Your name’s not down but Alf got in to savour a pleasurable night of positives at Portman Road

Alf savoured the taste of victory as much as he had savoured his pint of Broadside in the Greyhound. With Town’s recent Tuesday night home form it was a pleasure that has not been experienced for some considerable time.

If the cold shock of bitter March north easterly cutting through to the bone on the walk to the ground was not enough, then an even bigger shock awaited Alf on arrival. Alf’s season ticket lit three red lights and Alfie was refused entry to the North Stand!

Normally placid, Alf bristled at this audacity: “I’ve been using this turnstile for 40 years (a slight exaggeration but it made the point) how can this be?” In this ‘Big Brother’ world we now live in, Alf wondered if he had upset a member of the Marcus Evans Corporation or was this a reaction to Alf’s photographic exclusive of Simon Clegg in his seat in the North Stand?

Whilst it seemed a nice touch to write to the 88 Town fans who had travelled to the last four away games, Alf (who likes the anonymity of enjoying football in a crowd) found it just a touch disturbing that Simon knew just who they were. Alf was less than pleased as he was escorted by an admittedly helpful supervisor to the ticket office to have the offending piece of plastic validated but felt like a naughty schoolboy as he trudged along in his wake.

When Alf finally took his seat he was greeted by the sight of David Marshall in a shocking pink goalie kit. You can’t imagine many Cardiff kids sporting that little number in the playground unless they enjoyed being bullied. When Marshall subsequently clawed away Daryl Murphy’s goal bound header Alf began to get that deja vu feeling. Even the beach ball lobbed into the goalmouth had more chance of crossing the line tonight mused Alf.

But Town had started in lively fashion and had quickly imposed themselves upon Cardiff. Town’s closing down was relentless, the pace frantic and Owen Garvan was orchestrating it all from the centre of midfield. These were ingredients that had not come together for some time. When Daryl Murphy calmly passed the ball Greaves-esque into the net from Jack Colback’s exquisite cut back it was a Eureka! moment.

This is how to score goals. Perhaps the pre-match team talk went along the lines of: “Listen, season ticket renewals went out this week so if you want to service the Bentley go out there and convince 20,000 fans that they’ve got a good reason to cough up their hard earned for next season.”  That pep talk and the pre-match huddle had done its job.

To start the second half, Town displayed the new innovation of a well choreographed eastern European dance routine around four cones strategically placed in front of the players’ tunnel. It had the desired effect and the first half momentum was sustained.

Daryl Murphy was first to react to Marshall’s parry from Garvan’s powerful shot and Town were two up. Confidence was flowing through the side and if Cardiff are the benchmark for promotion candidates then Town surely are nearly ready to take up the gauntlet.

There were many positives to take from this performance. Shane O’Connor and Owen Garvan were impressive, the defence continue to look solid, the team had balance (round pegs in round holes) and they worked tirelessly for each other. Consistency and a prolific partner for Daryl Murphy (if Sunderland are willing to sell) would be the next pieces to fit in the jigsaw. A pleasure to watch thought Alf.