What a game.

Abbott and Graham linked together really nicely, (*much* better than Abbott and Taylor-Fletcher) although Graham looked like an ideal player to play off a Booth (or day I say it, Mcaliskey) type player...he was making some brilliant runs, and his first touch play was sublime at times. I'd go so far as to say that his first touch alone made Abbott look like a clogger in comparison, however Abbott seemed to revel in the game that Graham was making for them, and at times looked back to the kind of movement that marked his early season play.

Senior (and I aren't his biggest fan) had a decent game, making a couple of very impressive saves that would otherwise have seen Oldham going into the break at a deserved 4 or 5 goal advantage - they really came at us, and in that opening half hour I had the game down as a very heavy defeat for us, Oldham just totally swept us away.

Smith for me was a massive disapointment. In the 10 mins or so I'd seen previously of him he looked frightened and out of his depth and largely clueless - the first 60 mins or so he did nothing to change that, and I was very surprised he wasn't the first sub, however, having said that, he showed some glimpses of actually knowing how to play football as the game wore on, with some nice little passes...if he can improve his running off the ball he'll be a worthwhile option on the bench over the next few weeks, but I'd be surprised if he can maintain a place in the starting line up till the end of his loan.

I came away tired from the game today, it was very difficult to watch at times, but as the game drew on there was only one winner, we looked more likely to get a fourth than they get an equaliser.

Excellent win...a big win. But not as big as it would have been had it been a big loss. I know we're third, but I don't think we're really in that promotion chase yet. Win the next two games and we might be.

By Nigel Taylor from the HTFC mailing list.