We lacked any imagination and flair. (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

We lacked any imagination and flair.

7:55am Tuesday 15th December 2009

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We had not played for two weeks and it showed. We did not look at our sharpest.

The weather has been bad, we have missed matches and been forced to train indoors. Marvellous though our facilities are, there is only so much you can do inside.

There were two major incidents in the game and the officials did not shine over either.

Their No 9 has punched Mark Pritchett twice on the floor but the ref said he was on the wrong side of the incident, while the lino said he had sun in his eyes. I think the referee’s assessor saw it, though Then for Matt Sysum’s disallowed goal the linesman has told Jody Bevan that it was for a foul on the goalie, but he told me it was for offside. I don’t like it when you are so unsure you give two different stories.

Having said that, I thought we lacked any imagination and flair. Our movement was ponderous and we were crying out for someone like Carl Brown.

The good news is that Carl has not missed a training session since his knee surgery and he is now allowed to move his knee past 90 degrees and do a bit more. Tim Grigg tells me he could be back playing by the middle of January.

There was no flow to the game and, of course, it was not helped by the 20-minute break while the ref was replaced. I believe he has only just come back on the panel after two months away with illness – he suffers from a respiratory problem.

There was only one team who wanted to win the game – Thatcham set themselves out to spoil and come for a point. A year ago it is the sort of game we might have lost 1-0.

I feel I am 75 percent there with the team. They may not be the world’s greatest footballers but I trust them and they all give me a shift. There is never an occasion when we get turned over because they don’t fancy it.

If there was any injustice on the day, though, it was at the club’s Christmas party fancy dress competition in the evening which was won by Jamie Reid as The Tin Man.

What a travesty! I should have won it by a mile and there will be a stewards’ enquiry.

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