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ONE SWALLOW DOESN'T MAKE A SUMMER 22-8-08
Let's be honest, when you heard the team news last Saturday, how many of you were scratching your heads?
Well credit where credit's due, Gareth got it right and as he promised, we saw fast, attractive, entertaining football as well.
The 2-1 scoreline in no way reflected the actual game. I am sure that the lads were gutted to concede that late, late goal but we would all have settled for that result before the game.
The season started with all the hullabaloo regarding the FA's Respect campaign to referees. In fairness, one swallow does not make a summer but on last weekend's evidence, perhaps there is a chance of some improvement this time around.
Only twenty-two cautions in ten games suggests that things could be better than in the past.
It is early days yet though. There were mistakes at the weekend and there always will be. However, there did seem to be more of an understanding as to why decisions were given.
At least MotD and Sky were looking at incidents and appreciating that the stupid interpretations of the offside law are not the referee's fault and that there are reasons why handballs are given or not given.
Angles etc mean that the assistant ref's job is perhaps not as easy as many suggest.
However, none of this was likely to placate Boro fans, many of whom gave me suspicious looks and comments when David Wheater's "first" goal was ruled out against Spurs.
Obviously this decision was incorrect. I presume that in watching for everything else that was going on in the box, he only saw the final act of Wheater wrestling himself away from the clutches of Dawson.
However, it was either a penalty to the Boro or the goal should have been allowed to stand.
The use of the captain helped save Wheats from what would have been in many people's eyes an understandable booking for dissent. It was pleasing to see the Boro come through the game with no yellow cards.
I am sure that if we had not won, many Boro fans would have been blaming the ref for costing us the game.
Another way to look at it though was if the absolutely excellent Tuncay had released the ball earlier to Alves, we would have scored before the goal was chalked off.
Respect or no respect, refereeing errors will always be remembered more than the mistakes of players.
It was pleasing for a change to hear the national pundits praising the Boro last weekend, but they still think Spurs will finish fifth!!
You win nothing with kids evidently. Well, there are still thirty-seven games to go and confidence is high amongst the players and also with the fans. On Saturday, there was a buzz around the ground that has been missing for while.
Boro's sensible decision to slash prices for the Yeovil cup tie should mean another good crowd and atmosphere and hopefully the beginning of another successful Cup run that will see us back in Europe.
I am hoping that Boro can build on the Spurs result and go to Liverpool with confidence and get at least a point. 1-1 would do me.
Hopefully both Darlo at home to Gillingham and Pools at home to Stockport can manage all three points and I fancy each to end up 2-1.
If any of my predictions come true then thanks to our friends at William Hill in aid of The Great North Air Ambulance we can make some money.
Tomorrow I will have a pair of tickets to win for Boro's home game next Saturday against Stoke City and also a signed copy of Gary Pallister's autobiography "Pally".
Catch me tomorrow lunchtime on Aplha103.2 for my pre-match warm up programme from 1-1.30 and then from 6-7 for the Phone-in.
You can tune in by clicking here. Also, read my other columns on my website.
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