This time around we could all see the potential banana skin – and were assuming the players did too. In the midst of the run of games against promotion contenders we squeezed in a very impressive 3-0 win against Exeter, admittedly at The Valley. A repeat of that was very much the order of the day, knowing that a win would take us into fourth place – and ideally with more breathing space above Bolton, if Bristol Rovers could do us a favour. Crawley would be going into the game with just three points and no wins in their last six, so the contrast in form couldn’t have been starker. At the same time nobody had (I trust) forgotten that night in early December when they beat us at home. Times were different then, for us at least, but – and with no disrespect intended – the thought of Crawley doing the double over us would surely be motivation enough.
We ended up with the points, but after another scrap, no chance to coast/relax. For that Crawley get some credit (at least until they rather lost their rag at the end) as they were always in the game. As so often of late (and unlike Exeter) we weren’t clinical enough in the final third to put a game to bed, but we nicked a goal and with the defence playing superbly that was enough. We won everything in the air at the back, scrambled and blocked when necessary, and when real danger loomed put bodies on the line, exemplified by Jones’ interception and collision with the post. He will have been everyone’s man of the match, deservedly so, but Gillesphey was not far behind.
There were some question marks over the team ahead of the game, depending on whether some might still be feeling the effects of Saturday’s game against Stockport, including Jones (the player) who had been clearly struggling to complete the game. As it turned out we had two changes to the starting XI, both in midfield. Gilbert was given a start in place of Berry, offering perhaps the prospect of better control of midfield at the expense of Berry’s greater goal threat, while Docherty was absent from the squad due to the birth of his son (and all best wishes go to mother and baby) and replaced by Anderson. There was also a surprise or two on the bench, with no Aneke (possibly due to his head injury on Saturday), with Kanu back in the squad, while Hylton was also given a berth, effectively replacing Anderson, and Mitchell was included again (as well as McIntyre) at the expense of Watson, presumably with an eye on something among the opposition. So no change in formation/set-up but a modest reshuffling of the pack.
There was an ebb and flow to the first half as for spells they were on top and dominated possession, with good movement threatening to create a real chance and us unable to retain the ball, and times when we imposed ourselves on them and pushed them back. When we did they appeared fragile; when they pushed us back we did not. And most important we grabbed the lead.
Actual chances were few. In the first few minutes Jones went on a run down the right and delivered a low cross. That was cleared, just couldn’t help wondering that if Godden had been on the pitch he would have been on the end of it. Campbell headed down a ball in from the left for Gilbert to hit on the half-volley, well but too high. And before the half-hour mark Edwards delivered a ball across for Gilbert to strike but that one was blocked. All through this time they probed but never saw the whites of Mannion’s eyes.
We took the lead on 36 minutes. Jones actually misplaced a pass moving forward but then won the ball back, which wrongfooted them. He fed Edwards on the left. The cross was deflected by Gilbert but found Small around the far post. He had a lot to do and the angle was tight, but he moved it onto his right foot and hit a powerful low effort. Wollacott really should have kept it out but only managed to divert it inside the post. After that another long ball found Gilbert only for Wollacott to turn his effort wide.
At the break we were overall worth the lead and you just felt another goal and the game would be safe, Blackpool notwithstanding. Might then go on to get another. Instead through most of the second half the opportunities came our way but we didn’t capitalise, always leaving that element of doubt – as towards the end we were not as in control as we were against Barnsley.
An Edwards cross was headed away but Anderson pounced on the edge of the box. Hit it well but too close to Wollacott. Not long after Edwards’ evening was over as he pulled up, hopefully with nothing serious. In his place Godden came on and that involved changes, with Campbell going to the right side and Small switching back to the left. Campbell delivered a cross for Godden but his shot was blocked.
Crawley did again have moments. At times we had to resort to some desperate defending, smothering balls into the box. They had a good one-two to send a guy clear on the left but his low cross was cleared, plus a dive for an attempted penalty. Against that, Ramsay played in Campbell, who beat his guy and pulled back for Leaburn, whose shot was saved, then Campbell poked a shot from inside the box just wide. On 70 minutes from a free-kick Leaburn headed down and Godden’s shot on the turn was deflected just wide (not according to the ref who gave a goal kick). In the next minute Crawley had probably their most dangerous moment as a good cross from their left was headed for a guy at the far post to convert only for Jones to launch himself to get there first and put behind for a corner, his momentum producing a collision with the post (at first I thought it was his head and that we would be in real trouble).
But this was all with still 20 minutes of normal time left. As the game progressed and we didn’t get a second, our priority shifted more clearly to protecting what we had. There were no real chances in the rest of the game, including five minutes of stoppage time. Hylton and McIntyre were introduced in the final 10 minutes for Leaburn and Gilbert, while Mitchell replaced Campbell for the last minute.
Once again pretty it was not – but effective it certainly was. At the moment the defence works so well as a unit as well as individually, which means the players trust each other to do their jobs, with midfielders playing their part too. Three consecutive clean sheets (and four in the last five), both Crawley last night and Stockport managing just one effort on target despite having a majority of possession. Mannion has been gathering high balls well but, aside from the save against Stockport, has been very well protected. And to the list of plaudits I’d add Anderson, really because he was yellow-carded after just 26 minutes (for a late challenge) and you wondered if he’d be able to avoid another. He showed the maturity to do so.
Fourth. Back in December, even in mid-January after the Rotherham defeat, that was a very long way off. The play-offs have gone from being an aspiration to the minimum we want for the season. Of course we’re greedy bstards, we want to get out of this division, sure the players and management feel the same way. Today we can dream a little, come Saturday its back at it. No slip-ups, then see where the Wycombe v Wrexham and Bolton v Stockport fixtures leave us.