It was ultimately a disappointing end to the season, but a fitting one nonetheless as, much like the Cambridgeshire Invitation Cup final defeat that preceded it, Haverhill Rovers' inadequacies from an entire season were summed up in 90 minutes. Saturday's 1-1 draw against FC Clacton at New Croft started slowly, with neither side asserting themselves, but soon Rovers found their stride and even took the lead through a stand-out Callum Harrison. However, it seemed with inevitability that the visitors drew level - unfortunately following an error from Stuart Wardley, the likes of which seem to be becoming increasingly common - and from then on it seemed unlikely that Rovers would win. They made the chances, they tried and toiled and pressed, but they lacked the finishing prowess that has separated them from the heights of the Ridgeons Premier League this season.Looking back on how the entire season has unfolded, Rovers can be quite pleased with their progress. Two seasons has transformed them from a basement team to a lower half team to a top half team. The frustration lies in that the start of the season showed so much promise and what they are capable of - they completed the league double over fourth placed Wisbech Town before October - but all their good work has seemingly fallen apart over the last few weeks, fading from a seven game winning run and an 11 game unbeaten run to a nine game winless run. The poor form to end the season was exactly what manager Peter Betts had feared before the run-in. Compared to pre-season under-expectation of merely avoiding relegation, an eighth placed finish is quite an achievement, but compared to having climbed up to third and applied for promotion, it is not. Achievements never seem as sweet when you know there could have been more.
It would seem that the reasons for Rovers' failure to progress, or at least maintain a level of consistency, relates largely to squad depth and a failure to score. Injuries have taken their toll in the closing stages of the campaign, but even manager Peter Betts admitted he is not looking to use that as an excuse. Stuart Kingham has been conspicuous by his absence, and proof of just how much this Rovers' team centres around him. When fit he has been the defensive linchpin, shielding captain Marcus Hunt and Wardley who frequently enjoyed clean sheets and one of the lowest 'goals against' records in the division, but without him Rovers have looked uncomfortable with nobody else well suited to that role. Hunt does not look comfortable when thrust forward, as he excels at tackling and breaking up play rather than passing and setting up play.
For all his strong performances Sam Holmes has not looked likely to form a partnership to exclude either Hunt or Wardley. Wardley has still been strong as the back, despite the more frequently occurring gaffes, although often frustrates by proving one of Rovers' best passers and finishers - he ends the campaign as third highest scorer with seven goals, behind Hunt with eight and striker Dalton O'Brien with ten, and not of all of these are from the penalty spot, where he is oft reliable save for the unusual recent miss at Kirkley and Pakefield that saw Marc Abbott assume spot kick duties in the 4-3 win at Hadleigh United that followed. However, Betts did not criticise Wardley for his increasingly erroneous performances, but instead was left to rue the lack of experienced cover available at centre half. "If we had cover he would play less games - in the first half of the season he was the best centre half in the league, but in the second his legs got the better of him and he's been playing with injuries", he said. If Rovers could rotate more and play him less - he has made 40 appearances this term - then perhaps he could remain such a commanding figure that Betts trusts to stop the most fearsome forwards throughout the course of a season. His presence at the back ensures he cannot be pushed forward, even though it is often his raking passes that set up the best chances, and Rovers now have the forward options so as not to resort to sticking him up front in the closing stages of games. No doubt he will continue to command a first XI place, and his input was noticed by being awarded the supporters' first XI player of the season.Wardley's back four companions have also looked assured throughout most of the season - Greg Strong has been impressive in his debut season, while Paul Abbott continues to impress down the right an amaze me by failing to score from some of the chances he sets up. In the centre of the park, a deputy for Kingham is clearly needed - I thought that was Joe Boreham's purpose, but he carries more of an urge to get forward and be involved in play, and is also just a teenager and still learning his game, despite an impressive first season. Dan Pilcher has been solid since his return, though has struggled to present a case for regular first XI inclusion. Between the sticks, both Matt Morrison and Liam Cutts have endured their blunders, but both have generally looked reliable with the latter and able deputy to ensure Morrison's performances do not dip.
In the middle of the park, many of last year's problems remain with consistency and a lack of goals. Marc Abbott has held down a regular first XI spot and rightly so, but he has failed to reach the high standards he set for himself. A goal return of three is unremarkable, and after his early season performances, which led to Betts labelling him 'one of the league's best', he has stuttered, though his manager attributes this to exhaustion and injury. Jamie Challis has impressed since being relegated to the fringes of the squad, responding to that setback with a number of man-of-the-match performances to force his way into first XI contention, but he too lacks the attacking vision and prowess to fire Rovers to more goals. Joe Harvey re-arrived full of promise but has failed to impress, with a particularly disappointing performance in the cup final, but there is still time for him to improve.
Though Rovers' goal scoring concerns may initially appear to be more to do with their strikers, Betts insists it has as much to do with their wingers. O'Brien has a respectable ten goal return from his first season, but is still a long way away from being a 20-goals-a-season man. Betts said: "You could have Alan Shearer up front, but without the service he won't score. Dalton got lots when [Neil] Cogger and [Dan] Emmanuel were playing, so we need more strength in wide areas." Indeed, Cogger and Emmanuel sum up Rovers' lack of depth and pace, as with those two Rovers always looked likely to score, and Betts even labelled the squad his 'strongest' with their inclusion. Louis Harper has moments of quality on the wing but lacks pace and consistency, and while Jack Higgs has had an excellent debut season, thrust into the first XI following injuries, he lacks experience and consistency, and Ryan Kent has struggled to make a first XI impact following his dramatic late goal to christen New Croft with a win in Rovers' first competitive game there. Emmanuel is now confirmed to be at AFC Sudbury for next season after signing a one year contract, and it is questionable whether Cogger will be able to play regular football again following his injury woes. Betts has said he has summer replacements lined up to come to New Croft, and has insisted that these are first XI and not squad players, so hopefully these problems will have been addressed for next season.Although the ammunition has been lacking for Rovers' frontmen, the strikers themselves have not been clinical. Owen Paynter looked like an inspired signing at first, though he has been hampered by injuries and made minimal impact. I was surprised that Betts seemed keen to maintain him in his future plans, saying: "The way we play has not suited his game. There's no doubting that he's a good player, it's just not been happening these last few months, but you don't finish as one of the top scorers in the division each season if you're not a good player." However good Paynter maybe, he seems to favour playing with a strike partner, while Betts' oft criticised insistence on a blanket 4-5-1 approach to games may deny him that opportunity. Perhaps the manager will be more flexible this year in presenting two forwards to opposition they can expect to beat?
O'Brien has enjoyed a good season, and though a respectable ten goal return leaves him some way off being a 20-goals-a-season man Betts believes he may become that with more ammunition from the wings. He has certainly looked capable up front, with experience beyond his years and strong beyond his stature. He has given Rovers more of a cutting edge up front, even if he is not as prolific as other team's forwards. A positive from Rovers' recent poor run of form has been the emergence of Callum Harrison, who I first noticed when Rovers dismantled CRC at New Croft before going on to complete the league double over the side that thrashed them home and away last season. He has looked formidable up front, and is one of a number of players Betts has praised as he forces his way into the first XI, the award of supporters' reserve XI player of the season acknowledging his progress.
Despite the improvements up front from last season, Rovers are still lacking a striker that will get past the 20 goal mark. Brantham Athletic's Ollie Mann contributed two goals to his ridiculous season total of 41 goals from 35 games when they beat Rovers 3-0 to avenge their earlier 3-1 defeat at New Croft, and if he is scoring that many for a side that finished five places and 14 points behind Rovers, imagine how many more points and places he could have secured for Betts' side? Mildenhall Town's John Sands showed what a difference a top class forward makes when he single-handedly won the Cambridgeshire Invitation Cup for his otherwise inferior side on a cold night at Abbey Stadium, and his goals tally of 31 strikes from 37 games has propelled Mildenhall to fifth. These are the players that Rovers need, but with money scarce it is difficult to see how they will attract them. Betts even expressed his reluctance to 'do a Leiston' and spent 'stupid money' even if he had the opportunity.
A quick glance at the table reveals Rovers' have a goal difference of three, and their goals for record is a paltry 50 - only two sides have lower (Newmarket Town on 45 and Wivenhoe Town on 48 - both of whom Rovers have doubled) and one the same (second from bottom Histon Reserves), and all three of those are in the bottom four. Only their defensive record has maintained a respectable goal difference, and even that somewhat unravelled with the thumpings at Leiston and Mildenhall. Their scoring record, and the fact that their centre halves and second and third highest scorers, is a damning indictment of what the club lacks. This lack of goals has often concerned Betts, who must now find a frontman to turn their dominance into points. Betts insists he will move to address these issues in the close season with 'four or five' additions to the side before the pre-season schedule gets underway.After a lengthy campaign that offered greatness but delivered mediocrity, Rovers can still look back with a degree of satisfaction. They are now firmly established as top ten side, and now venture into most games as favourites instead of underdogs. They still lack the firepower to propel them further up the table and the defensive cover to build up from, but if Betts can address these issues in the close season then the 2011-12 campaign may deliver what fans were given a taste of before Christmas and will now come to expect.
