2nd Half

By: Tony Butcher
Date: 24/09/2000

Gallimore replaced Raven at half time and Town reverted to 4-4-2, with Bloomer and Groves at centre back, Campbell (who had been completely anonymous in the first half) and Coldicott in centre midfield.

Town started well and within a couple of minutes had created a chance for Clare. Butterfield played a ball up to Allen on the right edge of the Forest penalty box. He turned and played a short pass between the centre back and full back to Clare, unmarked about 15 yards out, 10 yards to the right of the Forest goal. Clare dragged and scuffed a right foot shot across the face of goal. The ball seemed to go about 8 yards wide.

After about 50 minutes Forest nearly scored again. Some uninteresting play in the centre of the Town half became interesting when the ball rebounded high and over the Town defence. A Forest midfielder came form behind the pillar that blocks my view (and presumably that of the Town defence) and side footed the ball to Coyne's left as he came out to intercept. The Forest player waltzed past Coyne and attempted to side foot the ball into the empty net from 3 yards. Coyne raced after him, threw himself at the bloke's feet and parried the shot for a corner. The corner was half cleared to another Forest player about 25 yards out, right in the centre. His left footed volley was hit low and past a few inches wide of Coyne's left hand post. Forest didn't get near the Town goal for another 30 minutes. Bloomer and Groves knew exactly how Lester was going to miss-control the ball, or which way he would attempt to turn, and dealt with him easily. Bloomer even started Handyside-esque turns and interceptions.

It would be a gross exaggeration to say Town dominated the rest of the game. More like the first 20 minutes of the half, where it was waves of Town attacks, some of which resulted in half chances. Town were, in this period, far better than Forest and looked like a cohesive unit. They just couldn't score. Isn't this where we came in?

After about 55 minutes Allen, with his back to goal, about 10 yards out, received a cross from the Town left. He twisted and hit a rising left foot hook shot a couple of inches over the bar. A few minutes later Town got a free kick 25 yards out, to the right of centre. Gallimore walloped a left foot drive straight at Beasant, who dropped the shot. The ball squirmed out to his left to Clare. Beasant knocked the ball away from Clare straight to the unmarked Donovan, about 12 yards out a few yards to the right of goal. Donovan, of course, dragged his shot a yard wide. This was a considerable improvement on an earlier Town free kick, where they showed off a new routine. Three stood over the ball, pretended to tee it up for the third one, who rolled it side ways to D Smith. Unfortunately D Smith appeared not have attended training that day as he was as surprised as the crowd. A Forest player got there first to clear. Town's best chance of the second half fell to Allen after about 74 minutes, and marked the end of the competitive part of the game. The ball was played to Allen near the right hand edge of the Forest box, he ran across his marker, leaving him inside the penalty area, right in the middle. He attempted a low left foot shot, which he hit a la Bing Crosby (Straight down the middle). Beasant had put all his weight on his right hand side and, as he fell that way, swung his left foot to fly kick the ball clear. That really was the end of the game.

But, as Colombo would say, just one more thing. Following a corner, Donovan had a volley from about 15 yards out. It hit the very top of the scoreboard and bounced back down again.

With less than 15 minutes left Allen was replaced by Jeffrey. This mystified many, as Allen had been the only threat to Forest. Clare had been little more than an occasional nuisance (to both them and us). Jeffrey's contribution was to give away a couple of free kicks and hit a shot from 20 yards straight at Beasant. Perhaps Allen's substitution was as a response to a woeful pass he made. Receiving the ball inside the Town half he passed the ball out to the right wing - straight to a Forest player who ran into the penalty area. The Forest player passed the ball across the face of goal to Lester, standing right next to Coyne's left hand post. Lester attempted to side foot the ball into the gaping net, but Coyne sprinted across goal and saved further ignominy. Nothing further to add as nothing else happened on the pitch. That was it - another 3 points gifted to poor opposition.

The game appeared lost in the first half when 3-5-2 failed miserably. Individually Bloomer, Allen and Coyne had good games. Clare played like he always does - ineffective and with his head down - I forgot his "big" moment in the first half. He robbed a Forest player on the left, cut into the box and, from a narrow angle, scuffed a weak shot straight to Beasant. Allen was unmarked in the area and a couple of players were steaming up to the edge of the box. Northampton's cash seems very alluring now.

The last 15 minutes were played in a strange atmosphere. The Town crowd seem to have given up on this season. We appeared to be sitting like onlookers at a funeral, fascinated by the macabre suffering on show. A few Town "supporters" started to berate the rest for their silence - they obviously aren't regulars as this has been the prevailing sound and atmosphere for a very long time. Only now we aren't suffering boring victories or draws.

The positives are very few and far between. Bloomer, Coyne - Town looked a better team at 4-4-2 (both defensively and offensively). The worrying thing for this season is that we haven't played any of the good teams yet, only our relegation chums.

Another bad day.

Man of the Match - Bradley Allen

Tony Butcher

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