Cheltenham v Scunthorpe United

Tuesday, August 10, 2004

Football League Two

Cheltenham :
Higgs, Brian Wilson, Brough, Duff, Victory, Devaney, Bird, Melligan, McCann (Guinan 73), Vincent, Odejayi
Subs not used:
Michael Taylor, Scott Brown (GK), Gill, Corbett

Scunthorpe United :
Musselwhite, Stanton, Crosby, Butler, Ridley, Taylor, Baraclough, Kell, Beagrie, Bailey (Keogh 80), Hayes
Subs not used:
Evans, Byrne, Parton

SULSESC REPORT

by The Inspector at Whaddon Road

UNLIKE in April when we last played here, the omens were good: victory had been achieved against Rochdale and my companion was the Chaplain and Historian of Crystal Palace. Would God be on our side?

It seemed so, because as early as the fourth minute Cheltenham has a penalty appeal turned down, although in the Inspector's opinion Musselwhite had already launched himself before Melligan went down. The referee agreed, unlike the home supporters.

We were looking good and it came as no surprise when we took the lead on 10 minutes, Kell latching on to a poor clearance to dispatch the ball into the top of the net.

Cheltenham did come back at us eventually and some of the play was not particularly pretty but thanks to Musselwhite we held out. Job half-done!

The portents at the start of the second-half were not favourable as Odejahi went through a considerable proportion of the Iron defence before hitting the ball against the post. Subsequent play was quite open as they pressed hard and we countered, chances aplenty falling at both ends.

There was much looking at watches in the last 10 minutes, the Inspector ever mindful of the team's habit of snatching a draw (or even a defeat) from the jaws of victory. (This does not refer to their player called Victory!).

Following consoling words from the man of the cloth (and perhaps, too, a silent prayer on his part), the victory was complete with two minutes to go, the venerable Beags providing a pin-point centre for young Keogh to head home at the far post. Job done, indeed!

A good evening, then, for Iron fans and players alike. Special mention must be made of Musselwhite's awesome presence (a few pounds heavier than when the Inspector last saw him play for Port Vale at Reading's Elm Park many years ago), of Crosby's dominance at the back with Butler, and of the incisive work on the wings by Beags and Taylor. How the home fans graciously and generously applauded Beags when he went off in stoppage time! He'd played a blinder and they knew it!

The Inspector will be in the same company for Crosby's return to Oxford. As you may know, the Inspector does various things with his time, including playing the organ.

All was "organised": 1.00 wedding, 1.45 leave Newbury, 2.20 arrive Oxford but the bride has now insisted on a 2.00 kick-off for her bash. Result? The Vicar was instructed to find another organist! It's all a question of priorities, isn't it? We are top the League, aren't we?

As Horace said ('Odes' I, xi): "Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero"!