Thoughts of a lifelong fan: Christmas games don't reflect Crawley Town efforts

In the Swindon game we once again had a penalty awarded, only for the referee to change his mind upon consultation with the assistant referee. Forgive me if I’m wrong, but I thought the referee and his assistant were wired up to each other and in constant communication. Wouldn’t it be better if the referee delayed his decision for a split second, until the assistant had voiced his opinion? For me, watching on the highlights programme, it would have been a soft penalty if it had been given, but then so was the one awarded to the home side in the second half, which robbed us of what would have been a justifiable point on the road, against a Swindon side flying high at the moment. Two players running alongside one another getting their legs intertwined does not necessarily mean a penalty should be awarded.

Onwards and upwards and onto Boxing Day, a bumper crowd of just under 4,000 were treated, in my opinion, to a highly interesting and entertaining game where we took an early lead with a great move, finished by Reece Brown only to succumb to an equaliser not long after. This was how the game ended, despite both Harry McKirdy and Kaby Tshimanga seeing their shots saved in quick succession by Colchester’s goalkeeper, before Ryan Loft could only blaze his effort across a gaping goal and out for a goal kick.

Scott’s interview after the game, showed his frustration in the lack of composure in our forwards and stressed the need for calm and coolness in front of goal, whereas Danny Cowley thought the officiating was dreadful throughout the game and had cost his side all three points. I cannot agree with that. Yes, the refereeing was of its usual standard, but it didn’t cost them any points as the stonewall penalties he claimed were rightly not given, and his players punished with yellow cards for diving.

The draw took us up a place into 20th position, two points above the trapdoor of doom and with Barrow just two points ahead of us on 21 points. A gap of six points separates Barrow from Cheltenham and Accrington Stanley, but with Cheltenham away on January 4th a win for us there would almost halve the gap between us and them and hopefully prove there is only one CTFC.

Before that, however, we face Bromley at home, who on Boxing Day, came back from two nil down against Bristol Rovers to win three two deep into added on time. The comeback, no doubt being made possible with the sending off of the Gas’ Forde in the 53rd minute, with the score then being two nil to Rovers. Steve Evans, who needs no introduction to followers of Crawley Town, is now in charge at the Memorial Ground, so put April 11th in your diaries for what could be a memorable victory over someone who played a significant part in putting us where we are today.

Following on after the Bromley game, we travel to Barnet on New Year’ s Day, who, being only ten points above us, should give us a chance to narrow the gap.

Three wins in a week would certainly get teams looking over their collective shoulders at us and would reignite the belief in our own team and would give interesting reading in The Red Devils’ Diary, our new “by the fans for the fans” match day magazine.

The RED DEVILS’ DIARY sold out at the Oldham game before Christmas but is now available online at ctfchistory.co.uk and ctfcsa.co.uk. This will also be the case for future games, with the diary going online four to five games after the match in question.

The second issue of the diary was on sale at the Boxing Day game and will have also been on sale at the Bromley game, it being a double issue. This also looks like being a sell out and it has been my privilege to have been selling the Diary at the three games against Oldham, Colchester United and Bromley, and to have heard the favourable comments made by both home and away fans on the birth of this venture. One fan told me “We used to have the worst programme in the league, then we didn’t have one at all but now we have one of the best”