We had the chance and threw it away

Hello, hello, Mellonball’s back, Mellonball’s back. 2 league games, 2 draws. I’m not knocking it. Worked out OK for us last season.

There was a bumper crowd last Saturday, as there should be for our first game back in the Football League. So much so, the car park was full nearly an hour before kick-off, which made giving out fanzines on the bit of pavement near the car park gate that people were angrily reversing onto more perilous than it should have been. Thanks to everyone who picked a fanzine up, and to all the drivers who braked before hitting me.

The other downside to the big crowd was that the only pies left in the Rocky at ten to three were steak. Look, if you want to eat meat, that’s your choice, but don’t ram your lifestyle down all of our throats, OK?

Some fans travelled further than others to the game. Shout out to our friends Billy, Miles and Mossy, who travelled over from Ireland. It was great seeing you, lads.

It was a bit of a cagey start to the game, but it was a big disappointment to concede so early, especially in the manner we did. We were too slow to clear their corner, it was played back into the box, and Tucker headed it in at the far post. It was well worked, but we really should have defended better.

Credit to everyone, no-one’s heads dropped. The Athleticos turned the volume up as soon as the goal went in, and the players responded. Robson, who looks a great signing, made a good tackle to deny Anderson. At the other end, Ogle’s long throw (have faith in them, the penalty at Wembley came from an Ogle long throw) set Drummond up for what may be the miss of the season. The poor lad somehow managed to put it over the stand from practically on the goal line.

We continued to create chances, with Hawkes making a great run across the box, beating three defenders, only to put it over the bar. A lovely passing move involving Hawkes and Drummond played in Quigley, whose shot was just wide.

The pressure paid off as soon as Andy went to the bar. Might as well start the season as we mean to go on. Robson played the ball to Hawkes to the left outside the box, and he unleashed a great shot (ahem) that Drummond wisely kept out of the way of. It was a little reminiscent of Harratt’s promotion-winning goal. Do we practice them in training?

Having taken a knock from a tackle that Mellon condemned as reckless after the game, Woods came off for Hannant at half-time, which was a blow, as Woods had impressed again, but the change seemed to give us more of an attacking impetus, and we piled the pressure on in the second half. I’m still not sure how we didn’t score.

Conlon played in Hannant in the box, his shot was blocked, Hawkes reacted quickly but Tucker cleared his shot off the line. God knows how we didn’t take the lead in the 68th minute, we had four shots blocked in the space of about 10 seconds in a chaotic goalmouth scramble. The fact that two shots were by Drummond and two were from Quigley made it all the more galling that it wouldn’t go in. They could both REALLY do with a goal.

Harratt came on, and I guess that song for him is sticking. I think it’s funny, but I can see why not everyone’s a fan. He had a powerful shot saved by Macey, and at the other end, Hudson got a good punch to Akande’s dangerous ball into the box. It would have been very tough to take if Colchester had nicked it at the end.

One of the highlights of the afternoon was the Athleticos chucking around – here’s a phrase I never expected to type – a cuddly Peperami, which ended up on the pitch. No, I don’t know why cuddly Peperamis exist either, much less why someone brought one to the match. Of all the things I expected to witness at the return of League football to Boundary Park, our fans singing “we want our sausage back”, followed by “Macey is a wanker” when the Colchester keeper failed to oblige and kicked said sausage behind his goal, was not on my bingo card.

Frustrating, but plenty of positives to take. We need another striker, but we already knew that. We created plenty of chances, we need to be more clinical at taking them. It was always going to be difficult for us to hit the ground running after having such a short pre-season, but the team are looking promising.

Mellon, like all of us, was “very, very frustrated”, and, entirely characteristically, thought it was a good game that was “spoilt by a referee” who was too fussy and too inconsistent. He was particularly pissed off at the challenge on Woods, understandably.

He also had some interesting comments about Fondop: “If we can get Michael working as hard as he should do, by the way, and not jogging around, they’ll be a real force, the two of them [Quigley and Fondop]”. I’m not sure that’s entirely fair; I certainly didn’t think it was fair when he had a go at Fondop last season. Maybe he knows better than us how to get a reaction out of Mikey. In Mellon we trust. For now.

Transfer wise, it’s been a fairly quiet week. We announced the signing of 20-year-old defender Charlie Olson from Blackburn on a season-long loan. He was Altrincham’s young player of the year last season. Didn’t Josh Lundstram also get awarded that? Hope it works out better for Olson. I’m still surprised Lundstram went to Eastleigh, mind.

Having said that, I'm typing this and I'm about to publish it at 5:30pm while in a taxi to Wythenshawe Park to see Fontaines DC and Kneecap, and I wouldn't be surprised if we announce 3 signings at 7pm.

Early kick off today, which is exactly what I need in between a Friday night gig and a all day Ozzy tribute at Whittles. Myself and Andy will be spending the entirety of the match at the bar in the Rocky to ensure our first Football League win in three years. See you there. I might even give you a fanzine. KTMFF.

Written by Arlene Finnigan. Photos © Phill Smith.