Coventry City 4-1 Gillingham - A reflective view
An array of positives emerged after Saturday's game and only one negative by my reckoning - well two, as Barcelona just about managed to eclipse our performance and result. I wouldn't want to end this piece on a negative, so that is where I'll begin.
Since coming into the first team in place of the unfortunate Lee Burge, Reice Charles-Cook has been flawless - so much so that you have to question Arsenal's decision to let the young keeper go.
However on Saturday, his distribution at times was just a bit too lax. A couple of skewed kicks, wanting longer on the ball than in reality he had and the risky roll out to John Fleck who was flanked by three Gillingham players.
This might sound like nitpicking of the highest order following a 4-1 win, but, it is imperative that the players don't become comfortable and rest on their laurels.
As many have pointed out, its November, we haven't won or achieved anything yet - which goes for the team as a collective and for individuals.
Now that's out of the way, let's bring on the positives. Where else to start than with Aaron Martin, yes Aaron Martin. An error prone campaign last season saw the towering centre half on the periphery of the squad in August. Injury allowed him a route back in and he has certainly taken his chance.
Martin is a player that understands the limitations of his technical ability and on Saturday this was truly evident in his play. He plays and defends when it is necessary to do so, rarely overplaying or panicking as he did at times last season.
This newfound composure was shown in the first half when he intercepted a ball on the edge of his box, stepped out and went on a marauding run into the opposition's half.
Martin is a player oozing confidence, both in his own ability and in the team - a stark contrast to how he and the team performed under Steven Pressley last season, with a distinct lack of direction.
The same can be levelled at Chris Stokes. A non-league player by trade, he is now a Football League player. Similar to Martin, he is assured in possession, slowly but surely ridding himself of his inclination to turn inside onto his instep.
Bolton knew there was a player in there, even after his release they sent scouts to watch him several years later at Forest Green - he could soon be playing a level higher than the Trotters.
His ease at this level was displayed when he calmly controlled a Fleck pass, dribbled down the wing and slotted an inch perfect cut-back for Murphy to complete his hat-trick.
The two other players mentioned there, Jacob Murphy and John Fleck, are frankly unplayable right now. I recall a time when Fleck was much maligned, fans calling for Conor Thomas to replace him - the less said about that suggestion the better.
His inability to score was seen as sound reasoning for dropping the Scotsman. Has he exploded into some sort of goalscoring machine this season? No. What he has been given is the platform to play, to use his strengths, specifically his main strength - vision.
Stokes' aforementioned run was supplied by Fleck's ability to see a pass. O'Brien gave the ball to Fleck, who, faced with two Gillingham players in a tight area, picked out a sublime pass for Stokes, who found Murphy and killed the game then and there.
The hat-trick hero has in recent games found a level of consistency that can only come with playing regular football. His decision making is improving - which Kent and Murphy have both struggled with as many young players do.
The most dangerous player in the league? Well, when he can receive the ball with his back to an opponent, turn and run at such pace from a standing start as he has done many times and did again on Saturday, it would be hard to take that title away from him.
What impressed me the most on Saturday was the third goal. Not simply because it put us 3-0 up against the league leaders, there was a beauty to it. It represented both Tony Mowbray's philosophy and the effectiveness of the 4-2-3-1 system - a system many said, was too complicated for this level.
The ball started with Ricketts in the right back position, then to Martin, then to Vincelot who went backwards to go forwards in playing the ball to Charles-Cook. Cookie found Chris Stokes out wide and he duly found John Fleck.
Jim O'Brien decided to come off the wing where he personally had little luck against the pacy Ryan Jackson, here he received the ball from Fleck and played a defence cutting pass to set up Murphy.
Exquisite football from several players who struggled to pass to each other under Steven Pressley. It highlights how much of a difference a manager with a clear philosophy can make. We all witnessed Mowbray's philosophy in its fullest on Saturday, long may it continue.
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