Stop-start would seem apt to describe both my recent blogging, and the Chats recent results. Having gone four unbeaten with last week's superb performance and victory over Cray, we were back down to earth with a bump on Saturday, beaten again on home soil, this time by fully amateur historical scamps, the Corinthian Casuals. I'm sure Jimmy Hill was rubbing his massive chin in delight whilst shouting "i-i-i-i-it was an encounter, good game good game, look at Rodney Marsh, nick me Copper!!".
Again, this piss-poor correspondent missed it. A comment on my last post asks where I've been? As I've said before, this is a blog about the Chatham Town Football Club. Not about me. Yes, some of you have enjoyed my ramblings, and I'm sorry they've been, shall I say, slipshod, of late, but life exists for me away from the Sports Ground. One way or another, I've simply had to prioritise home life ahead of the Chats. That said, things seem calmer now, and I aim to be reporting on next Tuesday's visit of Ramsgate for another midweek Kent derby, and to bring the results and misinformed comment on the do-or die must wins this week, away to Whytleafe tomorrow, and Andy Sinton's Fleet Town on Saturday.
I must admit, I'd love to go to Fleet. One of my favourite away venues, not so much for the sloping pitch, and somehow Ryman acceptable ground (just look at the money we've had to spend to comply and then at some grounds - I could and probably at some point will do an entire post on the subject), but for the fact that its a town where, if you come from Medway and are used to burger vans with no handwashing facilities, endless poundshops and abandoned desolate shopping centres, you feel like you're going to politely be asked to leave at any time.
Anyway, back to Saturday. I was on a plan at the time of the match, returning to these wind battered shores. I have to admit, I was surprised to hear the game was on given the weather forecasts I'd seen from afar (well, the west coast of Ireland, but it seems like another planet there), and there will be many wishing it hadn't been. I'm sure that the gale force winds put paid to any hopes of us bringing in another big crowd - it was over seventy down on the previous Saturday, and only marginally up on the cup game. Those who did attend rightly felt aggrieved that Chatham managed to dominate for 75 minutes and go 3-0 down within another ten. When we collapse its spectacular. Its such a shame, because against Ashford and Cray, we looked liked we'd finally solved the illusive defensive frailties. But we switched off by all accounts. AOB not happy. We grabbed a consolation through David "Daryl Hall" Hall, but missed a chance to go third. Due to other postponements, we remain in the play off spots, but have to hope other results continue to go our way. That's why 'leafe and Fleet are must win games. I have faith in AOB Don Logan - as I said previously, he wants us out of this league - upwards that is - and if we can just get the team to gel, which to be frank it hasn't really done yet, there's no reason why we can't. There's a positive embarrassment of riches in the squad, which could not be said for years - from going from being "just too good to go down", we're now looking more like "too good not to go up". How far we've come in a year is remarkable. If it didn't make me get that annoying The View song in my head (you'd be amazed at what you can achieve in a year), I'd say it more often.
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