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Dunstable fans who didn’t watch this game and simply looking at the scoreline may be forgiven for thinking that this was a game of few chances, devoid of goal mouth action and their team not firing on all cylinders. However, nothing could be further from the truth. The Blues were on good form and on another day the result could have been a home victory by a clear three or four goals.

The fact that it was the visitors who returned to Hertford with all three points was largely due to an inspired piece of goalkeeping from Gustavo Nunes who defied science on a couple of occasions with important saves to protect the first half penalty from Guilherme Monti and ultimately all three points.

Wave after wave of blue shirts pressed forward almost at ease but despite sustained second half pressure the white shirts of St Panteleimon dug deep and held out.

This was the third occasion this season the two teams had met. The first two games had both ended in draws, with there being barely a cigarette paper between the two teams in terms of quality and a desire to play football.

Dunstable came out of the traps on the front foot and within the opening 15 minutes could have been two up. Firstly Kelvin Osei-Addo wrestled his way clear and went one on one with Nunes. Unfortunately for Dunstable Kelvin’s shot went agonizingly inches wide of the left hand post.

Minutes later, Danny Webb got clear down the left-hand side, only to see his shot go across goal and inches wide of the right hand post.

It wasn’t all one way traffic and Connor Coulson needed to make a good stop with his feet to keep out former AFC man, Courtney Massey.

The only goal of the match came just after the half hour and was won by former Hatter, Dean Morgan who went down in the box. Referee Daniel Jones pointed straight to the spot and Monti sent Connor Coulson the wrong way with a well-taken penalty.

Alfie Osborne needed eight stitches after coming off worse in a challenge with a St Panteleimon boot. There was no intent and Referee Jones was right to keep his cards in his pocket. Harry Beaumont came on in his place and took over the Captain’s armband.

During the second half, Remell Stirling replaced Kelvin Osei-Addo, yet despite the change in playing personnel, Nunes could not be beaten despite the best efforts of the Dunstable sharp-shooters and goalkeeper, Connor Coulson, who was waved up field in the dying moments of the game by the home bench. It was just typical of Dunstable’s lack of good luck that despite getting his head to the ball, Coulson could not direct it home.

It was a hard defeat to accept as the performance merited a point at the very least. However it was not to be, and the Blues returned to 9th place in the League.

The game began in a cagey way with very loose passing from both sides. The early half chances went to Heart who came close in the 8th minute when the winger slalomed in on goal and his reverse shot slid by the post. In a surprisingly free flowing half Heart had a good chance to take the lead, but the striker shot weakly at Callum.

10 minutes from the break and Town took the lead. It was deserved, based on possession and territory. Ben and Michael exchanged quick passes. Michael played Joe wide left. Joe drilled a cross, and George volleyed in on the back post. (1-0) It was a well worked goal. Town could not keep the lead and a lapse at the back gave Heart the ball and it was gleefully tucked home for the equaliser with moments to go before the break. (1-1)

The half began in the same pattern as the first. From more good football, Town won a corner. Buddy sent it deep to the back post. There was lots of contact in the box and the ball found its way to Brandon on the back post. He took a touch and squeezed the ball in between the diving defender and keeper. (2-1)

The lead was to last 6 minutes. Again, Town lost the ball at the back, and it was squared for a tap in. (2-2) On the 60th minute the Heart striker found himself 1v1 from a ball over the top. Jayden sprinted back and won the ball in the box and the referee pointed to the spot. Callum was booked for not retreating to his goal line and when the penalty was taken; it was scored. (2-3)

It took Town 4 minutes to equalise. Buddy stood up a corner and George hung in the air to head it in. (3-3) Town won a free kick, 5 minutes from time, when George was felled on the right wing. Brandon floated it to the back post and Joe headed Town in to the lead! (43).

It was time for cool heads. Darren spotted Ricky’s run and passed it to him. Ricky weaved in the box and took a tumble under pressure. The referee pointed to the spot and George calmly passed the ball to the keeper’s left to seal the game and claim his 15th of the season. (5-3)

The referee blew the whistle, the away fans came on to the pitch to remonstrate with the referee over alleged comments heard and decisions made. The away coaches were upset with perceived fouls that contributed to several Town goals. It was all very unseemly and an FA charge is a possibility.

Thursday 24th November 2022 – The FIFA World Cup – Stadium 974, Doha

Game three was being held at Stadium 974, the most central and in theory, one of the easiest to get to. Eight stops back to interchange central at Msheireb then a change onto the gold line for the journey east to Ras Bu Abboud – a 45-minute journey including the walk at the far end. With Brazil facing Serbia in game four of the day at Lusail, thousands of South Americans were heading north, also through Msheireb that led to chaotic scenes at the station. The volunteers put in place a one-way system that had us going back one stop on the metro then changing to avoid an almighty crust – 45 minutes was now 55 minutes. Touch and go whether I’d get there for the anthem now.

Stadium 974 was named not only after the International Dialling Code for Qatar, but also coincidently, included 974 shipping containers in its design, meaning within hours of the final game it would host in the tournament, it would be taken apart and distributed far and wide. Quite what someone would do with a shipping container that contained used urinals and all that sailed in them, I don’t know.

The walk from the stadium saw the first ticket touts out in force in the games so far – the going rate was over $300 for a category 3 ticket, about 3 x face value. It seemed everyone wanted to watch Ronaldo, with numerous fans holding homemade signs and even homemade shirts.

The extraordinary interview the player had done with Piers Morgan just before the start of the tournament had meant to make everyone feel sorry for how he had been treated at Manchester United. It had the opposite effect, perhaps because who the interview was conducted by, polarising Ronaldo from the rest of the Portuguese squad and even some of their fans.

I reached Gate 32 and then started to climb up and up. The anthems finished just as I emerged into the brightness of an impressive bowl. It seemed there were Portugal fans everywhere…or Ronaldo fans to be more precise. Every time he touched the ball, up they went cheering and waving their flags. Even when he gave the ball away, which was more than he did something right, there was applause. Had he been withdrawn after five minutes I suspect the majority of these “fans” would exit too.

The first half was average at best. Having seen 1 goal in 180 minutes, the odds weren’t looking good here. Ronaldo headed past the post, then hit straight at the keeper when clean through. Oh, and put the ball into the net, but looked like a child forgotten by Santa on Christmas Day when the referee pulled play back for the clear foul on Djiku. 0-0 at the break.

Any doubts about this being a dull affair were soon dispelled and this turned out to be the best 45 minutes I saw in the tournament and perhaps that anyone else saw. It all kicked off on the hour mark when Ronaldo, who else, surged into the area and went down very easily under a challenge from Salisu. There was no doubt this would be a penalty – there would conveniently be no VAR review. He stepped up, scored, and celebrated like it was the World Cup winning goal.

Against the run of play, Ghana equalised in the 71st minute, when Andre Ayew stabbed home from close range in one of their first forays into the Portugal box. The stadium, bar the “sponsored” Ghana fans, conveniently located behind the goal, fell silent.

With twelve minutes remaining Portugal retook the lead when Joao Felix who “dinked” the ball over the Ghana keeper as he rushed out to close him down. Two minutes later they appeared to have wrapped up the win when Rafael Leao finished smartly from a Bruno Fernandes through ball.

Ronaldo departed in the final minute, as too did half of the stadium. But those that did stay saw a very dramatic last ten minutes. Firstly Bukari headed home for Ghana to reduce the arrears to 3-2 and then came THE moment of the game and one that Ghana would rue for their tournament. In Andy Dibble style, goalkeeper Diogo Costa dropped the ball in front of himself, oblivious to the presence of Inaki Williams lurking with deadly intent behind him. Williams darted forward and stole the ball but slipped as he turned to shoot into an empty net and there was a huge collective exhale from the Portuguese team and fans.

Full time and Portugal had their win. I had 45 minutes to get to Lusail for Brazil versus Serbia. The stadium to stadium buses were running, Google Maps suggested the journey time was 30 minutes. Four games in a day would be an amazing achievement. However, one small fly in the ointment was the fact I didn’t have a ticket. I’d reached out to a few people I knew were in Qatar, but no one had a spare. The resale markets were at the $275 level, too much at the moment (but in hindsight I wish I had splashed out).

And so, onto day two.