A football match lasts for over an hour and a half. That doesn't stop us saying that a player "cost us the game" with an action that took a fraction of a second. Of course it's not actually possible to win the game or lose it in that finger snap of time, it just makes it easier to distill in our minds for when we talk about it a year or so later.
Take last night's last seconds of the game equaliser as a perfect example. Did young Huss Biler "cost us the game"? Was it perhaps Riley Harbottle with his "boot it back to them" clearance with 45 seconds to go? Or was it the referee? He who awarded what was to my mind a ridiculous penalty AND disallowed an Isaac Ogundere screamer?
My take? Huss made contact with the attacker, but it's pretty difficult not to when the bloke throws himself at your outstretched leg. Should the leg have been there? No, but this wasn't a tackle it was more of a collection of a falling body. Riley (who was excellent by the way) will no doubt reflect that he'd have been better off causing a throw-in rather than allowing Newport to instantly rebuild. The rest of the team might reflect on how against Dagenham with 90 seconds left a huge melee "broke out". By the time the pushing and shoving was sorted out, by the time referee had wagged his finger at everyone for the TV cameras, the game was done. There's a lot to be said for a melee, we could have done with one "breaking out" last night. And the referee? Sheesh don't get me started.
The penalty was the reverse of those ones in the penalty area that cause people to say "If that happens anywhere else on the pitch, it's a foul". If the bloke Fosbury flopping onto Huss had been in the centre circle would it have been a foul? Of course it wouldn't. And the disallowed goal? I've watched it back. Does Jonjo use his experience? Yes he does, should the goal have been disallowed because of it? No chance. So if we're looking for a scapegoat as to why we didn't win, yes it's the short fella. Not the one with the beard though, the one with the whistle.
And the fact we are even talking about the win is a tribute to the group. I've seen fans "disgusted" with our performance, I can't agree with that at all. We've reverted to a funky 5-2-3 formation because we've only got one fit midfielder. We've had to supplement HIM with a centre half running around and making it up as he goes along. We're down on confidence and yet we really should have beaten a half decent team with a couple of excellent players (the 8 & the 4 in particular).
Were we great? No, but we very nearly got the job done. In case folks haven't noticed, we aren't playing great at the moment, it happens. I've a strong hunch that when we go to Harrogate on Saturday, we won't be releasing a DVD to celebrate the "Total football" of the performance. We are at the moment just going to have to dig in during games and "dog it out". If we can come through this injury crisis and form slump still in and around the playoffs, then once we DO get going again we can push on.
Remember though, if someone gives a penalty away in the last game or in the playoffs and we DON'T go up, that player hasn't "cost us promotion". The season is long, complex and nuanced, so is every GAME of football too. Let's not crucify one of our youngsters because the referee gave a ridiculous penalty decision against him. We are better than that.
Get behind the lads at Harrogate. Like a mate who has lost his job or whose Mrs has left him, this is when they most need us. COYD
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