Possession and stats don’t win you games – it is the putting of the round thingy in between the white frame that is shaped like a small n.

Possession and stats don’t lose you games – poor defending from the long ball to concede goals does.

How Thrapston didn’t get 3 points from this game was mystery enough – how they didn’t get any – well we best get Scooby and the team over.

The homework we had done told us that Gt Doddington were purveyors of the long ball game – other managers had told us – we had seen it ourselves and the confirmation came from their coaching teams constant chant of ‘ Over the Top’.

The mystery is that we new all this and didn’t deal with it effectively enough – failure to clear 2 of these long balls , or actually even get near them  resulted in us conceding 2 of the 3 goals. On both occasions the Thrapston keeper had to make the save in a one on one, but both times the ball rebounded to another Doddington player to place home , the other a weak corner that came pottering across the box and was touched home. To be fair to Doddington, they started both halves brightly and took their goals well – the tactics work for them and although not pretty do seem to be effective.

And us, going forward – Two well taken goals from Tom Alsop was all we had to show for long long periods of possession. Shots from here, there and everywhere rained in, crosses that went behind all of the Thrapston forwards, a cracking freekick from Sam Gallagher, numerous great corners from Luke Rivett which we didn’t convert, yes the injured Devante Hodgson was a factor, but if you are going to concede the silly ones, you have to convert more at the other end. The others need to do this.

The last 15 minutes though were great viewing, Thrapston pounding forward, Gt Doddington holding on for all they were worth, Outstanding gutsy displays from Sam Gallagher and MOM Connor Morson who were giving every little bit to try and create an opening for the equaliser.

Not to be today – This one was a treat for the supporters and a gift to Gt Doddington. Christmas is still weeks away, and we have 6 more games before then.

Best we don’t keep handing out the gifts so freely.

Roll on next week -  I wouldn’t want to be Vic Farm

Final Score – Thrapston Town 2  Great Doddington 3