Thoughts of a lifelong fan: Let's hope former Crawley Town star has an off day on Saturday
Before the game against MK Dons, I looked at who we have played against this season and where they are currently in the league.
We have played first placed Crewe Alexandra, fourth-placed Grimsby Town and 14th-placed Newport County, whilst MK Dons have played teams in 16th, 17th and 24th positions.
I know you can read into this what you like, so I will not get carried away and think things will improve without the whole of Crawley Town putting in a very considerable effort.
Listening to Scott Lindsey previewing the game as I write this, he seems to be up for the job at hand and has nothing but possible comments about the new owners and their efforts to strengthen the team in this window, as was proved when a defensive midfielder was signed prior to the visit of Tranmere on the Saturday, August 23.
I shared my theory with David, my son, and he immediately saw a possible flaw, in that the teams we have lost to are above us exactly for that reason and the teams that are below MK because they have beaten them. However, if you take three points from Grimsby, Newport and Crewe they would still be in the top half of the table because of their other results. Both Grimsby and Crewe won again whilst we were playing MK Dons.
Before the game, it was clear Scott wanted an all-out performance by his team selection. Danny Cashman, Louie Watson and Kaheim Dixon in, as was Dion Conroy and his plan almost gained us our first victory of the season. Almost, but not quite.
Ade Adeyemo tied their left back up in knots with his sorties down the wing and everyone in red played to the limit of their ability and beyond in keeping MK restricted to break away moves.
The breakthrough came seven minutes into first half added on time when Ade latched on to a loose ball in their box and drove his shot past the keeper into the franchise’s net.
Liam Kelly and Rushian Hepburn-Murphy were playing for the Dons, but it wasn't until he was substituted late in the game that most around me realised RHM had been on the pitch.
Liam Kelly though was at the core of everything that MK did, and he rightly earned some applause from the home crowd in Torres corner when he came over to take their corners. For all their money though, they did not look that special to me and those around me and even when they snatched their equaliser in the 71st minute, in my opinion, we were the most likely to win the game.
Off the mark, out of the relegation spots on goal difference, if only for a day as second from bottom Shrewsbury play tonight (August 20). As it turned out Shrewsbury lost their game, so we were “safe” in terms of league position as it stood going into the game against Tranmere.
The men from the Wirral lost on penalties to Burton Albion in the League Cup as we were drawing with MK and faced Geraldo Bajrami for one half of that game, before he signed a year-long loan to Crawley Town the Friday.
Listening to Scott’s reaction to the Tranmere Rovers game it appears that he believes we do not have enough experience inside our team and quoted that our team had a total of 498 EFL appearances as compared to Tranmere having four times as much with 2027.
In my opinion we played well in the first half and should really have been ahead but in the second half the more experienced Rovers side scored twice, and we had lost our fourth game in five and only defeats for the other CTFC and Shrewsbury were keeping us out of the relegation places.
Once again, all the stats, bar the one that counts, were in our favour and next week we face another team towards the top of the table, in Chesterfield, who are currently in second place and won two one away at Harrogate on Saturday, with the White Pele, Ronan Darcy opening the scoring for them in the 6th minute.
You never know, he might have an off game next week. Here’s hoping.
PS BETTER THE DEVIL, my fourth book about the RED DEVILS is now with the publishers and should be ready to buy some time in October 2025.