Timing is everything

Wycombe Wanderers FC 0 - 1 Rochdale AFC

Journey:

I used to work with a bloke called Pete. His catch phrase was 'timing is everything'. His view was that in every aspect of life - the timing of things was probably more important than the things themselves. He applied this to work, football and with irritatingly consistent success to the game of pool. Essentially, too soon or too late are every bit as bad as not at all. There is an optimal moment in time where everything should come together to achieve the perfect result. Timing is everything.

My SatNav's timing couldn't have been worse. Somewhere in the environ's of Warrington at 2:35pm on Friday, Jane died.

Not in her usual - just refusing to accept instructions - sort of way. A black screen with the unhelpful message: 'An unrecoverable error has occurred'. I tried all the usual tricks to coax her back into action - but nothing worked. Dead as a door nail

At times like this you are supposed to say nice things about the recently departed. In Jane's case I can only say that she was a wilful, capricious and contrary madam who has made several journeys this season almost impossible.

The trouble was I needed her. I have never been to Wycombe before - much less Adam's Park and I would have no time to get a replacement before setting off this morning.

Desperate measures were required. When I got home on Friday afternoon, I read the manual.

I found an interesting section on page one: 'It is recommended that before using your SatNav that you connect it to your computer - with the cable provided, install the supplied software (CD enclosed) and download critical software updates.' Mmmm. I have had Jane for nearly two years. Probably should have read this bit a little sooner.

Thirty minutes and dozens of software upgrades later - and in the manner of the Bride of Frankenstein (the clap of thunder was somewhat unexpected) - Jane gasped back into consciousness. SHE'S ALIVE, MY CREATION IS ALIVE!

At 9:20am I pulled up outside the Club Shop. Today I would be once again taking up my role as chaffeur/bloke who repeats what the other guy said. After a few minutes of loitering, Mr. Culshaw arrived and along with Mr. Brookes and Mr. Ashworth from the Daleworld commentary team we saddled up and headed south.

M62, M60, M62, M6, M5, M40. Actually very easy indeed. Allowing for a longish stop for tea and buns near Birmingham we arrived in Buckinghamshire just after 1pm.

As is now customary, the trip was punctuated by I-Pod related sniping. However, when I pointed out the alternative to listening to my I-Pod - the hard shoulder - that seemed to calm things down a little. In truth I suspect it was just nerves - because the one thing we did not talk about at all on the journey was the game.

This one is a biggie. Due to midweek fixtures Dale had been bounced down to fourth place. A win today and (with other results favouring Rochdale) we could be in 2nd spot again. Defeat could mean slipping out of the play-off slots altogether. Wycombe had been in the top three pretty much all season. This was not going to be easy.

As I waited for my press pass in reception at Adams Park, the Rochdale team arrived. As this season has worn on I have moved past starring at my feet or gawping, open mouthed at the players. I watched them file past with something approaching composure. They were cheerful, but serious. They knew it wasn't going to be easy either.

Weather:

After my prediction last week that Spring was on it's way at last (which usually guarantee's unseasonal ice storms), we were treated to a bonafide Spring day. Clear skies, warm sunshine and a little nip in the breeze to remind you that it isn't quite summer yet. Pretty much perfect.

Food:

A cheeseburger from a vendor outside the ground. Curiously it appeared to include a relish made of caramelised celery and mushroom. Most odd - even for the south. That said, it looked and smelled scrumptious. Unfortunately it tasted of - well - nothing at all.

Another £2.50 I will never see again.

Ground:

Quite charming really. Food stalls outside (see above), ice cream vans, face painting, bouncy castles - it felt a bit like a village fete. As for Adam's Park itself, whilst all rather new and shiny - I couldn't shake the feeling that the outside looked like a train station or perhaps a supermarket. There isn't anything wrong with that - just that at first glance it doesn't really look like a football ground.

Inside it really is very good. A large modern main stand with a big two tier stand facing it, a modern covered terrace at one end and another large seated stand at the other which would house the 3-400 away fans today. Not quite the Darlington Arena or Meadow Lane - but definitely one of the best grounds in the league.

If all this isn't enough - it is pretty well surrounded by woodland. On a warm Spring day like today, Adam's Park is almost idyllic.

Action:

Big news! The nice folks at Sky Television have decided to put Dale on the idiot lantern. On Saturday 18th April at 12:45pm you will be able to see Rochdale take on Darlington 'Exclusively Live from Spotland' (not 'Scotland' as they once misprinted it) on Sky Sport's One. Who are you to resist eh?

In other news, Dale's very own answer to the Yo-Yo, Lee McEvilly, has gone out on loan to Barrow for a month. Within 24 hours of this rather startling piece of news, we heard that Rochdale had signed 18 year old centre forward, Gary Madine, from Carlisle - on loan for a month.

As for the team, Toner had recovered from his hamstring injury and would join the bench. Jones continuing injury problems would rule him out. The Shaker Maker, having recovered from the worst effects of Bradford had succumbed to Tonsilitis. Dagnall, having seen out his three match suspension, would return to the starting eleven - on the right wing - I did wonder about this myself. A jippy tummy meant that Stanton would spend the game on the bench - Ramsden would deputise at centre half.

In other news, the Yellows overcame their opponents 5-1 this morning to keep their promotion charge rolling.

As I settled into the commentary box today I faced a unique double challenge: providing match commentary for the population of Rochdale Infirmary and providing text updates to Mr. Keane. It is not that unusal for Mr. Keane to be absent from away games - he usually keeps abreast of developments through the commentary of Messers. Brookes and Ashworth on Daleworld. Not today however. The man who took Ms. Bentley for a romantic weekend in Preston earlier in the season - has struck again. Obviously he didn't take her to Preston again. Obviously. He is Mr. Romance afterall. He took her to Leeds.

So, timing. Firstly, I could reflect on the timing of the Chair Boys puzzling decision to spend the first half camped on the edge of their own area. Being at home in a critical tie like this I had expected a bit more - I was to be disappointed. I could reflect on the excellent timing of Wycombe's on-loan keeper, Marek Stech, who time after time was in just the right spot to thwart an unremitting bombardment of his goal by Dale. In the opening 45 minutes Dale could - probably should have been 2 or 3 up. Stech's irksome ability to be in the right place at the right time meant that the scorer would remain untroubled.

I could comment on Frank Fielding's timing to deny a rare effort from Wycombe's Akinde and then, whilst still sprawling on the ground, recover to parry Harrald's close range follow up. I might even favour you with an account of the timing of Fielding's tackle on Harrald as the Wycombe striker profited from a lazy clearance from Fielding to be presented with an empty goal to aim at. Harrald dithered for too long, Fielding's timing was exquisite. The danger passed.

I could even remark on the timing of Lee McEvilly debut goal for Barrow - news of which crackled through my headphones part way through the first half.

As you can see there was certainly plenty to talk about. The thing is - none of them were important. In this game there would be one perfect moment where timing really was everything. Lets talk about that:

The second half had been a pretty dreary affair. Dale's first half onslaught had subsided. Wycombe looked happy with a point. My text update to Mr. Keane read: 'Bit Boring'.

Elsewhere, second place sitters, Gillingham, were losing to Grimsby - but - Bury (5th) were winning against Chester albeit by a single goal and with just 10 men. The encouraging news was that the teams below Bury were also losing. It seemed that Dale would be dropping to 5th - Bury would go 3rd.

As the shadows drew out accross the pitch and the referee had a casual look at his watch - an excited voice from the studio announced that Chester had equalised in the 85th minute! Dale would now stay 4th.

Mr. Culshaw did the handover to the commentary team at Gigg Lane for their ruminations on Chester's equaliser. As the Gigg Lane team started to speak - Stech kicked the ball upfield, it wasn't a great kick - it didn't even make the half way line - it grounded a few yards in from touch. Rundle was on it like a shot and blitzed past the Wycombe right back. His cross found Madine in the six yard area. As Madine attempted to control the ball he became entangled with the Wycombe defender, Antwi, and both collapsed to the ground. But, Madine had not lost the ball. Still tangled up with Antwi he stuck out a leg and pushed the ball back to - well who else? - Adam LeFondre. From that range he really wasn't going to miss now was he. 1-0 Dale!!!

At times like this I have heard that everything is meant to go really slowly. It doesn't you know. The next few seconds were a blur. The Daleworld team had jumped out of their seats and launched all of their broadcasting equipment onto the floor. Someone bearing an uncanny resemblance to myself was pounding on the perspex which enclosed the commentary area whilst shouting 'GET IN!'. In the midst of all this chaos Mr. Culshaw was screaming 'BACK TO ME! COME BACK TO ME!' into the microphone.

I felt my final text update to Mr. Keane was a triumph of factual simplicity: 'Full time. 3 points.'

Dale go 2nd... Timing is everything.

Summary:

I'm not really certain what Wycombe's plan was today. Did they really intend to play out a 0-0 draw? For a team with plenty of attacking talent this just doesn't seem right. Thing is, it very nearly worked. Dale had given it everything they had in the first half and drawn a blank. The second half was far more even and in the closing ten minutes or so both teams seemed to have settled for a point. Considering the quality of Stech's performance - particularly in the first half - it was a shame that his mis-cued kick led to the Rochdale winner. In a close encounter like today, it was probably going to be a mistake that would decide things. So it proved.

So, timing. It really did turn out to be everything for Dale today. As it turned out it would be for me as well.

Having decided not to join the huge tail-back leading away from Adam's Park, Messers. Brookes, Ashworth, Culshaw and I hovered around the main entrance. Rochdale's Chairman Mr. Dunphy was there, grinning like a mad man, slapping backs, telling jokes. As Dale's finest filed onto the bus a small knot of Rochdale fans cheered and sang each players song in turn - when St. Adam emerged there was an explosion of clapping, cheering and chanting 'ALFIE! ALFIE! ALFIE!'. A perfect end to a perfect day...

Well not quite. The Rochdale physio, Mr. Thorpe, emerged and explained to Mr. Dunphy that Rory McArdle had taken a bang on the head. He had played the last 30 minutes of the game with double vision and a banging headache. He needed to go to hospital.

Mr. Brookes had heard all of this. He casually turned to me and said, 'you can take him can't you?'. 'Erm, sure'.

Messers. Brookes and Ashworth boarded the team bus. Messers. McArdle and Thorpe climbed into the back seats of the medium sized Audi.

As I rolled away from Adam's Park I mused on the fact that a few weeks ago I thought that being the official photographer for a night was the oddest thing that had happened this season. A quick look in the rear view mirror suggested otherwise.

Timing...

Turner Watch:

We had hoped to have Mr. Turner with us today. However, I understand that a new branch of Lidl needed opening in Bolsover - and Anthea Turner had cancelled. Ever the professional, Mr. Turner stepped into the breach.

21/03/09