So here we are again; won and lost exactly the same number of games. For the pessimists amongst us our 52 points makes us safe. There’s another 24 to play for, giving a potential final total of 76. We won’t win them all of course but anything above 68 is an improvement on 2011/12. The argument many have regularly used is that Chris Wilder should keep his job as he has improved us season on season. Is this the way people still see it? Or is making the play-offs the benchmark? Last season 72 points and a goal difference of plus nine or above were required. Our margin for error is slim and in the goals column we’re five down at present. Plus every time people start talking about a glimmer of hope we tend to screw up.

Last season all we needed was four more points for a top seven finish. In the last seven games we picked up three. We couldn’t handle that pressure. Have we now got what it takes to come rushing out of the pack?

Rotherham

I’m told that per se, I’m anti the wing back system with 3 (or is it 5) at the back. I’m not sure I am but this may be so.

When I saw the line up for this one I wasn’t happy. But on evidence of recent efforts it was only fair to try and be open minded.

A back four had been working really well recently so why change? Was there a specific threat from the Millers we hadn’t spotted but our manager had? Did someone feel a need to give Dubes a game?

I don’t go along with this “but for a mad 15 minute spell.” I thought we were poor throughout. Apart from an effort when Sean Rigg failed to connect properly that was it as far as attempts on goal were concerned.

Why I thought our approach was all wrong:

– Three centre halves get in each other’s way with no one seeming quite sure of their duties.

– Dubes and Michael Raynes are centre halves, nothing more. In this system you need players to be able to move wider from time to time and fill the full back gap and play a bit of football in this space.

– Our “wing backs” were neither this nor that. There were gaps where they would have been in a back four and they never got going as “wing backs”. I’ve said this before – both Liam Davis and Damien Batt are better at attacking as full backs than wing backs or wingers.

After reverting to a back four we did not concede further, but that may have been as much to do with Rotherham taking their foot off the gas with the game so obviously won than anything else. By then our confidence was shot, with individual errors creeping in all round, misplaced passes and the appearance of not really knowing what we were doing.

No wonder a lot of people left at half time.

The best entertainment in the second period was provided by the conga boys dancing up and down the aisles. The Rotherham fans thought this can’t be right, we’re four up, the fan based entertainment should be coming from our section, so produced a flare. I’ve still got this image in my head of their attempts at Laziofying proceedings as the smoke drifts onto the pitch towards the Oxford Mail stand then back again with a steward standing unmoved at the back just a few feet away from the perpetrators.

Atmosphere, we love a party with a happy atmosphere. This wasn’t it.

Our last sub with fifteen minutes to go saw the unlucky to be dropped Tony Capaldi coming on leaving our two leading scorers on the bench. Best to only lose 4-0 than risk a fifth conceded in the hope of getting one or two ourselves.

Question – minor blip or compelling evidence that we must change our manager now?

Torquay

For the second away game running the journey took hours longer than the norm; this time due to closure of the M5 for accident investigation work. The coach driver did the business and after a Magical Mystery Tour kind of diversion, by 2:10 I was in the Fortunes of War, which is run by a pal of Dave, my Torquay supporting mate. It was my first visit so I looked it up in Beer in the Evening. “Washed out old fellas stumbling about, dirty looks as you enter. Pushchairs and kiddies running about and a deliver to the door drug dealer”. I saw none of that. I was made to feel most welcome and had a pint and a half of Guinness bought for me.

I opted to see how much of an improvement Plainmoor’s new stand is compared to the 80 year old wooden structure that was condemned and then demolished. Much better of course but I don’t get how designers fail to come up with something in this day and age that allows an unobstructed view of the pitch. The metal around the stairs in front of the stand and barriers to prevent people toppling over in a crush got in the way too much for my liking.

Proof of paying the £3 extra for a seat came in the style of a 70’s disco stamp on my right hand. On visiting the much improved toilet facilities hand washing had to be done with care.

I summarised my view of the first half in a text to Dave, “thought you were slightly the better side, then we should have scored three”. His reply, “That’s exactly right! Our keeper has kept us in it, and although our build up play is reasonable we still don’t create any clear cut chances. McCormick looks very hard to beat”.

These misses highlighted that familiar lack of coolness and composure in front of goal but this failing was eradicated in the second half when we clearly demonstrated that we were the better side.

It was just five minutes old when a cool and composed two footed Beano rounded their man of the match, keeper Michael Poke, for our first. It was made by Andy Whing nicking the ball and a long clearance from Luke O’Brien which centre half Aaron Downes got in a pickle with.

Four minutes later it was two as we began to look dominant. Beano out-muscled Brian Saah in a shoulder to shoulder duel but Downes still had time to clear. He dawdled, Beano won the ball and had his shirt pulled – penalty.

Luckily it was Beano and not Whingy being tugged. There must be some new law we don’t know about which states that the ginger one is fair game and no free kick shall ever be awarded against those taking advantage of this. He’s a real battler who usually just gets on with it but even he felt the need to quietly explain to the referee that perhaps mistakes were being made. In one instance a Torquay forward just leant backwards into him and then went over. The free kick of course was given the wrong way.

The penalty was dispatched with no messing by Damian Batt despite the referee allowing the Gulls to indulge in the usual delaying gamesmanship. Someone told me they heard a “Wilder Out” shout as Batty ran up to take it. Um? Don’t get that. There’s a time and a place – usually.

This two goal cushion didn’t last long because (from where I was sitting) a perfectly good tackle by Whing (who else) resulted in a free kick which McCormick acrobatically tipped over for a corner from which they scored. I think there was an element of luck in this with our keeper being unsighted by a Torquay played as the ball bounced down and then in.

There was half an hour remaining but we controlled things pretty well. The last kick of the game gave the score line a fairer look. Instead of going for the corner flag the much – and often unfairly -maligned Simon Heslop played a one two with Deane Smalley and his finish gave him a 100% conversion rate on the day.

Again our fans behind the goal celebrated like fans do by running up to the wall to show their appreciation of the points won. Again a load of grey clothed people with “response” – I think that was it – written on their backs slowly appeared from nowhere to try and quell such goings on. Why? Football is an emotional game. There was no hint of a problem was there? And if there was a genuine need weren’t the yellow coats up to it? The gate was two and a half thousand. I have never known of any trouble worthy of the name at Plainmoor yet they had a whole row of stewards sat facing the crowd throughout the game on the Thatchers terrace. Cost savings to be had methinks without any significant increase in risk.

Going Down?

I don’t want Torquay to go down. I like the place. But with one point from the last nine games and just seven from the last 16 games it does not look good. They weren’t the sternest opposition we’ve faced this season.