Late goals cost points, again.

Triple disappointment for the Glovers at the Memorial Stadium yesterday. Firstly we went down to a 2-1 defeat to Bristol Rovers, losing to a goal scored in the 4th minute of injury-time at the end of the game; secondly we lost Luke Freeman to a leg injury. At first it seemed the loanee might have broken his leg, but x-rays thankfully ruled that out; nevertheless it seems certain that the youngster will be sidelined for some weeks, though exactly for how long we will have to wait and see. A shame for him, and us. Thirdly, JP Kalala got himself sent off for 2 bookable offences which means he'll miss next Saturday's home game against Hartlepool. With such a small squad the last thing Skivo needs is a self-inflicted wound like this, it means that our central midfield against a streetwise Pools outfit next weekend will consist of two players whose League One starts can be counted on the fingers of one hand.

So far this season the Glovers have played 3 games and conceded 4 goals. All 4 goals conceded have something in common - their timing. The goals against have all come either in the last 5 minutes of the halves played, or in injury time itself. Now obviously 3 games is only 3 games, but nevertheless they are interesting stats. And of course we can all point to games last season when late, late goals cost us dearly - off the top of my head I can think of matches against Leeds, Millwall and Southampton from the run-in last season, in all of which we conceded injury-time goals which cost us points. What causes the late goals? No doubt fatigue, disruption caused by substitutions, maybe a lack of concentration or perhaps simply heavy pressure from teams desperate to score, all will play their parts. It's obviously something that Skivo and his coaches will be aware of, let's hope that a solution to the problem can be found sooner rather than later.

After 3 games in 7 days the Glovers now have a week to regroup before their next match. Three points out of a possible 6 and a narrow loss to a Championship side in the League Cup is by no means a bad start to the season. But the loss of Freeman for however long and Kalala for one match in the first week is a reality check. It's a long season and we have a very small squad. For all the optimism amongst the fanbase at the moment survival must still be this club's first goal.

Just read: Skippy Dies by Paul Murray. The blackest of black comedies set in a contemporary Dublin boys school. Sex, drugs and rock'n'roll are rife, and that's just the staff. What the boys get up to is worse... Hilarious, irreverent and at times moving and sad. It's on the long list for this year's Man Booker Prize and well recommended