WUFC travelled optimistically to Foxton looking for an early ‘double’ of the season having beaten them comfortably (3-0) in the reverse fixture at the Lawn. The omens were not good as Tony Turner observed before kick-off that ‘we should win’ and ‘that Foxton hadn’t beaten us lately’. I observed that ‘football was a funny old game and nothing should be taken for granted’.

Van Cart had the luxury of naming an unchanged starting line-up. The seasonal debutant, Hesser, joined the returning Shouey and it’s ‘that Lee’ Innit-Innit (who the website informs me is Lee De-Grammont) on the bench. There was some initial panic when some thought Big Mart might also be on the bench as he appeared in his shorts! As usual, we started slowly with Foxton picking up most of the scraps in a very scrappy opening period where neither side carried much of a threat. The visitors were just beginning to settle when they were undone by a sucker punch. An excellent through ball from the right split the defence down the middle, and the centre forward calmly ran away from our defence, as they appealed in vein for an offside decision. The Foxton player finished coolly to pass the ball into the right corner as Sam advanced from his goal. As Martin O’Neill would say, ‘a raft of new FA directives’ stops me from questioning the assistant’s decision but…… I’d like to say that the setback awakened the visiting team’s desire and that they became energised by the task in hand. Despite raising the level of their performance, they never got close to producing their best form. However, in spite of this they did manage to create three or four glorious chances. The best of which fell to Leeinho and Marlon. The first followed a good move down the right, involving Leeinho, Marlon, Weeman and Daz. Leeinho failed to make any contact, when any contact would have resulted in an equaliser, as he sprinted into the six-yard box as the ball was crossed from the dead ball line.  The normally reliable Bruges, scuffed his penalty well wide of the target after Martin was pulled down when, for once, he had got on the wrong side of his marker. The supporter’s frustration was finally relieved when Foxton needlessly conceded a free kick on the right, approximately 25 yards out and about 10 yards in from the touchline. Tobinho, as Enricho or was it Rooney forecast, hit a superb dipping and curling left foot drive into the top left corner. Half-time arrived and unusually neither keeper had had a save to make. Foxton had been rationed to a few corners and a couple of wayward long-range shots, and despite our excellent opportunities we had not made the home keeper make a save.

Half time 1 v 1 – In an improvement from last year’s fixture, tea was available and Mr May did the decent thing and purchased tea and buns. Swanny made an appearance having watched a ‘dire’ first half at the Lawn (0-0), and we hoped that his inspirational presence would do the trick.

Whittlesford almost unbelievably made an even more ponderous start to the second period. Sadly, things deteriorated as the half progressed. The visitors were restricted to a couple of decent half chances, both ended with Weeman snatching shots that were high, wide and not so handsome. The home side weren’t much better but the longer the game went on the more it looked like they would sneak something on the break (particularly down their right). This would have been more acceptable if it resulted from the visitors over committing in an attempt to win the game, but unfortunately, it wasn’t. Therefore, it was no real surprise when the home side went in front.  We needed a reaction from the players, and whilst we got one it wasn’t quite what was required (or hopefully one acceptable to the Management and Players). Big Mart, a man of few words, summed up the performance and especially the last fifteen minutes perfectly as ‘embarrassing’. Enough said and I will not comment on the two deserved dismissals, other than to say that they were unnecessary, one being naïve and the other stupid.

I have tried not to be over critical (taking on board Barks comments from last season) particularly in the context that we have a 5-2 record so far this term and this is probably a better start than anticipated.  Therefore, there is no need to panic but there are a few painful lessons to be, hopefully, learnt. For me Foxton deservedly won because they were a better team. Individually I would not swap any of our players for Foxton’s but I think we can learn a lot from them. They clearly had a plan, they had a clear formation, they were better disciplined in both the execution of their roles and in their general conduct, and they accepted individual responsibility both for doing their own jobs (and not waiting others to do it for them) and for supporting their teammates.  They contested just as many of the officials decisions as us, if not more, and they stretched the rules as far as they could but they also knew when to shut up and were disciplined enough to do it. They imposed their game on us and whilst I wouldn’t want to watch them every week, they were effective.  

It was such a poor all-round performance that we dispensed with the Supporters MoM award. Although both Foxton and Newmarket awarded it to 'good luck' charm Swanny. His half time switch had a dramatic impact on both games, perhaps more spectacularly at home where the Ressies scored five in the last twenty minutes (once they’d sussed he had gone to Foxton).  Hopefully, the challenge of next week’s opponents will inspire our lads to give a performance that they owe to the Supportes, the Manager and above all themselves!