THE CONCRETE ROUNDABOUT (TCR)

THE MELTDOWN – CHELTENHAM TOWN
Well, you can’t help but think that felt like a loss walking out of the stadium, ok, it’s a point closer to sanctuary and extends our unbeaten record, but it could be a missed opportunity, and opportunities are getting fewer and fewer as every game passes.

We are still not safe, but at least we aren’t playing catch up …. yet….so let’s hope this game doesn’t comeback and bite us on the bum in three or four weeks’ time.

Jacko rolled the dice on the team that saw Leko warm the bench and you could certainly feel that his ability to penetrate defences was missing from our game, I felt it was dreadful to be honest, and it reminded me of how we were playing a few weeks ago.

We had a decent amount of possession but the number of times we got caught with the ball or just hit it aimlessly to nobody made it a very frustrating game to watch. Thankfully Tucker had recovered and was back in and continued to mop up anything too threatening….and I never thought I would think I was glad he was back.

Grant and Holland also back in the team were creating bits and bobs but about the best it offered was two back post headers from Tucker, and never really threatened the Robins keeper.

Sadly, we fell behind early to a shocker from Cumming, he tried to pass the ball out but only presented the ball to Bonds who calmly went round him and slotted it into an empty net, and I’m sorry I can’t get angry with him, he’s done so much to keep our sorry backsides in games, especially last week, so to come down hard on him now would be pathetic.

Personally, I didn’t think we rallied to the cause after that, in honesty little changed in the game, we had the bulk of possession but did little or nothing with it.

On 45 minutes with the board up for 2 minutes injury time, I decided to make a date with Madam Nicotine, and I had hardly set foot on the concourse to hear the Cowshed go up in unison, and as I turned Mo was already halfway through his goal celebrations. I paused briefly…stupidly ….and though I’d watch the replay, of course there wasn’t one and I’ve had to wait for the Sky TV highlights so I can pass comment…..the ball broke to him just inside the box after good work from Tucker, he passed to Grant who flicked it to Holland and Mo fired home…. well taken…..assessment over.

The second half wasn’t much better but on the hour with more penetration Watson was put in with a superbly flighted ball over the top from Maghoma, and as Watson was shaping to shoot/cross he was felled in the box, and Mo stepped up and fired it high into the net.

20 minutes from time the game changed again, Tucker tripped Keena in the box and just like the other penalty there was no disputing it, but the normally reliable from the spot Alfie May was left with his head in his hands as Cumming diving to the left made a superb save to tip it over the crossbar, it felt for once that Lady Luck was on our side, but with the final seconds of the 7 minutes of injury time left May redeemed himself by tapping home after Cumming had done well to repel the initial headed chance.

Honestly and with 62% possession I still think a draw was about the right result. We were poor in possession in the first half, and although they sneaked a goal against the run of the game, I did feel we were lucky to go in at halftime even.

We had a few chances in the second half, Mo with about the best one, with a one on one chance he hit straight at Southwood the Robins keeper, but I felt we just didn’t do enough, and I wasn’t particularly happy with the way we managed the last 10 minutes of the game, we could have kept the ball better and we should certainly given them less space to work with, in injury time our midfield had virtually dropped back to make it a back eight.

I was also sickened to see the way Grigg was breezed past in the build up to the equaliser, you could just see it coming as Ryan Broom just eased past him to produce the cross for the goal. I won’t be sad if he goes in the summer, he’s been a good servant, but we missed our chance the first time round to sign him, and only picked him up in time to get his last wage packet with us.

I’ll be honest I’m not keen on Stewart, he does a lot of good work, but it includes a lot of rubbish as well, his worst trait is standing off players and letting them have time on the ball, countless times we shouted at him to close the players down……. he doesn’t listen.

So, we are not out of the woods just yet, and Jacko is going to have to lift them for Tuesday night as they are going to be feeling pretty sick we conceded at the death.

Four games left and I would say we need at least 3 points, probably more, honestly, I try not to think about it.

The Fan Village…. good idea that needs a lot of work, but I cannot see fans wanting to pay in the region of £9 for a standard cheeseburger, when the CazBar charges half that and for a very good product. I hope they stick with it and have a rethink; those are concert prices and wont be attractive to the majority of football fans, and I would suggest those decision makers do a few away days to see how other clubs do it.

That’s it folks.

On to Tuesday night and Charlton, don’t be late.

WD

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Read the MELTDOWN after every game, no bullshit, just giving it straight

One or two valid points.

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Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment

Thanks WD, as mentioned in previous post I didn't see the game today and the highlights don't reflect the poorer parts of the game you describe. But the goal was magic, and we were probably unlucky to loose in the end. Agree completely about Grigg and the equaliser, I was screaming at the highlights for him just to hack Broom down - take a yellow, job done! But hey ho.

On to Tuesday - COYD