From rage to elation – a pivotal moment in our season

MARK my words.

Saturday’s 3-1 victory against Crawley Town will be a defining point in our season.

The reason? The way we responded to adversity – turning a negative into a positive, scrapping for our lives and gaining a hard-earned three points in the second half.

The lads were absolutely steaming at the break, coming in on level terms after being on the receiving end of what we felt was a very harsh penalty.

Luke Prosser was adjudged to have committed the foul but we felt it was a huge injustice, especially on the back of another big penalty call that went against us in our defeat at Stevenage the previous Saturday.

The boys were absolutely incensed in the changing room.

Even the most experienced, cool, calm and collected among us had completely lost their heads.

Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever been part of such a heated, emotion-charged half-time break.

We were angry because we’d been in total control during the first half, absolutely nailing our tactics and completely dominating. We’d done everything right.

The red mist had come down and even if Hulk Hogan had walked into the dressing room wanting a scrap, he wouldn’t have stood a chance against our boys!

It showed how much it meant to the boys but how brilliant that we channelled that negative energy and turned it into a massive positive.

The gaffer told us to trust him and said given what had happened, if we could push on and get the points in the second half it would feel like our best win of the season.

He was right.

Our livelihoods are at stake – not just in this one game, obviously, but in the context of the season – and we refused to let one poor decision alter the dynamics of the game.

It was a brilliant response and everyone in the dressing room – the players and management – should take huge credit for the part they played in turning things round. It was first class.

In the end, they were a massive three points and hopefully now we can build on them.

It proved we can cope with a setback, with a moment of adversity, and, as I said at the start, I genuinely believe it could be a key point in our season.

All aboard the fun bus

ALL aboard!

We’re going to spend an awful lot of time on our team coach in the next few days, clocking up hundreds of miles as we embark on trips to Morecambe on Saturday and Grimsby on Tuesday.

It’s a cruel quirk of the fixtures and I feel for our supporters, having to make two very trips north in the space of four days.

From my point of view, though, I think it’s great and can’t wait.

It doesn’t bother or faze me at all and I’m looking forward to some quality time with the boys.

It’s a great set of lads and the more time we get to spend together, the better.

It’ll also give us lots of time to play cards… and give me yet more opportunities to take money from Aaron Collins.

I hope he remembers his wallet because based on recent form, he’s going to have to shell out.

In all honesty, team spirit is a massively important ingredient in football.

You can’t be successful without it, without everyone pulling together in the same direction, but we certainly have no complaints or worries on that score.

Scapegoat Raheem is clearly mentally strong

I ONLY watched parts of England’s stunning victory against Spain on Monday night.

I wasn’t able to see the whole game but it sounds like an excellent first half in Seville.

I was especially pleased that Raheem Sterling managed to a couple of goals – his first for the Three Lions since netting against Estonia in 2015.

He seems to come in for so much criticism, for some reason.

People see him as a scapegoat, as someone to knock, and that was evident during the summer, despite England’s great success at the World Cup.

I guess at that level you’re always open to criticism but you’re not going to last, or succeed, at the top level unless you’re mentally strong.

Fair play to Raheem.

He clearly is of that mould and I admire him for producing the goods, despite those levels of scrutiny.

Monday’s game was certainly a whole lot better than the behind-closed-doors, bore draw in Croatia on Friday.

What a bizarre atmosphere – or non-atmosphere – to play an international match in.

From a players’ perspective, it must have been horrible and a difficult one to get motivated for.

Celebrating in style

THE boys were able to celebrate the Crawley victory in style on Saturday night – with a slap up meal together in London’s Leicester Square.

It had been planned for a while and had things not gone to plan in the afternoon, we might well have pulled the plug on it.

Instead, we were able to celebrate, chill out together and reflect on a great day for our team.