It was not just a game of two halves, but a game of two teams, both of them Saints.

From the start it was clear that Alan pardew had either had a brainstorm or that we had a lot more injury problems than we were letting on, As Saints kicked off, out of the ten outfield players you had to notice that only four or five would probably start the game against Plymouth if the entire squad was fit.

Instead of the good workout for the first team with a chance to get some sort of formation gelled in place, it becaem clear that this would be instead a chance for the fringe players to show that they are worth a place and you have to be honest and say that for just over an hour, Saints were the better team with several players showing that they will be able to do a good job should they be called upon.

A brief mention of the result, in the final 25 mins so many changes were made by Saints and so many players were on the pitch who had little League experience that it was inevitable that mistakes would be made and therefore the result was unimportant,, take the defence for that period, the final 15 mins were played with Arron Martin having the greatest number of first team games for Saints under his belt of the four, a grand total of one, OK Danny Butterfield is experienced at Palace etc, but if Richardson was fir he wouldnt be in the starting line up next week, thats not to be little him, he would walk into the right back position in any other league 1 team and looked a great aquisition.

It told us though that we do have strength in depth, even though some of those players arent ready yet and in the case of one or two might never be ready, but by the looks of it its the fringe players that will need to get us off to a good start.

For them to do that its going to need patience and the support of the crowd, an example of this is Antonio and our own Joseph Mills, Mills completed most of the first half and was taken off with a slight injury, however he had a decent game and showed that given a run in the side he does have something to suggest he can succeed at League 1 level at least, then compare with Antonio's welcome, he came off the Reading bench and was treated as a conquering hero, however this was a welcome in excess of what his talents deserved, OK a good performance at Wembley showed that he had something, but in too many games he did little and was often substituted early.

Indeed he reminded me of another Saints hero who the Northam End used to greet with similar fervour, Bradley Wright Phillips, you can draw many comparisons firstly, both of them only seemed to produce it when coming off the bench, secondly they both had pace but little guile, but perhaps the third comparison to be drawn is the most important, thats the fact that when they played they both kept people out of the team, in BWP's case it was often Kenwynne Jones, and whilst the Northam Chanted for Bradley Wright Wright Wright, the seeds of discontent were sown for Jones, who didnt play half the games he should have done for Saints often sitting on the bench watching Wright Phillips run round like a headless chicken.

The same could be said for Antonio, I feel that if Joseph Mills for instance and definately Waigo had been given starting time instead of Antonio, then in the case of Mills he would probably be a much better player now and in the case of Waigo he would probably be here full stop, like Jones he was keen to go to a club were he would be valued more highly.

Im not saying that Mills might be the answer out wide, but if he had been given as many chances to show it as Antonio, he might just have done that, for those that say he isnt good enough, he is one man in our squad who knows what it takes to get out of this division, helping Scunthorpe to do so.

Man of the Match for Saints had to be Lee Barnard, another who often wasnt on the pitch when he should have been last season, he is the most natural goalscorer we have and has an eye for goal, I would say to Alan Pardew, use him or lose him as if he doesnt get a look in as his goals tally deserves, I feel a Championship club will come knocking in January.

So this game against Reading was inconclusive, lets hope the injuries to the missing players arent as bad as feared, but if they are then I think that we do have players out there who can get us off to a good start, we just need to remember to cheer them on as much as we do a Reading reserve.   

On a final note the crowd was poor, after the number of shirts and season tickets sold, I like many expected a much bigger turnout.     

Photo: Action Images

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