Rocks Reflections: So many frustrations - but plenty of reasons for cheer

Was it two points dropped or a point gained versus Potters Bar?
Jimmy Muitt's form is a big plus for the Rocks at present / Picture by Tommy McMillanJimmy Muitt's form is a big plus for the Rocks at present / Picture by Tommy McMillan
Jimmy Muitt's form is a big plus for the Rocks at present / Picture by Tommy McMillan

The interview with Robbie Blake afterwards struggles to answer that but a 2-0 up we were cruising, despite probably not deserving the lead.

I was on Rocks Radio duty on Saturday and even commenting on the game was strange.

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We were two up against a very organised side and you could see from the Potters Bar management they felt 2-0 was harsh. But that’s football, you could say, and what happened afterwards could fall into the same bracket.

Jimmy Wild goes for goal in the SSC win over East Grinstead / Picture by Darren CrispJimmy Wild goes for goal in the SSC win over East Grinstead / Picture by Darren Crisp
Jimmy Wild goes for goal in the SSC win over East Grinstead / Picture by Darren Crisp

Potters Bar’s bosses will probably talk about this game for years as one of their tactical successes. They bring on a striker – and he scores one and is involved in the equaliser ten minutes later. I might add that the second came after a world-class save from Dan Lincoln that did not then deserve to see us conceding.

We now sit in sixth just a point out of the play-off places so the feeling of doom and gloom at the final whistle should be put in context.

I’m certain if at the start of the season you had offered the fans a place a point off the play-offs and a win at Woodside Road, they’d have probably taken it.

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I love Robbie’s frank honesty when being interviewed. He speaks with integrity.

I was listening to ex-Crystal Palace chairman on Talksport the other day and he spoke about managers chatting to the press and his take on it all is this: as long as the players have had the same ‘speech’ given to them, anything said in the press is fair game.

Robbie seems to epitomise that and it’s so refreshing to hear his approach to wins, draws and defeats contain the same passion. If we can keep Robbie with us for a few seasons I feel the club are on very very sound footing to build and progress – and although not everyone’s cup of tea, the links to Portsmouth FC are positive in terms of our club’s development and that of their academy players.

It is worth remembering we have always had loan players with us so it’s nothing new. Lewis Dunk, Jason Pearce, Dan Beck and Calvin Davies are probably some of the best loanees I’ve seen in my time at the club.

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For our fans, the loan system seems to have been tarnished in recent times by some very average loanees playing last season in the Conference South – Kristian Campbell bring the big exception. If they had set the world alight the loan argument wouldn’t even have been raised.

We are a work in progress and it is fair to say our injury crisis has AGAIN crippled us. When will our luck turn?

On our day (as Robbie alludes too) we are up there with the best XI in the league and can match anyone, but the 11 we can put out seems to be ever changing because of severe bad luck.

But I guess any club in the country can claim that as an excuse, so its great to hear Robbie not using it as one and just wanting the club to succeed and strive to improve week on week.

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In midfielder Richard Gilot and defender Harvey Read we seem to have found two very dependable replacements for injured duo Theo Widdrington and Gary Charman and I look forward to seeing how they settle into the side.

I always felt Gilot, who was with us last season, had something to offer but our struggling season in the Conference South wasn’t the best place to show that (the same is true of Lorenzo Dolcetti).

But a side doing okay in the league below might be the perfect place to kick-start his career and I wish Richard all the best – bonne chance Richard!

by IAN GUPPYChairman, Rocks’ supporters’ club

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