Chapter Five
Mixed Emotions
Before i knew it it was the first game of the season, at home to Colchester, which i knew would be a difficult but not impossible game. Having decided to go with my more attacking 4-2-3-1 formation i rallied the boys in the dressing room and took my place in the dugout. As the referee blew his whistle to start the game i had a felt optimistic. After two minuets i felt deflated as Colchester went ahead. Not the start i had hoped for. 42 minuets, 2-0. S**t. I never understood what the term "hairdryer" fully meant until i got into that dressing room, but i certainly do now. The second half thankfully a whole lot better, as Whelpdale got one back in the 53rd minuet, and remarkably Dack made it 2-2 13 minuets later and Priestfield erupted. The game ended 2-2, which is not bad considering we was 2 goals down at half time, but i knew the boys would have to do better then that to avoid the drop this season.
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Up next we had the capital one cup clash against MK Dons, and since we had argaubly are hardest game of the season three days after it against Wolves, i decided to field my B team and risk going out at the first hurdle in the competition. However, somehow after 27 minuets we was 2-0 up and i was starting to think management was a lot easier then i thought it would be. I was put back in my place after the 68th minuet as MK Dons scored their second goal and made it 2-2. Surely that was game over now, MK Dons had the momentum, a stronger team out and it showed when they went 3-2 up in the 81st minuet. The fairytale of the capital one cup seemed over before it started. However, this was football, and anything can happen.
"into the last few seconds of this capital one tie and Gillingham are going to have one last throw of the dice, Fagan throws a hopeful ball into the box, Mcdonald, goes down, PENALTY! Penalty to Gillingham! the 93rd minuet and Gilingham can rescue the tie. Fagan steps up. 3-3!"
We managed to go on and score two more in extra time and knock MK Dons out with are B team. This was much more like it.
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I spent the whole coach journey to Wolves in thought. I knew i would have to think of something to get anything from the game, i had to use my defensive formation and hope we could nick something on the counter. It was a long shot, but after the game with MK Dons, i felt anything was possible. It didn't take long for the game to explode into life, as after 5 minuets Wolves hit the post, and we had the ball in the net only for it to be ruled out for a judged foul on their keeper from Akinfenwa. The first half ended goalless, which was good, we just needed to keep it up for another 45 minuets. However, after 55 minuets i had my first managerial ******. Akinfenwa pounced on a cross from Miller and made it 1-0 against all odds. We was just 35 minuets from a famous win, however, the equalizer had been coming, and duly came on 72 minuets to burst are bubble. However, the game finished 1-1 which i felt was a fantastic result considering we was expected to be beaten with ease by Wolves.
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Up next was Brentford where we took the lead with an Akinfenwa penalty in the 22nd minuet, however, Brentford came out in the second half and outclassed us, and scored two goals to give us are first defeat of the season.
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Last but most certainly not least we headed to are bitter rivals Swindon, and i got a taste of my first derby as a manager. I knew how important it would be to get a win in this game to get the fans and players on my side. We got a fantastic start with Fish scoring within 6 minuets and gave are side the momentum we needed. However, the half ended on a sour note, with the ball coming back off the post from a header hitting Nelson and ending up in the back of the net. I hoped this would not be the story of the second half. After 81 minuets however, in-form man Akinfenwa smashed home a 25 yard shot off the crossbar to send the away fans and me into mass celebration! 2-1 with 9 minuets to go and i felt my first win in the league would be against are bitter rivals. 89 minuets gone and are luck goes from bad to worse. Ranger scores from a cross while in an offside position to make it 2-2 and despite are protest the goal stands. Too add insult to injury in the 93rd minuet, Leon Legge makes a perfect tackle to stop Ranger going through on goal, and to everyone surprise the referee shows a red card. The game ends 2-2 and i was not happy at all, and it showed in the press conference
"Steven, what do you make of today's game?"
"Its a joke. We hold a deserved lead and then Swindon score a goal that is clearly offside to take all three points from us which could prove so costly come the end of the season"
"We do have the goal on the monitor here, and it does seem Ranger is offside when the initial pass is made:
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and finally Steven, what do you make of the decision to send off Legge so late on?"
"It's was a disgusting decision. I understand the refs have got very hard jobs but its unacceptable to make two massive mistakes in such a big game in such a short space of time like that."
"Okay thanks Steven"
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I was expecting a nice telling off from the FA the next day, but to my surprise, they didn't seem to take an interest in my outburst on the officials from yesterdays news conference.
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I clearly felt then that my appeal for Legge's suspension would be accepted by the FA if they did not feel i was in the wrong with my criticism, however, to mine and the clubs surprise, they rejected are appeal.
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Steven.