The mid-week trip to play Watford at Vicarage Road was a tricky prospect, and we got off to an excellent start after just 5 minutes when Hogan Ephraim placed the ball into the top corner from just inside the box. However Watford didn't want to lie down and grabbed an equaliser. The second half we pressed like crazy and that paid off when we won a penalty, which Alejandro Faurlin slotted home. This seemed to spur Watford into action, and even when they had a player sent off for a second yellow card, didn't seem to stop them trying to get the equaliser. Several times they looked to have got through only to be denied by some herioc defending by the full backs. Varrault and Laure have been great purchases, and another signing Jason Steele is now performing well in goal, and keeping Cerny sat on the bench right now, after recovering from injury.
We travelled to The Hawthorn's to play West Bromich Albion high spirits but knowing this would be a tough test. In less than a minute it looked more like the team had been drinking spirits, gifting a chance, and then never really looking like we had an answer to their attack, and the few chances we did have of scoring were wasted. Either way off target or giving their keeper catching practice. We fully deserved to lose this match with the worst display of season so far. This dismal performance brings to an end a run of 5 victories and a 12 match unbeaten streak. I knew it was coming, just didn't realise it would be in such spectacularly awful style. At least we have a week to regroup and lick our wounds.
Sheffield United were the next visitors to Loftus Road, currently on a good run of form, so not an easy prospect. Under torrential rain Jay Simpson managed to get on the end of a nice through ball and poke it into the bottom corner of the net. Sadly just before half time, we conceded from a corner. Several good oportunities went begging, by both teams, and a draw was played out. Quite a frustrating game, as we really should have put away a winner. Central defender, Matthew Connolly picked up an injury, but fortunately not a bad one, so he'll only be out for about a week.
Next up a visit by Bristol City to Loftus Road, and we sink to a new low. Maybe the players have been eating too many Christmas dinners and/or partying too hard. Despite creating several clear cut chances and other one on one's, the only time we managed to score was through an own goal with a couple of minutes of the match left. I can only hope we turn this awful form around soon, or we'll go on a meteoric slide to mediocrity.
Off to Portman Road to play Ipswich, who have struggled this season, but won their last three matches, so showing good form. We started off attacking and wasted several chances. With 5 minutes to go before half-time the excellent control of the match we were showing finally paid off, with Angelo Balanta proceeding to score a hat-trick before the break, and marks the first hat-trick by any of my players this season. Absolutely thrilled with this display, especially as Ipswich have hardly even managed to get out of their own half. The second half was almost a reflection of the first, with Martin Rowlands scoring a hat-trick in the first 10 minutes of the restart, the first being from a contentious penalty. The team have restored their pride and my faith in them. Sadly both Damion Stewart and Martin Rowlands have reached 5 yellow cards each, so receive one match bans, but shouldn't be a big issue.
Despite losing two matches a draw we managed to stay a point behind Newcastle and the gap to the chasing pack was only cut a single point, so we still have a 6 point cushion, due to stumbling over each other, which is great news for us. If any single team in the chasing pack puts together a sustained run then the top two could easilly change. After the loss to Bristol City I really feared we were about to start on a bad slide, but was delighted with how we came back to steamroller Ipswich in such an emphatic manner.
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