time in the world to play a short corner - no marking and it was 1-1. Before we knew it we were 2-1 down due mainly to the complete ignorance of Lino and Ref. Clearly offside their striker was allowed to continue with the ball and lob the advancing Dunn.

We stopped playing football after that and commenced the huff and puff of long ball up front only to be headed clear by defenders. If we had regained some composure and put our foot back on the ball as we had done in the first half, 15 minutes would have been plenty of time to take the game by the scruff of the neck and win it. But we didn't.

This is the first time I've passed so much commentary on a game. Anyone would think it was a poor game. It wasn't. Two teams who wanted to play. I thought Chesterfield were the best team we have seen at Sixfields so far this season. Anyone would think I was a miserable, grumpy old git taking every opportunity to put the world to rights. They might be right, but as I tell my family, there are certain privileges that are bestowed upon you when you reach 50;

1). You are allowed to moan about anything!
2). You are always right!
3). You are always grumpy!

There's probably a few more but at the moment that seems to be my mantra.

I know these are correct as I sit amongst fellow 50 plussers who continually sling the arrows of reason at anyone who will listen. How about this gem from two anonymous 50 plussers tonight.

"I feel sorry for you Linesman, you're blind and bald." followed swiftly from another row with "And you've got to work with D'Urso!!" Classic comedy timing that is only born out of life itself.

It was interesting to see Sammo standing patiently on the line at the whistle whilst twenty two players disappeared down the tunnel. What was he waiting for?

Sammo had a "discussion" with Mr D'Urso, Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum. It probably didn't matter as one of them didn't see anything, one didn't hear anything and the other said nothing to anyone all night!!

Save your breath Sammo and lift the boys. We weren't that bad tonight, (well not for 75 minutes anyway).

Thornton rightfully awarded MoM tonight. A very good performance.

Atmosphere very good at the ground this evening. Well done to the North Stand and The West "Corner" for their vocals. "Shoe-Army" is to become a classic.

It's back to McDonalds on the 16th for a "proper" dinner as my son's would say. Sorry Luv! I'll start the diet "Next week."

Followed a group of French people out of Car Park tonight. Not sure if they were from Marseilles, expecting Champions League, but it just proves that French Sat Navs are shite!

Come On Cobblers, Come On!