Clarke Carlisle's Blog by Clarke_Carlisle

Good day all! I’ve had a rather interesting time since I last called in. We’ve had 3 matches that have produced contrasting performances and results. We travelled away to Norwich brimming with confidence after our jaunt to QPR and it helped us to produce possibly our best 45 minutes of the season. 2-0 up at half-time, we felt destined to break our away day hoodoo but alas, it was not to be. Giving them every credit that’s due, they came out like a team possessed in the second half and put in a performance that rivalled ours in the first. Even so, it took an overlooked blatant handball to get them an equaliser and we felt very hard done by. It’s galling when a decision costs you points, especially when the referee is in the perfect position to make the call, but they are human after all, and therefore as fallible as the next man.

We continued our string of good performances in the next game, a home match against Doncaster Rovers. This was a different tale, although the outcome was exactly the same! After conceding a goal against the run of play, we created chance after chance after chance, but they all went begging. After finally digging out an equaliser, we finished with a 1-1 draw and were wondering if our luck would ever change! Well, it finally did, because after one of our least convincing performances on Saturday, we managed to grind out a 3-2 victory against Watford, and how sweet it was too! You always like to do well when you play against one of your old teams, however it’s also standard procedure that you should commit your first (and hopefully last!) big howler of the season, much to the delight of your ex-support!

I was caught in two minds when a hopeful clearance was bouncing towards me on the halfway line, whether to just half-volley it back up the pitch, or try and control the ball and pass it out of defence. Consequently I ended up doing neither, just letting the ball bounce through to a delighted Watford striker who duly ran up the pitch and slotted it home. It’s at times like this that a player is severely tested, because it can cause you to crumble under the pressure and make more and more mistakes, or you can smile, confident in the knowledge that the next time the situation will be dealt with.

I believe that the latter was the case for me, and that’s come from experience. Mistakes happen to all players from Premier League to the Conference, but better players make less, and recover from them quicker. After the match the squad went en masse to watch the shambles that was the world title fight between Audley Harrison and David Haye. Well, if anyone ever grumbles about players and their wages again, I’ll simply refer to Harrison’s £1.5 million for his no show on Saturday! I never expected it to be a classic, but I did expect him to at least try! I’d have been happier if it was all over in the first round but he’d come out ‘windmilling’ and attempted to knock Haye out!

Wow, this was to be Heavyweight champion of the WORLD! I can only imagine that the fear froze him, because the reception that he received was definitely hostile. After the fight it was maybe deserved, but he was getting pelters on his way to the ring, a tad harsh for a home crowd! Full credit to David Haye though, he did exactly what it said on the tin, and I hope he takes it to the Klitschkos now because they will be good fights! Before I go I just want to say happy birthday to my boy, Marley, who was 3 last week. Daddy loves you son! Have a great week and many blessings!