LINES FROM LONDON V CAMBRIDGE

I'm a bit nervous about this match as Cambridge gave almost as good as they got in the game at their place and will be doing their best to spoil our party. I still think we'll be too strong for them especially, as seems likely, Pritchard plays some part in proceedings.

Wycombe are at home to Wednesday while Wigan entertain Plymouth so if we can get the three points, we're bound to make some progress up the league. We can't realistically overtake Wigan so I hope they win while a draw in the Wycombe game would be best for us, I reckon. In addition Rotherham have a tough home game against Oxford and given their recent dodgy form, they may well drop a point or more and we could quite possibly finish ahead of them if we beat them on Tuesday. In his pre-match press-conference Alex Neil said he wasn't thinking about all the ifs and buts, but I certainly am and it's all part of the regular end-of-season brainstorm. I'm back in London and will be attending a birthday do while the match is in progress but I'll be tuning in online while the rest of them are out the back slurping cold drinks. Hopefully I'll be enjoying a double celebration with them after 5.00. Match prediction: 3-1 to us.

I got the team-news while I was on the train and Pritchard was on the bench while it looked like the changes in the starting eleven were Batth, Gooch and Roberts in for Cirkin, Clarke and Matete. As usual the bench was looking strong. I got to the party-house and got SAFSEE on. The pitch was looking very good apparently and that was good news. Cambridge, who were safe in League 1 for another season, had made seven changes. It sounded like Roberts was playing left wing-back.

We certainly started the brighter of the two teams though Cambridge sounded very physical, conceding a couple of free-kicks and Winchester ended up going down injured for a few minutes. He didn’t recover and Doyle replaced him in the ninth minute. He managed to walk off and was warmly applauded by our fans. There were no goals yet in the other games that affected us. Next thing Jones brought down Stewart in their box resulting in a penalty for us and a red card for him, the latter being a bit harsh according to commentators Benno and Barnes. Smith was also booked in the ensuing verbals. Stewart rolled the kick into the corner to put us ahead and almost simultaneously Oxford took the lead against Rotherham, which suited me. We continued to put the pressure on as the crowd chanted, “Red ‘n’ White Army” and with three quarters of the game left against ten men the picture was looking rosy. Stewart would’ve done better to shoot than pass and not long afterwards a great Embleton shot went just wide. Mitov in goal was earning his pay while at the other end Patterson had barely had a mention by the midway point. Just before the half-hour mark we were awarded a free-kick in a great spot as a result of which Williams was booked and when Embleton took it, he curled it straight into the top right corner to put us 2-0 up. We looked in full command but next thing Cambridge pulled one back when our defence switched off and Digby nipped in to shoot past Patterson from seven yards out. We needed another goal to settle everyone’s nerves especially after what happened last Saturday. As soon as I typed that Stewart received a pass from Gooch, turned and shot into the bottom right corner to make it 3-1. I could see us getting a couple more and goal-difference could turn out to be crucial. The previously safe Mitov then dropped the ball but Stewart couldn’t capitalise on the error. A Broadhead header went wide and then he put a shot wide too. There was bound to be a good deal of stoppage-time because of Winchester’s injury and five minutes were duly announced. We pummelled their goal with Mitov saving well from Broadhead and a couple of shots being blocked on the line. Things were going ominously well as the half-time whistle went with us winning and Rotherham, Plymouth, Wednesday and Wycombe all drawing.

As we kicked off again the yellow-carded Smith had been replaced by Bennett. We resumed where we’d left off with Gooch linking up well with Stewart and winning what was I think the first corner of the match. Eight minutes in to the half Gooch again got the ball into the box and Broadhead was there to head it home for our fourth. We were almost neck and neck with Wednesday as it stood but another two goals would put us ahead on goal difference. We brought on Pritchard for Broadhead just before the hour-mark to tremendous applause. I could see us getting at least another goal. Wycombe went 1-0 up against Wednesday and we moved up to fifth spot with Wednesday slipping to seventh. At about the same time Plymouth went ahead against Wigan and I could’ve done without that. Evans went off to more applause as Neil came on for him and there was still a quarter of the game to go. I hoped Wigan would nick a goal back and they do tend to get late ones. Rotherham went 2-1 up against Oxford and that wasn’t so good either but as long as we get a play-off spot I’ll be happy. It was 5-1 in the seventy-second minute when Roberts crossed for Batth to head in and then Wigan pulled a goal back, which was just want I wanted, and we moved up to fourth spot. If Oxford got a goal back to equalise with Rotherham we could conceivably end up ahead of the latter and finish the season in second spot, but no doubt I was getting carried away with myself there. Back in our own game we kept on creating chances with both Gooch and Roberts putting balls into the box. O’Nien headed straight at Mitov from six yards out and after that the game eased off. Two minutes of stoppage-time were announced and little happened till the final whistle went and we’d won 5-1 to loud applause.

We did what we had to do and more and we really had to as three of our rivals also won. We’re now fourth and one more win should guarantee a play-off spot. Time for a celebratory cold drink.