Thursday, 3 May 2012

Watch Out Here Come: Doncaster (Again)


If there's any such thing as a moot preview, this is it. Everything we need to know about Doncaster has been revealed in the last seven days.


Last week's game came as a sobering, staggering jolt. Over 80 minutes, every Hornet had their confidence peeled away, leaving one or two very raw nerves exposed.


In such circumstances it's a matter of reflex to rail and vent - and many did. But after the shock and the shouting, we were all left to look inwardly and question the point of it all. 


Yes, we can talk about Paul Cooke, and dropped passes and missed tackles and the wind or any number of things. But what's gone is gone, so we must keep the faith that things can (in the words of D:Ream) only get better.


But faith is a complex, ephemeral commodity. It's an easy thing to have in good times.  But in hard times, it's something you need to work hard to maintain - and now's the time for Hornets everywhere to suck-in, swallow-hard, stand-fast and stay together.


Stanky said this week that the problem we face isn't a technical one, but one of attitude - and we agree.


To paraphrase US democratic presidential candidate Adlai Stevenson:  "What counts now is not just what we are against, but what we are for. Who leads us is less important than what leads us - what convictions, what courage, what faith - win or lose. A single man doesn't save a century or a civilization - but a committed group wedded to a single principal can."


So let's pull on our colours, go to Doncaster and get this season back on track.