Got home half an hour ago and am angry. For the first time I am angry specifically with this management. We were winning the game - not as convincingly as might have been the case, but we were winning with seven minutes of normal time remaining - and the manager took off the left-back, who didn't look injured & hadn't played at all badly, replaced him with a player who hasn't featured since 3.10 p.m. on October 29th, isn't match fit, is slow even when he is fit, & is not a left-back. The system appeared to change to three at the back; the opposition no. 2, who had been a threat to a degree all afternoon, was allowed free rein, they got a couple more of the long throws that had been a menace all day, and we conceded two goals in 184 seconds, throwing away three points which were ours for the taking. The current team cannot switch systems at the drop of a hat - not many teams at this level can - and is not capable of sitting back and defending a lead at the best of times. All the hard work, energy, endeavour, commitment & show of pride in the shirt that had been forthcoming in the first 83 minutes was sacrificed by an indefensible tactical decision.
Reeves should have scored with his header - he was immediately substituted & his replacement provided no threat whatever to Alfreton, by the way - but that's as much the rub of the green as Miller hitting the post & Wilkinson scoring with a shot which took a big deflection. Obeng for Lawrie was in my view not an unreasonable substitution. I cannot, however, understand or justify the final change & I repeat that in my view it cost us the game. I feel like asking Mr. Harvey for a contribution towards my expenses since his decision screwed up my day, but that would be a pretty pointless exercise - as, sadly, going to Derbyshire has been today.