Cod Almighty | Diary

Greeny from beyond the halfway line

14 April 2025

Miss Guest Diary writes: How did that happen? At around 4.35 on Saturday afternoon I looked at the scores to see Town were winning 2-0 at Harrogate and sitting comfortably five points ahead of Colchester who were drawing 0-0 at Newport. Imagine my surprise when I checked back 15 minutes later to see Town had conceded two goals and Colchester had scored two, admittedly leaving us still in the play offs, but only by a point.

Learning that Artell had made several substitutions on 75 minutes had me speculating on whether he'd made a 'Parslow point' type boo-boo similar to Hurst's at Chester ten years ago. Had I known that Evan Khouri picked up a knock and didn't play the second half and that Doug Tharme was substituted because he felt unable to continue, I would not have been half so surprised by Town's late capitulation. Khouri has been an immense presence in the midfield this season, and no manager in their right mind would try and defend a lead by willingly taking Duck Farm off the pitch.

Back in February I was singing Duck Farm's praises as the player most associated with Town's improvement in form, how his presence on the pitch had managed to turn a bunch of athletes into a team, and I stand by that assessment. Having someone in the team who can, and does, put himself on the line every game to defend Town's goal is invaluable. So to hear Artell's post-match interview in which he effectively threw Doug under the bus by saying that the middle player in the back three "can't have cramp" was quite upsetting. At least it does mean that we should have him back for the game on Friday.

But Doug or no Doug, and at the risk of being branded negative, it feels to me that Saturday's result is another indicator that Town are not yet good enough to be promoted. We might fluke it of course, but the continuing negative goal difference is surely an indicator that we would really struggle to compete in the league above.

It would be rude not to mention Greeny's goal, which put the long-distance goal scored by Rob Eagle at Histon in Town's first non-league season firmly into perspective. I particularly enjoyed the clip from pitch side which perfectly captures the back-peddling of Harrogate's keeper. It won't only be goal of the season, it might just be the goal of the century, but you'd never guess that from Dave Moore's reaction. His joy must have been internalised.

And finally, a big congratulations to Town's neighbours at Cleethorpes Town. On Saturday The Owls were promoted as champions of the Northern Premier League Division One into the Northern Premier League Premier Division, just one step below the National League North. They're coming for you Scunny!