The John Barton column

WE were very pleased with our win at Folkestone on Saturday, achieved despite the sending-off of goalkeeper Danny McDonnell.

We were wondering what to expect going down there. They have had two excellent results at Havant and Burton, and a thumping at Newport in between.

We started the game very well and in our minds, should have been a couple of goals up before the sending-off incident.

We have a video of the incident on its way down to us, and from the angle of the person who took it, it could make for interesting viewing. If we think there are grounds for an appeal, we will consider it.

But the decision was made, and we had to put Ian "Fingers" Cottrill in goal, which he has done before at Tamworth when he did a decent job for us. At least we had an option.

This time he had to keep goal for the best part of 70 minutes so we were up against it from then on in, but the performance had been lively up until then.

The temptation is to play one up front and bolster other areas, but we felt with them playing two up front, three at the back could take care of those two and we would still have our threat in attacking situations by keeping two up front.

We tried to keep their attacking options as far as possible away from our goal, and we went into half-time with the luxury of Mark Owen's goal, which we deserved on the balance of play.

They kept to the same system in the second-half and Ian has pulled off a great save to turn one over the bar, but we have conceded a free header from the corner. Some of our lads felt Steve Lutz was pushed in the back as he went to head it, but I didn't see that.

That left us facing a daunting task, but we put them back on the floor with the second goal straight away, and after that we were disappointed not to have the victory made more emphatic.

Ian made another great save in the dying seconds. He has done it on a couple of occasions for us now, and it is nice to know we have somebody who can do that, rather than looking round for someone who can do the job.

But we had contributions all over the park, and it needed to be that type of performance to get anything from the game.

Andy Ellis was also excellent, and since he came back he has had his two best games against Folkestone. With him being out for a year, there is a tendency to expect everything to click back into gear and carry on where he left off. Experience tells you that doesn't happen.

Steve Lutz also did well. We have had to change one or two things round recently, with him and Marc Burrow coming in, Allan Davies going back to Burton and Paul Carty going into a different position. But the nice thing about it is that we have still got results on the back of those changes.

We now go to Havant and Waterlooville on Saturday, and despite their position, the reports I have had indicate they are a good side. It is interesting to hear Folkestone say that Havant have been the best side they have played this season.

Then we go to Newport next Wednesday for our Dr Martens Cup semi-final. That would have made a nice final if we could both have got through, but it is not to be.

I think this is the toughest draw we could have had, but having said that we have got a chance. If we show the same characteristics we have shown recently, there is no reason why we can't go there and get through to a final.

The season is coming up to the middle of March and the pleasing thing is we have plenty of things to try and achieve before the curtain comes down on the first Saturday in May.

n Due to space restrictions, Tony Moore's City Seen column has been held over to next week.