Since May - when it was announced that there would be new owners - the feel of the club has been totally different. Nabbing ourselves a new manager, new players and fab new owners has been a change most welcome at the club.
Supporters can’t wait to go to matches, the owners try their best to spend time with the fans, and the players are performing well on the pitch - just some of the symptoms of the fresh approach that the club has taken.
We can’t get too far ahead of ourselves as it is still early days, but so far, we’re unbeaten in three league games and are sitting comfortably in the play-off positions.
If I’m totally honest, Scunthorpe weren’t as difficult to beat as I thought they’d be. But, with no disrespect to them, we should finish above them in the table as we should with most of the teams - but isn’t that what we said last season?
Right across the 90 minutes yesterday we probably should have had more goals than we actually got. The ones we did tuck away were well crafted with Bryan Oviedo becoming the provider twice and Lynden Gooch once. Josh Maja got on the score sheet again with his third goal in three appearances, and Max Power and Chris Maguire notched their first strikes since arriving on Wearside during the summer.
For the first goal, the cross by Oviedo was put on a plate for Max Power, who produced an extremely powerful header to steer the ball into the top left corner. Only three minutes later, it was a brilliant turn by Josh Maja to score his third goal in three games and to prove to Jack Ross that he should be his main striker ahead of Charlie Wyke. Then, just before half time, it was a super flick by Maguire to control and turn the ball into the bottom left corner - but the best part of the goal was the build up play by Lynden Gooch.
Well done @safcfinlay on your professional debut! Good work in @OscarJCMedia nice programme ⚪️⚽️#safc pic.twitter.com/2PAaGsx4KF
— Nick Barnes (@Tweed_Barnesy) August 5, 2018
Arguably one of the best players on the pitch was Lee Cattermole, who owned the game in the centre of the park, playing some key passes and making some important tackles in his own half - he really did stake his claim for a place in the side when Dylan McGeouch is back to full fitness.
Chris Maguire has been one of the best players right throughout pre-season and the start of our League One. He’s been a brilliant addition to the squad by Jack Ross and his recruitment team - he puts in a shift every match and has been unlucky to only have one goal to his name so far this season.
Our next game against Gillingham on Wednesday night at Priestfield Stadium should be one test that we should be able to pass, but with the trip being away from home and the hosts enjoying a decent winning start to the season themselves, it could be a tricky match.
Hopefully McGeouch should be back to give us extra depth in midfield for Ross. A few days later on Saturday, we travel further west to AFC Wimbledon, where hopefully we can come out of there with the three points.
Finlay Anderson