The next Tuesday in the dressing room before the game at Hayes I could see they were all fired up. You can tell sometimes before a game whether the players are going to play well or not, and this was one of those times. We could have beaten them six or seven – in the end the score was 4-1. I made a lot of changes, bringing in Jamie Cade, Karl Beckford, Gary Holloway and Paul Kennett. We went in at half time 1-0 up after Steve Robinson headed in an Andy Drury free kick. The second goal was a break - a three-man move in defence got the ball to Karl Beckford who crossed in for Jamie Cade to volley it in. This was all on the run. Then Andy Drury scored a cracking goal, cutting inside his player and scoring a 25-yard daisy-cutter.

They had a spell of good pressure, and scored a goal to make it 3-1, then nearly scored another: Wilko made a brilliant fingertip save onto the post and they missed the rebound. Then we wrapped it up in the last fifteen: Boothy (Paul Booth) found Lee Farrell on the back post, and he volleyed it in. I was pleased for him: it was his first league goal for a while. He’s a great player to bring off the bench.

I’m convinced the Braintree game was a hiccup and nothing more. Our performance was inexcusable, but I know we’re a good side and we’ll do better in the future. You don’t become a bad side overnight. In the meantime I’m over the moon about the outcome of my appeal. People keep asking me if I’ll crack open the bubbly but I’m having none of that. At the end of the day it’s still a ban - after the Bognor game I’ll have to watch the next ten from the stands. I don’t know where I’ll go yet. I’ll find my little spot in the ground. SK