Going... going...

Sunshine, warmth and a new Chairman. Could we add 3 points for a real feelgood factor?

Interesting to see Blackwell out taking the warm-up, something Newell never did.

The team:

Brill

Keane Coyne Barnett Emanuel

Foley Spring Robinson Bell

Andrew Talbot

No Brkovic, Heikkinen on the bench, Dean Morgan in a suit, and apparently Nicho in the crowd according to 3CR.


A poor start however - 3 minutes in and one down, a superb header by David Norris from 12 yards. Half-hearted chants of "Mitchell out".

And it was all one-way traffic, towards the Town goal, for the rest of the half, with Foley and Spring having non-games, Robbo fighting gamely but to little effect, and Bell (as usual) the only Town midfielder who was worth watching. On 25 minutes Robbo overran a Coyne header down the left, with the Town fans singing "That's why we're going down".

And that was our only attack of any consequence.

On 40 minutes we fell two behind, after Barnett sliced a clearance into the Town area where Halmosi gave Brill no chance.

At half-time Blackwell changed it round, O'Leary for Spring, Foley moved to right back, Keane to left back, Emanuel to left midfield, Bell to right midfield.

It made a difference, with O`Leary by far the best Town player in the second half. After 5 minutes he grabbed a well-deserved goal, knocking in a desperate clearance of a fine goal-bound header from Coyne.

But we might as well have gone home then. No chances of note, and a performance as bad as the draw at home to Southend seemed at the time. No passion, little talent, and not a lot by way of excuses against a Plymouth side with nothing to play for.

Scores:

Brill 6 some good saves but a Marlon-esque cock up or two

Keane 6 battled as always, but nothing to link-up with coming forward

Coyne 7 reassuring and committed

Barnett 4 a shadow of his early-season performances

Emanuel 5 ditto

Foley 3 unbelievably bad first half (0/10) but gets 6/10 for second half at full back

Spring 4 not at his best but seemed injured

Robinson 5 more effective than usual

Bell 6 OK, but not at his best

Talbot 6 for effort

Andrew 3 for effort

Subs:

O`Leary 7 promising but not quite Nicho

Langley 5 one moment of magic, but lost it straight away

Idrizaj 4 lightweight

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