Another five wins for a Play Off place?

Last updated : 07 March 2009 By Paul Evans
That day Alan Warboys scored all four goals in the first half and after the third of them just ten minutes into the match he ran to Jimmy Scoular in the dug out to collect on the bet his manager had laid with him about scoring a hat trick!

That was a real memorable moment I daresay though that Eddie Johnson's goal and the reaction to it will become another one that fathers tell their kids about in years to come, but you can't help thinking that there could be a few more to come yet before this season is out.

Maybe I thought of the 70/71 season because this campaign is increasingly becoming the closest thing we have had to it since then - I think we are really in the shake up for an automatic spot but, even if we fail to finish in the top two, the consolation prize of a play off spot is very much on.

If Roberto Martinez is right in thinking something like 72-75 points will get the last play off spot, then, essentially, we need five wins from our last eleven matches to get there - it's nowhere near the stage where we can start taking a top six finish for granted but I would be very interested to hear what odds we are to do that now.

As for today's game, the official site says we had more possession than Doncaster today but it certainly didn't seem that way as the visitors dominated in that department for long periods. However, although you could see why they gain so many plaudits for their passing football, Doncaster had no cutting edge on the day whereas, in the first half in particular, City looked dangerous every time they attacked and we could definitely have doubled our tally.

Of course Eddie Johnson will get all the attention and plaudits for that goal and he has shown in the last two matches that he can make a contribution in the tense closing weeks of the season. However, I just hope that Jay Bothroyd isn't out for too long because we played some lovely stuff when he was on the pitch and his goal was up there with the best we have scored this season.

As for Michael Chopra's opener, Jason Perry said on the radio that he "lashed" it in, well to me the word "trickled" seemed more appropriate and yet I don't reckon it was a mishit - it seemed like a clinical finish from someone who is quality finisher at Championship level to me. Chopra might not be as dynamic as he was in his spell with us two years ago, but perhaps his spell in the Premiership has made him a cleverer player?

Finally, the singers on the Grange End have got a fair bit of, justified in my view, stick down the years for things like the Shipman song, but well done to them today for the Dimi chant - I'll be singing that all night!