L1: Yeovil 2 Stockport 2

What can you say? Two points lost or a point gained? I suppose that a neutral observer would say that any point is a good one when you play most of the game one man short, but I can't help feeling that Stockport were there for the taking at Huish Park on Sunday, a poor side with little or no flair save for one player - their double goalscorer Carl Baker. Two points lost for me, despite the sending-off.

We lined up as follows:

1. Alex McCarthy - 5/10: If the keeper did bring Nicholas Bignall down then his sending-off was inevitable if not entirely deserved. My feeling at the time was that the penalty was a soft one, with Bignall deliberately running into McCarthy and going down rather than actually being fouled by the keeper. The tv replays have been inconclusive (no surprise there given the usual appalling standard of the camerawork at Huish Park) so in the end we have to go with the referee's decision, albeit grudgingly.

6. Terrell Forbes - 7/10: Another good game for Forbes at right-back. Defended well and overlapped in attack when possible.

4. Stefan Stam - 5/10: Not an entirely convincing return for the skipper. Allowed Baker too much room and time for the striker's second goal.

5. Steven Caulker - 6/10: Can't say I really noticed him overmuch yesterday, which means he was either doing his job quietly efficiently or not really getting involved. Benefit of the doubt means I'll go for the first option.

3. Nathan Jones - 5/10: As last time out, solid defensively but added very little going forward. Passing/crossing mediocre.

13. Ryan Mason - 7/10: A new position on the right of the midfield for Ryan - for most of the match at any rate - and the boy done pretty good, including providing the cross for Williams' goal. Still don't think we're making the best use of him by not playing him in the middle and further forward.

8. Keiran Murtagh - 6/10: Looked more comfortable alongside an enforcer, but IMO should have got forward to support the front two more, though I appreciate we were a man short in midfield most of the game.

21. Jean-Paul Kalala - 8/10: Encouraging, to say the least. Bossed the central midfield despite being out-numbered and never stopped encouraging and cajoling his teammates. Let's hope he keeps fit.

11. Andy Welsh - 7/10: Started the match well and was unlucky not to score with a shot from the edge of the box. Even more unlucky to be the sacrificial sub when McCarthy was sent off.

10. Gavin Tomlin - 7/10: Doesn't get the credit he deserves for his forward play. Makes good runs, holds the ball up well (mostly) and most of all gives it a real go. The icing on the cake was his goal from open play. Not entirely sure he was completely well on Saturday come to that - thought I saw him being sick on the pitch on one occasion.

26. Jonathan Obika - 5/10: Disappointing, again. But having said that had something of a thankless task after the sending off with Tomlin dropping deeper than usual and Obika being left alone up top most of the time. When he first arrived at Huish Park he was able to make things happen himself, even if nothing was happening around him. He seems to have lost a bit of that spark lately. Off on international duty for a month now anyway and to be honest, I'm not that bothered.

Substitutes:
15. Richard Martin (GK) (21 mins for Andy Welsh) - 6/10: Did nothing wrong after replacing McCarthy, not that he had an awful lot to do. Let in both goals, but one was a pen and the other a defensive lapse.

7. George O'Callaghan (79 mins for Keiran Murtagh) - N/A: Didn't really have time to affect the game. Can't say I noticed him at all in fact.

9. Sam Williams (63 mins for Jonathan Obika): 7/10 - Came on and scored, can't ask for much more than that. He really is good in the air. It would be nice to see if he could develop a partnership with Tomlin over the next few games while Obika is away, but if Skivo is going to bring in another loan striker then Williams may be out of luck.

I was surprised to see Nathan Jones preferred to Nathan Smith at left-back. I know Smith had a stinker last time out against Swindon, but I, and most other people, put that down to him being played out of position on the wing. It's not as if Jones's form is so wonderful as to make him undroppable either. The other surprise - well, not so much a surprise, more of a mystery really - is the continuing absence of Scott Murray. I simply cannot understand what is going on there. Is he unfit? Presumably not or he wouldn't be on the bench. So why is Skivo leaving out our only fit right-sided midfield player (Andy Lindegaard aside - say no more) and asking Ryan Mason to fill in there for the first time in his career? Questions were certainly being asked in the crowd on Saturday about Murray's status in the squad and the wisdom of signing a 35-year-old on a year's contract who apparently is only rarely going to play, if at all. Perhaps Exeter knew what they were doing after all when they only offered him a 3-month contract in July?

Despite what I said at the top of the page, it's perhaps harsh to be complaining about drawing at home when we've played most of the game with only ten men. One point is better than none and credit to the team is due for coming from behind twice, albeit against a very limited side. Credit also to Skivo for his substitutions. At the time I felt he was wrong to sacrifice Welsh for the substitute keeper Martin. I would have taken off Nathan Jones and gone to a back three, but the final score proved the gaffer correct.

The attendance was once again the worst of the season so far, 3,519; including approximately 150 Stockport fans. We seem to be attracting a core home support of anywhere between 3,000 - 3,800 so far this season, comfortably the smallest number of home supporters since we joined the football league. So much for the theory that the poor crowds last season were down to Russell Slade's brand of football. Slade's gone, the entertainment is supposedly better, crowds are even worse. Of course, that theory was always simplistic drivel peddled by those with an agenda. The reasons for the falling crowds are almost certainly many and varied, not down to one single factor. For what it's worth I think the board got their season-ticket prices about right this season, and I also thoroughly approve of the new Young Person ticket and the reduced prices for them; but otherwise I think there's so much that needs to change to attract fans back to Huish Park that it's not even funny.

But that's a subject I'll return to another day. It's not just at home our support is down, fans aren't travelling in the numbers they used to either. Southampton away up next, and last time we went there we took just over 2,000. I suspect we'll do well if even half that number make the journey to Hampshire next Saturday.