Guilford
It would be overstating things, I think, to refer to Guildford as a "must-win" game. We've spoken before on these pages about how simply going from a disappointment to getting 3 points by any means possible doesn't mean anything beyond the points themselves. It says nothing necessarily of lessons learned or issues resolved, as you can broadly play the same as the previous week and have one go in off your arse for a win.
So beating Guildford- themselves having won every league game they've played this season- was not the point, for me anyway. The Alton game, which I didn't attend, was an indicator that all perhaps wasn't as rosey for the garden as I'd suggested in the immediate aftermath of the Balham victory. Tempers had frayed, according to all reports, and worse than that it appeared that the team had forgotten how to do their business. You can't give away a three-goal lead and lose by the odd goal in seven to a team finishing the game with nine men. Those numbers don't add up. So, more important than three points in the next game is the opportunity to right the wrongs. To re-find cohesion and rebuild trust. Trust between players, management and, undoubtedly, support.
Tooting had to respond, they didn't have to win.
They did anyway.
Even in the face of another injury setback to our centre-half options late in the day, Tooting went about their work and made sure there was no chance that the mistakes of Alton would be repeated. The manager picked himself and played 80 minutes in brutal heat due to the unavailability of Kieran Campbell. I wonder was he pleased at the opportunity to be on the pitch and manage the game from there. He oversaw a team performance that allowed for no shirking, no shrinking away. New signing James Reed started the game and went through a lot of work in midfield, not always beautifully pretty work, but the work that needs to get done. With Deji beside him, Tooting were never overwhelmed and the quickly rearranged back 4 were relatively untroubled for long spells, particularly in the second half where the game felt won after about an hour. It was said on the stands by folk more clued up than me that part of the Alton disaster was that the midfield that day were too interested in the attacking third of the pitch and not interested enough in the defensive third. No such accusation could be made yesterday.
Having been away throughout the opening weeks of the season, Guildford was the first competitive game I'd seen the Stripes play. I'd seen our Gary Goals in a friendly or two, had heard more about him from match reports and, of course, seen the numbers he'd been scoring. Watching him yesterday, however, from behind the goal, I immediately learned a great deal more. In my time at Tooting I've seen a few guys that you might call "prolific". Billy Dunn, Danny Bassett and Daniel Williams were all goalscorers of some repute and indeed Bass has been plying his trade in Step 3 for the last few years and has scored consistently. Only a month into his Tooting career, it seems Gary Goals might eclipse them all, and more lads from further back in the annals of Tooting's history as well. I've never seen strikers at anywhere near his level in terms of his ability to create ways to get a shot on goal. Each of his four (4) goals yesterday were borne from situations where most attacking players would feel content just to either keep possession or work the goalie. Gary Goals manages to find the time to take a touch, the strength to hold off opposition defenders, the guile to turn and find a bit of the goal where the goalie can't reach it. He manages to summon a fury at himself where, even with four goals to his name and the game won, he pulls a shot wide. Fury was also summoned a couple of times at his faultless providers, Colman and Whittaker, had a pass been misplaced or mistimed. The message around Gary Goals is clear- whatever you say about him, say nothing. So I won't say any more about him. I'll say that the supporters of this club have taken to the lad with a ferocious appreciation. At this rate, he'll be tattooed on our chests by Halloween.
A mention, of course, for Colman and Whittaker. Marcus laid on three of Shay's haul vs Guildford and is never less than thrilling on the ball. He showed this all through the preseason campaign and showed no signs yesterday that the heat impeded him. Quick feet, the desire to make a defender look daft in a one on one, the ability to drop a shoulder or sell a dummy. Winger business and end product. Things you love to see. Warren Colman, meanwhile, is fast becoming a cult hero on the Bog End. To focus too much on his work rate and heart would be to deny him his flowers for his ability on the ball, but versus Guildford he never stopped running. You feel results at this level will live or die on 90 minute shifts, lads will need to give everything the whole time to see games out. Well, even with the result more or less in the bag and the temperature never having dipped beneath 30, Warren showed and showed and ran and ran. If the rest of the team can match his desire, even in bursts, we'll do well this season.
A couple of impressive sub displays saw out the win. Firstly, a shout for Dom Ash who sauntered onto the pitch and economically controlled the midfield for the final portion of the game. The defender Lewis Gonsalves was replaced by Justus Egbueri with the guts of 30 minutes to play. Club captain Alex Penfold was named in the match day squad but suffered a setback to his recovery some time before 3 o'clock. I'm not sure of the exact details, but it seems young Justus, an under 23 player, was brought in as an emergency cover and had not even his own boots with him. A pair of togs procured from somewhere, his performance was hugely exciting. Tall, elegant on the ball his confidence belied his inexperience in first team men's football. He didn't put a foot wrong at all and was unlucky not to score from a set piece. Warren Andrews, a coach with the under 23s who was in the Bog End, was understandably very proud of his young charge's performance, as Dan Yankah will have been too. Coach Tony Hart referred to him as an "unbelievable talent". Here's a young man we will keep eyes on with interest.
Vibes on the final whistle were good. It had been a comfortable win, in truth, and Tooting looked far more likely to extend the lead than to surrender it. All of the previous week's anger had gone, replaced by the watching Shawn Lyle's joyful celebrations with his team mates. I stayed on the Bog End a while longer and shot the breeze with Tim Megone. Vibes were good. Flags folded carefully and ready for the next game at IF. There were no inspections.
We may or may not travel to Tadley depending on their result in the Cup or Vase or something this week. I dunno. There are always bare permutations (baremutations?) around fixtures and we aren't on FWP anymore. Look, whoever we play next, we'll shit them. Probably.
See you wherever the Stripes are.
Love x
