Cod Almighty | Diary

A few moments of difference

2 April 2019

Open Diary writes: Over the years I have realised that the difference between winning and losing in any sport comes down to a just a few moments in the game. The odd moment of inspiration or the momentary lapse in concentration is what it's all about.

I always think back to the 2015 play-off final against Bristol Rovers, which came down to Ollie Palmer's swing and a miss which allowed them to equalise, and Jon-Paul Pitman's moment of distraction in the shoot-out. Before that I remember Adam Proudlock preparing to take a penalty against Aldershot when we were facing relegation in 2010. He stood in the penalty area with the ball under his arm waiting to take the vital kick. Watching him stand there, I knew he would miss. He'd been waiting too long and had too much time to think about what might happen. He blazed the ball over the bar.

The same thing happened at the weekend. Wondering how Omar Bogle was doing, I watched Portsmouth play Sunderland in the Football League Trophy final – you know, the one we've won twice in its various forms, and then lost in 2008. The match was a sell-out and you have to admire both sets of fans for turning out in such numbers. It was a proper cup final.

As it happens my wife has a soft spot for Sunderland and so when it got to extra time she faced the penalty shootout scenario. I was having an Adam Proudlock déjà vu moment when Lee Cattermole walked up to take the second penalty. His head was down and it looked as though the weight of the world was on his shoulders. My wife saw it too and said that his head wasn't in it. And it wasn't. He made it easy for the goalkeeper and Portsmouth simply put all their penalties away – so Bogle gets another trophy to treasure. It all came down to one vital moment.

Later on, we watched Liverpool play Spurs and in the last minute of injury time Hugo Lloris slightly fumbled a shot, which rolled in to a retreating Jan Vertonghen and off him into the net. Just one lapse of concentration might give Liverpool the title and might lose Spurs a place in next season's Champions League.

Evidently Town suffered a couple of lapses in concentration on Saturday. Not being quite inspired enough up front and not having minds entirely on the job at the back meant another disappointing away trip for 700+ travelling Townites. Hopefully it won't matter too much, but it's a bad sign when players are switching off with six games still to play.

And that's what it comes down to, retaining that sharpness for the full 90+ minutes for the full 50 or so games of the season. Remembering that it's never over until the fat lady sings.

There are a couple of sides it would be nice to beat in the next few weeks. Stevenage at home would be good, Morecambe and Colchester away would be better and would bring a good end to the season. After all, that's what we managed last year.