CharltonTV, Long May It Continue

Thoughts of whether we end the season in 16th or 17th spot, of who stays and who goes, even whether Lyon Duchere will gain promotion (their chances took a tumble at the weekend with a 3-2 defeat against OL’s second string) will have to wait a little longer. There’s someone (some people?) I would like to meet.

Now understandably the club is promoting on the official site the streaming option for Saturday’s final game of the season. But the actual offers presented raised a chuckle from me. You have the annual subscription, more on that in a moment. Alternatively fans can watch the game live with “a live stream match pass, which is priced at £10”, or, I kid you not, “a monthly CharltonTV subscription, which is priced at £35 per month recurring and will allow fans to watch every regular 2023/24 league match live”. Err, so I can pay £35 for a month, to watch one remaining game, or £10 for … that game.

So I really want the club to name anyone who takes up the monthly option. Those people would deserve some sort of prize, although how it would be worded could be a sensitive matter. I would like to meet them, I could do with a laugh.

In the piece the club continues to make the offer of “an annual CharltonTV subscription”. OK, what’s the problem? I have one which auto renewed in late December. Trouble is I don’t think it is guaranteed that CharltonTV will be continuing next season.

Under the new EFL/Sky agreement, which comes into force for next season and runs until 2028/29, Sky says it will show live a minimum of 248 League One matches, with 10 EFL games to be shown each matchday weekend, five of which will be from the Championship (ie 5 from League One and League Two). On this basis Sky says supporters of League One and League Two teams will “now benefit from greater coverage than ever before”. Well, if you’re talking overall live coverage of the two divisions that may be correct; if you are talking access to the games of the club you support its BS – and the games shown live on Sky will be played outside the 14.45-17.15 period, ie not the normal start time.

Sky goes on to say that its new coverage will “effectively replace … the EFL’s domestic streaming option provided via iFollow and club streaming services”, adding that “domestic (ie UK) streaming audio services will remain alongside existing audio-visual arrangements for international audiences via iFollow and club streaming services”.

So, if I understand things correctly, if you are based in the UK (and aren’t circumventing rights issues with the use of VPN), your CharltonTV service comes to an end after tomorrow (if anyone’s based in the UK and just taken out an annual sub you qualify for an award as above). If, like me, you are based outside the UK, it would seem that Charlton, like other EFL clubs, has the option to continue to provide the streaming of games live – in our case along with the excellent pre- and post-match show.

However, I’ve not seen any confirmation of this from the club. I sent an email back in January to inquire as to whether CharltonTV would be continuing next season – and if not how the club would deal with unexpired subscription periods. It took a resend to elicit a rather bland, corporatist, non-committal reply that at that point in time the club was “awaiting confirmation on streaming rules for next season”. OK, those rules were I assume confirmed in early April, so it would be good to know what the club is planning. I would suggest that if CharltonTV were to come to a stop it is invidious of the club to now be publicising the option of an annual subscription to the service.

I’m not privy to the club’s thinking on CharltonTV, or the finances of the service, ie the extent to which current subscriptions cover costs, or projections if the services were to continue and be available only for non-UK subscribers. Again, I think it’s reasonable to expect confirmation from the club whether or not the service will continue next season for International Addicks as currently provided, whether there will be a pared back service, and how much it is planned to charge for the service with no UK-based users.

To that I’d add that CharltonTV provides a massively important link to the club for us living abroad. Sky’s infrequent and probably impersonal service will provide no substitute. And beyond my personal interest there is the whole issue of the extent to which the club wishes to embrace and interact with its international supporters, for mutual benefit. It is appreciated that the club’s key focus has to be getting more fans back into The Valley, but ignoring the international fan base would, I believe, be short-sighted. These Addicks – I am a member of the International Addicks fan group – are a committed bunch (in every sense of the word, as all who have encountered the German Addicks in particular will testify) ready and willing to do what they can to help promote the club all over the world. The CATV streaming service is an irreplaceable lifeline for them, essential if they are to help increase an international fan base in the years ahead.

Also, let’s not forget, CharltonTV is bloody good. Steve Brown and Curbs, plus Scott Minto and others, come close to making bloggers redundant with the quality of their analysis. No doubt the number of EFL clubs providing a streaming service for its overseas fans will be reduced by the EFL/Sky deal. Retaining the service will only enhance the reputation of Charlton within the game.

Perhaps with the coverage tomorrow the CharltonTV team will indicate if it’s ‘see you again next season’ or ‘adieu’.

Campaign All But Done But Duchere Still In The Hunt

So, when they come to write the next volume in the history of Charlton Athletic, what will Saturday’s game be remembered for? Wickham’s first goal for the club (first of many or one and only?), the one that marked formal confirmation that we have avoided relegation, the unbeaten run being extended to 13 (only two more to have it last until the end of the season), for yet another bloody draw, or for the extension of another sequence which seems to have been going on a while, namely games after which Jones expressed his frustration at not having won? Probably all and none of the above.

Sure, we might have won it, another game in which we outdid the opposition on attempts on goal and an inch the other way and May’s one off the post would probably have been the winner. Having taken the lead we were dominant in the first half, even if the pitch and conditions worked against anyone playing football. However, I really couldn’t begrudge Cambridge their point. They dug deep in the second half to get something out of the game and probably had the better of things in that period, without carrying much of a threat, aside from the confusion caused by long throws into the box. Their goal was disappointing from our perspective, but then the reverse also applied – Wickham did exceptionally well but their centre-backs left him to do what he did unchallenged. Ultimately we didn’t do enough well enough in either box to win the game, a familiar story.

The game ultimately left me feeling that it really is time to draw a veil over this season. The record books will show us ending in the lower half of the third flight and another season of disappointment. I suspect that the stats freaks among us will question how many clubs have a season which includes a winless run of 18 games followed by 13 (perhaps up to 15) unbeaten? The rest of us will remember it as a campaign which saw us never truly threaten to secure a top-six finish and which included a disastrous period which saw us come closer to relegation to the fourth division than ever before in our lifetimes. Of course, we all fervently hope it will also be remembered as the watershed which prompted the arrival of Jones at the club and the start of the period of glorious revival and unparalleled success.

Rather than going over the details of another mid-table game I thought it was appropriate to give a quick update on French football matters, ie the contest for promotion from National 3 involving my adopted team, Lyon Duchere. The last update was after the 17th round of the 26-round campaign, with Duchere then in second place, two points behind near neighbours Saint-Priest, following a 2-2 draw between the two. Since then Duchere have beaten comfortably St Etienne’s second string 3-1, but then came unstuck, losing 2-3 away at Chassieu Decines. They were back on track with a 3-0 home win over US Feurs, a 2-1 victory away at FC Espaly, and a 3-0 win over Limonest Dardilly. Over the same period Saint-Priest were held to a 2-2 away at lowly Ain Sud, beat Chambery Savoie 1-0 at home, but then surprisingly lost 1-2 to Clermont Foot reserves. They followed this with a 2-0 win at Olympique de Valence and a 2-1 victory over Vaulx en Velin.

The upshot of all this is that the pair are still locked together at the top, both on 46 points from 22 games, with four to play. I confess I’m not sure why, but the sites of both Duchere and Saint-Priest show Duchere in the top spot, despite a goal difference of 15 against one of 23 for Saint-Priest. With only one to go up, it is the time that Alex Ferguson used to refer to. Indeed, the next round of games is going to centre on Lyon, with Duchere to take on Olympique Lyonnais’ second string while Saint-Priest will host Haut-Lyonnais.

I’ll be keeping a close eye on developments on that front, although this weekend I will be at The Valley! Planned a trip to take in the final home game of the season, more I confess for the ambience and company than in anticipation of a footballing classic. Hopefully we will enjoy a decent game and emerge unbeaten again, a few goals wouldn’t come amiss. But I suspect like most others the main theme of the debate will be who should stay and who should go – and what players we need to bring in. I am sure that during the glasses of wine before and after the game, then the obligatory curry, deep and meaningful conclusions will be drawn.

Run Continues As Spoils Are Shared

Wrong of course to suggest that nothing was riding on tonight’s game, but there wasn’t much. Another victory and if followed by Port Vale losing we would be mathematically safe, keep the unbeaten run going, finish as high as possible, help May stay top of the goalscoring chart. All worthy objectives but in the greater scheme of things the pressure was off. And in that context coming away with a point was not unacceptable, especially given that we were ahead curtesy of a joke goal, one that quite obviously should not have been awarded, and after conceding two rather sloppy goals had to come from behind to share the spoils. On chances we finished well ahead, Wigan scoring twice from three attempts on target, but you don’t get points for that.

With Jones (the player) and Wickham apparently available for selection, there was interest in whether Jones (the manager) would indulge in a little tinkering or try to keep the pressure on to secure as high a finish in the league as possible. In the event there was only one change to the starting line-up, with Watson returning and Ramsay moving to the bench. Wickham joined him there, with Edmunds-Green and Ladapo left out of the squad. As on Saturday, this left us looking light on defensive cover (we finished the Barnsley game with Anderson filling in at wing-back), with two replacement forwards (Wickham and Aneke) and two wingers (Campbell and LuaLua) for a team employing wing-backs. I can’t pretend to understand it but presumably there was a plan.

The easing of pressure seemed to be reflected in a drab first half, one in which neither side registered an attempt on target (we did score of course). Jones after the match seemed to be pleased with the effort put in, but beyond the hustle and bustle nothing much was created at either end. Early on May was unable to collect a Watson header back across goal and Kanu saw his effort blocked, although straight from that Wigan had their most dangerous moment as their tricky wide guy Godo, on loan from Fulham, surprised the much bigger Small by getting around him and almost coverting.

Our ‘goal’ came on 18 minutes, A bit of ping-pong saw Gillsephey send it back long. Their defender seemed to have it covered but was backpeddling. May was never going to get there and as their guy shaped to hook clear pulled him over. Off balance his slice sent the ball looping over the keeper’s head and into the net on the bounce. The club website talked of May putting their guy ‘under pressure’. OK, we are pleased, we take the break, reminded me of Washington, who often used to challenge on the edge for balls he had no chance of winning, leaving it up to the ref to decide. But quite frankly it was ridiculous how the officials did not award Wigan a free-kick.

After that May played in Dobson, who shot into the side-netting from the left side, Hector picked up a yellow for protesting too much, Watson pulled up injured and was replaced by Ramsay, Dobson late on found Anderson but he couldn’t get his shot away, and right at the end Wigan gave the ball away only for May’s shot to be diverted and Small not able to convert.

So at the break we were ahead on points and ahead in reality thanks to the officials. Early in the second half we had the chances to make the game probably safe but Small’s shot was saved and Dobson’s was deflected onto the post. Instead we went on to concede two goals in four minutes to find ourselves behind. Their guy’s shot was saved by Isted, the follow-up blocked, but the ball then running for another to slot home; and not long after one of theirs was played through the middle and Gillesphey arriving late was only able to deflect his shot past Isted.

That prompted a triple substitution, with Aneke, Campbell and LuaLua introduced for Gillesphey, May and Kanu, thereby making a nonsense of my pre-match thought that there was no point having both Campbell and LuaLua on the bench as there was no way both would be used. Seems we reverted to a kind of 4-3-3. And the remainder of the game was largely about whether we could equalise and even go on and win. We did manage the first, with Aneke heading home from close range, and had chances after that, after another switch as Wickham came on for Anderson. But seven minutes of stoppage time failed to deliver a decider and both teams left the pitch if not over the moon then at least not in despair.

It means mathematically we need another five points to be certain of staying up, although that would drop to three or two if Port Vale fail to win at Peterborough tonight. And in reality we are safe. Three more unbeaten, taking that run to 15 games, would be a nice way to finish the season. The season itself will go down as a poor failure overall, but one which fell into three stages: the first, through to end-November, when we were in sight of the play-off places but with injuries taking a heavy toll needed more bodies if we were to challenge; the second saw us slump through December and January and into February, with the extensive changes in the transfer window intensifying the chaos as we slid towards the relegation spots, culminating in the defeat at Reading; and the third as Jones took charge and imposed a new style of play, one which has kept us up. For him the season is mission accomplished; but next season’s mission will be very different.

Fat Lady Can Surely Start Singing Now

Looked like another tough one for sure, given Barnsley’s qualities, reflected in their league position, and in particular their away record. Win and surely the trap door would be closed, cue fat lady to clear larynx and get the summer hols brochures out; draw and at least the unbeaten run continues, with another four draws to end the campaign likely to be enough; lose and we could conceivably have fallen three places, to 19th, even end up just five points above the drop zone with one or two still with games in hand on us. That would have been a rude awakening and emphasised the need for more points before we could truly relax. So the emphasis was still on points rather than performance and thoughts about next season.

In the event, perhaps in anticipation of the opposition – and certainly as a result of their approach to the game - we put in a performance in marked contrast to the previous three, sterile contests (in which let’s not forget we had scored twice, a soft penalty and an own goal off a defender’s head). And we took the points with a win which was ultimately deserved, even though Barnsley will have been scratching their heads at half-time to have been behind. In truth both teams created enough good chances to have scored a hatful so, aside from some important decisions from the officials (which did go in our favour), the outcome was down quite simply to which team took more. And that proved to be us.

The team was something of a revert to type after the changes for Stevenage. With Watson injured/rested there was a very welcome reappearance for Ramsay. Gillesphey was also brought into the central defensive trio, with Edmunds-Green dropping to the bench. Further forward Anderson returned to the starting line-up, with Ladapo back among the subs, Jones reverting to May and Kanu up front rather than having May in the hole. With Ramsay and Anderson back, Ness and Edun dropped out of the squad, with Edmunds-Green the only available defensive replacement, set against two forwards (Aneke and Ladapo) and two wingers (Campbell and LuaLua) plus a central midfielder (Bakinson). It did leave the bench looking unbalanced, arguably unnecessarily so.

Barnsley caused us problems from the off and defensively we struggled to cope. On three minutes they played in a guy far too easily and we were fortunate that the lob over Isted which he chose went just over the bar. On 10 minutes we were more fortunate still as their forward got goalside of Hector in the box. Hector seemed to either trip him or wrestle him to the ground, with no chance of getting the ball. The ref did have a clear view and may have decided that the guy went down too easily, but there was for sure contact and we could have had no complaints if a penalty had been given.

We had been getting some joy down the flanks with two genuine wing-backs in operation, but it was something of a surprise when we took the lead just before 20 minutes were up. Anderson cut across the area and drew a clumsy challenge, resulting in a free kick just outside the box and fairly central. I thought at the time it would be hard to get it over and under and hadn’t considered another option: May hit the ball sweetly with his right foot and it flew across the wall and into the far corner of the net. It was the area you expected the keeper to be, but he’d moved to his left, seemingly in anticipation of a more routine effort, and was completely wrongfooted. After the game May was asked about it and said he changed his mind at the last moment, seeing the keeper move. If that’s the case it was a truly outstanding effort, to assess a situation in an instant and take advantage of it.

We almost added a second shortly after but after Thomas’ long ball and May’s move back inside Dobson missed his kick and Kanu’s effort was blocked, then at the other end Thomas was caught out and had to take down their guy, picking up a yellow (with Barnsley arguing for more than that). The free kick was blocked by the wall but the reprieve proved short-lived as a ball sent across from their left was met by the outstretched arm of Ramsay. Given the position of his arm the ref really had no option but to give this one. Isted guessed correctly, diving to his right, but the effort was well struck and well placed.

In the following period Barnsley came close to taking the lead at least a couple of times. I don’t know how their guy failed to convert from close range a cross sent in from the right, but he did, then a free kick was headed on and dropped for one of theirs who hit the bar. That said, the game was open enough for either side to feel confident about scoring again. A long ball found Kanu and he was barged over advancing towards goal. At first it looked a clear penalty for us, but the replays showed the first contact was outside the box. That free kick came to nothing but a few minutes later we retook the lead with another gem from May. The ball forward on our left side was dummied by Dobson and ran on to find May, who turned deftly, moved to his right, then hit a lovely curler beyond the keeper. Superb finishing.

Barnsley will have gone to the dressing room at the break feeling hard done-by to be behind and nobody at that stage will have been putting money on a goalless second half. Certainly not me. And it really should not have been goalless.

Just to list some of the major chances, Kanu headed over a Dobson cross when he might have done better; Barnsley danger from a long throw ended with a shot over the bar; on 70 minutes Dobson found May, who checked onto his left foot this time only for his curler to come back off the post and Aneke (who had come on for Kanu, after Edmunds-Green had replaced an understandably tiring Ramsay) headed the rebound over; Barnsley went straight up the other end and a cross from the right found a guy on his own in the box, but he muffed the chance; then on 75 minutes Barnsley were appealing for another penalty (which resulted in a minor altercation involving Hector and a couple of yellows); on 77 minutes a May chip went just over; and a minute later Coventry was played in and rounded their keeper only to find the side-netting from a tight angle (and be given offside).

It didn’t end there as eight minutes of stoppage time (which ended up as over 10) began with a Barnsley ball over the top finding a guy running in on goal, who shot home from a tight angle but was flagged offside (Barnsley it seems say the replay showed him clearly onside), then we had the opportunity to remove any doubts. A difficult ball to control was played back to their keeper and Campbell (who had come on with Bakinson in the final minutes of normal time, for Thomas and May) chased it down. He managed to get there just in time to be caught by the keeper and the ref gave the spot kick. Aneke took the responsibility but his effort wasn’t entirely convincing and was well saved by their keeper’s outstretched arm. He did partially make up for the miss by being instrumental in running down the clock before the ref finally brought proceedings to a close.

Overall a good performance, a highly entertaining game, and a glorious victory. We may still sit in 16th place in the league but with other results going our way we are, with 50 points, all but certain of staying up. Indeed, if we win on Tuesday night and Port Vale lose on Wednesday, we will be mathematically safe. When we lost tamely at Reading in mid-February that seemed an awfully long way off. All that’s left to play for now is really whether we can avoid our lowest final league position for eighty-odd years and whether May can hold onto his spot as the division’s leading goalscorer (he may have accepted losing out on the chance of a hat-trick yesterday but I’ve no doubt he will want to spend every minute left on the pitch in pursuit of that objective). I suspect we are past the point where players are trying to press their credentials for a new contract and to persuade Jones that they should be retained, but we can now let the speculation run rife as regards who will stay and who will go.

Let's Be Grateful For Another Point

I don’t think any purists of the game were holding their breath in advance of this one. Stevenage’s many admirable qualities do not include playing the ‘beautiful game’; and to be fair, right now, and for good reasons, neither do ours. It was always going to be a scrap, between a team still aiming for a play-off spot, despite having fallen away of late (no wins in five), and one not quite having banished relegation fears. Both could really have used a win, while a 0-0 or a win for either by a single goal would surely have been the shortest odds with the bookies.

So the stalemate that followed in itself was no surprise. But that doesn’t excuse both sides’ inability to do the basics well enough, to pick and play balls, long or short, with a decent level of accuracy, or to show the pace or movement to unlock defences, or to make the most of the few chances which were created. Both teams defended well, not least because defences were seldom stretched. You might question how Stevenage can perform at this level and be contending for a play-off spot, but the answer is obvious enough. Only the top two and one other have conceded fewer goals than them. And yesterday, after a dire and dull but even first half they progressively got on top through the second half, wearing us down. To our credit we didn’t concede and stuck to the task, but by the end we were grateful to take another point, keep the unbeaten run going, and keep the gap to the relegation zone intact with another round ticked off.

After two consecutive disappointing performances (Fleetwood and Exeter) there was a case for changes to the team/squad, some reshuffling of the pack. In the event, Jones went for two changes to the starting X1, with Edmunds-Green back in for Gillesphey (like Edmunds-Green before him, not included in the squad) and Ladapo starting in place of Anderson (also rested from the squad). It pointed to May playing in the hole behind Ladapo and Kanu, this being the option chosen to afford Anderson a break rather than Bakinson getting a start. On the bench LuaLua took the spot made vacant (with still no sign of the other Watson or Wickham, or Fiorini for that matter, remember him?).

Let’s get the game out of the way. In the first half we had a couple of balls across the face of their goal without being converted and a reasonable chance for May, who pulled down a ball through from Dobson well enough but couldn’t set himself properly for the strike on goal, being off-balance and missing the ball. The stats at the break showed that they had two efforts on goal, one on target, but that was a strike from outside the box which was routine for Isted. For the record we had one attempt on goal, off target.

Given their position we expected more from Stevenage in the second half and to be fair, helped it seemed by three substitutions at the break, they did pose more of a threat. Just before the hour mark they could have gone ahead as a ball in from the right was headed back to another guy who really should have done better than head over the bar. Another cross chested down resulted in a shot wide, then May and Hector combined to block a dangerous effort. We did have moments – Ladapo had a header saved, May almost caught their keeper out as his clearance was returned first time, and Kanu played in Dobson whose cross ended up seeing Bakinson (by then on as a sub) prod wide – but they were few and far between.

Through the game May looked ill at ease in the hole against this particular opposition (and was replaced by Bakinson with 20 minutes left), Kanu worked manfully with his back to goal but didn’t get a sniff of a chance in the box, Ladapo was generally well marshalled, and the introduction of Aneke for him on the hour failed to lead to a greater forward threat. The only other change we made was Ness coming on for an injured Watson, with Edmunds-Green switching to wing-back. You’d probably give man of the match to Hector – no question it had to be a defender.

So, five more to go, five more draws likely to see us safe. Whether it was the effort put in during that spell against top teams, which ended up making the difference between our position now and an outright relegation scrap, and an easing of the immediate pressure, or thoughts about who stays and who goes come the end of the season, we’re really no longer expecting this team/squad to develop in any real sense. It has, arguably, done its job. As for what’s going on in Jones’ head as regards requirements for next season, perhaps only one entity has any idea – and he/she is not saying anything.

Below-New Par Performance But Valuable Point

As the campaign resumed after the international break the abiding feeling, for me at least, was that our change of form and unbeaten run may have encouraged the view that the season was all but over - but that another win or two were still required if we were to avoid getting sucked back into it all. And there was no easy way to predict how this one might go, with Exeter having won their last two and having had if anything an even more mixed season than us, being up then down, now back up.

In that context, coming away with a point was not a bad outcome. The less positive slant is that for the second game in a row we put in a performance below the levels achieved when we were up against teams at the top. One or two may have been excused for being a little jaded after international trips, but if they needed a rest that should have been clear ahead of the game. In truth, with us off our A game and Exeter not really able to take advantage, we were served up a pretty average third division match low on quality. Either side could have won it, as against Fleetwood neither did enough to deserve to and neither can feel aggrieved at the outcome. They led for much of the game, we might have equalised just before the break, they might well have extended their lead, we drew level late on with an own goal, finally we might have won it at the death.

The team showed a change in central defence, with Hector in from the start to accompany Thomas and Gillesphey and no sign of Edmunds-Green. Otherwise it was as against Fleetwood, although changes on the bench saw Ness and Edun added, as well as Aneke, with Asiimwe and LuaLua not making the squad (and no sign of Wickham or the other Watson). No obvious reasons for the changes, but we’ve not been at the training ground.

I missed the first 10 minutes (would you believe the French work on Good Friday?) but by all accounts they were well on top, putting us under pressure from the off. And before long they had the lead. Exeter were allowed to recycle the ball down their right side and their guy had time to weigh up where to put the cross. He chose an area just beyond our central three it seemed, because Watson was left to jump against old boy Purrington. He won the contest and his header deflected off Watson past a wrongfooted Isted.

It took us a while to work our way into the game, but to the players’ credit they did manage to even things up progressively through the first half, without actually creating more than half-chances. A good Small run down the left ended with their keeper making a fairly routine save, and a little later a Hector long ball was brought down by Watson and his pull back for Anderson resulted in a shot decently parried.

After the opening period we’d denied Exeter any further real sights on goal and just before the break we did come close to levelling things up. Dobson received the ball on the left side and seemed to try to send it back across goal. The ball took a deflection off their defender, which sent it past their keeper and seemingly into an empty net before Purrington spoiled things for us again by managing a last-ditch clearance. The replays at half-time couldn’t provide an angle to tell if the ball had crossed the line and without the technology neither we, nor the officials, could be sure it had.

Jones clearly felt we had underperformed in the first half as a change was made at the break, with Ladapo coming on for Anderson, May dropping more into the hole. Ladapo made a difference initially, as did May in the deeper role, but nothing decisive resulted, just more half-chances, a Purrington block of a May effort matched by a decent save by Isted from a snap-shot inside the box. A further change for us was made just after the hour, with Aneke replacing Kanu. But shortly after that Exeter had the chance that with hindsight might have proven decisive. A simple enough move down their left and a ball squared found a guy on his own in the box. Perhaps he had more time than he wanted as he squandered the chance with a scuffed shot. Really should have scored, or at least make Isted work.

On 70 minutes it was Edun for Gillesphey, with a change to more of a 4-4-2 to try to press for an equaliser. But his first involvement was to divert an Aneke shot over the bar. As desperation was setting in, Bakinson and Campbell were introduced for Dobson and Small. And with four minutes left on the clock we did draw level, with a dollop of good fortune. A cross in from the right and Aneke outmuscled his marker to get to it first, only to put in a header that was going well wide before it hit another defender in the face and was neatly diverted down and past their keeper. It was a fitting way for the scores to be levelled as neither side had really been able to create decent chances through good play.

Now Exeter had to go in search of another goal and we had a line-up which ruled out pulling up the shutters, so the final period (with seven minutes of stoppage time) did produce opportunities at both ends. And of course right at the end a couple of flicks on a ball forward saw May released through on goal. He opted to go around the keeper but the angle then proved to be just too tight and instead of producing a winner for us his effort came back off the post. Couldn’t have wished for a better chance to take all three points, but we can’t say we would have deserved that.

The point already looks valuable, given the wins for Port Vale, Cheltenham, Cambridge and Reading, plus the point for Burton. Psychologically a defeat would have felt like being pushed back into the mire. As it is, the results served as a reminder that there is still work to be done. If we play as well as we did against Bolton, Portsmouth and Derby we will get enough points in the final six games to not just survive but end the season well. If we perform to the standard as against Fleetwood and Exeter there’s still a real doubt.

A look at the stats reveals that over the past 20 years 48 has been the average total for the side avoiding the drop from League One. But 50 is not unusual and on a couple of occasions it’s been 51. Getting five points from our final six games ought not to be beyond us, but stranger things have happened. And we start the final chapter with a tough one at home to Stevenage, who obviously badly want the points, then welcome Barnsley, who might be already mentally preparing for the play-offs but clearly aren’t a bad side. And the final games include ones against teams below us, Cambridge and Shrewsbury, which if we have already faltered could become six-pointers. You wouldn’t put the risk of relegation now at more than perhaps 10%, but that’s still a material risk. So can we please just play out of our skins on Monday and turn over Stevenage, just to stop any worries creeping back in.

One To Forget, ASAP

The seven-game unbeaten run, including three wins, may have eased the need to get a result today, but there was also the feeling that another win against a team below us and we could really put an end to any lingering relegation concerns. Also, no question we need to sustain the momentum to finish the season on a high with the next campaign in mind, while it was going to be interesting to see if an easing of the immediate pressure might affect performance, either positively (more relaxed, greater freedom) or negatively (less endeavour).

In the event it was a horrible game of football. Yes, it was played on a poor surface and in very tricky conditions, with the wind blowing strongly. But difficult conditions pose challenges to be overcome and it’s fair to say that both sides failed in that respect. The first half was plain dull, interrupted by one moment for them which drew an excellent save from Isted then rounded off by us taking the lead out of the blue as smart thinking by May turned a nothing situation into a penalty. The second half became more interesting towards the end just as their equaliser, equally unexpected, sparked some chances at both ends. Fact is neither side deserved three points, we take the point, the extension of the unbeaten run, and move on, as quickly as possible, happy to be in a position which a few weeks ago we would have grabbed with both hands.

The team was unchanged from Carlise, which really meant a number of contenders – including Hector and Bakinson, perhaps even Maynard-Brewer after a few recent Isted errors – not managing to secure a starting spot and kept on the bench, with no place as yet for Jones after his injury. The bench also included new signing LuaLua, with Wickham dropping out of the squad, Ladapo keeping his spot. It did mean that a team playing 3-5-2 with wing-backs and no wingers had two wingers on the bench (LuaLua and Campbell) and only one outright forward replacement (Ladapo). Wasn’t sure of the thinking behind that, but presumably it was all part of God’s plan.

Fleetwood apparently had the better of the initial exchanges, which thanks to my partner opting to change laptops for the stream I missed. I got up and running around the time Kanu took a knock to the head. He spent the remainder of the game with his head swathed in a bandage. If anything Fleetwood continued to pose the greater threat. On 20 minutes a ball played down the channel on their left reached their guy and it looked like the goal opened up for him to shoot into. Instead the shot was blocked by a desperate late challenge, which I think prevented a goal. Then Isted had his moment as a long throw wasn’t really cleared and with a lucky deflection or two their guy was through on goal. His effort was fortunately diverted to safety by Isted’s outstretched arm.

The next 20 minutes or so were truly unremarkable. Hopeful balls lofted forward, passes misdirected. But just as we were looking forward to a half-time cuppa, perhaps a bit of hypnosis to forget the previous 45 minutes, we won a penalty, in fortuitous circumstances. A ball forward by Thomas was headed back inside by Dobson but looked easy for their defender to deal with. He knocked it on then shaped to clear his lines, only for May to nip in and just touch the ball past him, then to be on the end of his swinging boot. Soft for sure but the ref really had no option. May got up and sent the penalty low into the corner.

The second half saw no change in pattern or quality. A poor Coventry pass was intercepted and put us in trouble as they had numbers forward only for the eventual shot to be blocked, then Charlton ‘old’ boy Sarpong-Wiredu headed wide from the resulting corner. It was surprising that we made no changes until we were in the final 10 minutes of normal time, with Ladapo coming on for May. But that really reflected the fact that we were happy enough with what we had and weren’t looking in danger of letting one in. Only we did, a poor one.

Another throw down their left side was followed by a rash and missed challenge (think it was Gillesphey) resulting in their guy getting into the box with the ball. Isted came out but was rounded and from a tight angle he found the net via the far post. Just a collective lack of concentration, poor decisions made, and this time it cost us.

For the neutral the goal really enlivened the game as the final 15 minutes (including eight of stoppage time) saw good chances at both ends. Our defence seemed to lapse back into Keystone Cops mode as clearances rebounded off someone else, on one occasion almost back into the net, while Anderson won the ball back and it was played through to Ladapo, whose attempted chip was reached by their keeper. At the end of normal time LuaLua was introduced together with Hector, with Kanu and Watson making way. Then in the final couple of minutes first we somehow failed to score, as Hector completely fluffed a shot from inside the box and the ball back in by Thomas couldn’t be converted by Ladapo, then at the other end they were allowed space down their right and the resulting cross found a guy unmarked, only for his close-range header to bounce back off Isted.

Fleetwood might be happier than us to take something from the game, having been behind until late in the game; but their need for three points was the greater. We can’t complain about the result – and to be fair Jones said as much – as we didn’t do enough to deserve the win having been gifted the lead.

It is a game best forgotten by us at least. Players who have been excellent of late had poor games, the defence looked frail again, especially after they equalised, with Hector’s introduction increasing confusion, and nobody stood out. If anything you’d say May’s quick thinking got us the goal. I was surprised that it took so long for subs to be introduced, that Bakinson wasn’t given some time on the pitch, and that we had both LuaLua and Campbell on the bench but not Wickham, for a game in which brawn was always likely to be in greater need than brain.

Roughly six weeks and seven games left to go, the objective being to get as many points as possible, about as vague an objective as you can get. May will no doubt want to ensure he ends up as the League’s leading goalscorer, before he picks up our Player of the Season award. Others will be wondering if they fit into Jones’ plans for the next campaign. Yes, there’s an end-of-season whiff about it all now.