L1: Yeovil 1 Millwall 1

This is what football should always be like. A good atmosphere, the away terrace more or less full, two teams committed to attack and a referee prepared to let the game flow. What more could you want? Well, a win would have been nice, but let's not be churlish. This was one of the Glovers best performances of the season and against a side unbeaten in their last 18 matches and in second place of the table. And make no mistake, for 93 minutes out of the 94 played we battered Millwall, outplayed them and generally looked like the side that was going for automatic promotion. To fall at the final hurdle and allow a bit of a soft equaliser in the depths of injury time was gutting, but let's not dwell on that. The performance as a whole was hugely encouraging, and that's the most important thing.

We lined up as follows (4-4-1-1):

1. Alex McCarthy: 7/10 - Oh, Alex. Faultless for 93 minutes and then one small error which let Millwall in for their equalizer. That's life for goalkeepers.

2. Craig Alcock: 7/10 - Fine display of modern full-back play. A threat going forward, good defensively and solid at set-pieces.

5. Steven Caulker: 7/10 - Another dominating display in the heart of the defence. He and Forbes kept the prolific Morrison and Harris in their pockets all night.

6. Terrell Forbes: 7/10 - As above. Never mind all this wait until we're safe bollocks, he must be signed on a long-term contract NOW.

28. Nathan Smith: 8/10 - Probably Nathan's best game this season. Rampaging runs forward, excellent when defending, getting better and better all the time. Sign him on a long term contract NOW.

10. Gavin Tomlin: 7/10 - Played on the right side of midfield again and though he's not a natural in that position you get the feeling he's growing into it. He's a bit like Marmite though, half the crowd love him and the other half want to see him substituted 10 minutes ago. Me, I think he's worth another year at least. Sign him up NOW.

21. JP Kalala: 8/10 - More of a box-to-box midfielder these days than a purely defensive player, he adds just as much to the team's offensive play as he does winning the ball. Sign him up on a long-term contract NOW.

25. Shaun MacDonald: 8/10 - I had a dream the other night that Swansea released the Ginger Prince on a free transfer in the summer and we signed him on a long-term contract. It could happen, couldn't it? Dreams do sometimes come true...

11. Andy Welsh: 6/10 - I can see why Skivo drops Welsh as often as he does. He's by no means a bad player, his dead ball delivery is excellent and his crossing generally good, but there's something missing somehow. He tracks back, gets in the right positions but he couldn't tackle his way out of a paper bag and you just know if there's a fifty/fifty or a contested header he won't win the ball. I'd still play him more often than not for his attacking skills, but you need a bloody good full-back behind him to make up for his shortcomings. Fortunately, we've got one in Nathan Smith.

20. Gavin Williams: 9/10 - The missing link in the side. Played in the hole behind the main striker and from there popped up all over the pitch creating mayhem wherever he went. How good would it be if somehow both he and MacDonald were here again next season? I'd happily pay double the price of a season ticket to see that.

14. Dean Bowditch: 8/10 - I've criticised Dean in the past for being somewhat invisible unless he scores. Not this time. He's no target man like Sam Williams but he was all over the pitch last night, led the line superbly and took his goal with aplomb. Sign him up on a long-term contract NOW.

Subs:
17. Aidan Downes (80 mins for Andy Welsh): 6/10 - Put himself about for the short time he was on. Skivo's got a decision to make about Aidan in the summer. Is he worth another contract? I don't know.

There were two slightly disappointing aspects to the evening. Firstly, why no minute's silence for the late Malcolm Gold? I appreciate the players wore black armbands in his memory, but you would have thought that if the club went to the trouble of having a minute's silence for two dead Leeds fans last week then an ex-player of the club and a local lad to boot would be worthy of the same honour. And it was disappointing to hear the reception a minority of fans gave to Jon Obika. What he did to deserve the outbreak of booing he received when he came on as a second-half substitute I just don't understand - his goals were vital in keeping us in League One last season and let's not forget he was our top scorer this season until a couple of weeks ago. It was almost poetic justice to see him score Millwall's equaliser and he showed his class by refraining from celebrating after he scored. A pity some of our fans couldn't show the same sort of class.

Still, other than that it was a cracking night. Some of our football was sublime - one touch passing on the floor with superb movement and a real work ethic throughout the team. It bodes well for the future. It's time now though for the board to play their part by allowing Skivo to sign up those players he needs who are out of contract next season - I'm thinking particularly now of Bowditch, Smith, Kalala and Forbes, and I personally would retain Tomlin too - in order for the manager to start the summer with a solid base from which to build the rest of his squad.

Just read: Monsoon by Wilbur Smith. Wow! My first Wilbur Smith epic and it won't be my last. A juggernaut of a book which blows you away with the sheer force of its storytelling, grabs hold of you and doesn't let go until you've read the final page. I suppose the best way to describe it is as an historical adventure story for adults. Thoroughly entertaining.