Five wins in a row, a chest-puffing knockout on live television, a last gasp winner on a damp Tuesday evening. Clean sheets.
Clean sheets?
I’m fairly sure I wasn’t the only person pinching myself when Guy Moussi dementedly volleyed in his winner on Tuesday evening. I’m absolutely certain I wasn’t the only one to take celebrations a pint too far on Saturday.
It’s forgivable; this isn’t the sort of thing we’re used to.
At any other point over the last five years Dexter Blackstock’s scuffed finish would have bobbled wide, and during Calderwood’s stint – marked by its repeated frustrations – we would surely have been beaten in a game as fairly split as Tuesday’s.
The effect of the form is remarkable. Saturday’s atmosphere was hair-raising; songs rippled around all four stands for 90 minutes – just a decibel or two away from match a D*rby day.
Tuesday’s game drew 2,000 extra lurkers from the shadows they usually hide in during midweek fixtures. And they’ll have enjoyed it.
Despite a heavy-legged second half that was fraught with errors, Tuesday evening was spliced with crisp passing football, resilient defending and enough chances to win five games. Saturday’s game provided unparalleled entertainment throughout.
Of course, it can’t last. The Championship is volatile and fickle; in three weeks we could have been spat back into 16th place, in six we could be stamped into the relegation zone.
If we can somehow brace the tide of niggling injuries, overlapping suspensions, finicky referees, and waving fortunes then things might just get an awful lot stranger.
Personally, I’m just enjoying it while it lasts.
