A solid all-round team display earns the plaudits from the Crow faithful.
Oh, what a contrast from Saturday away against Canterbury City to a Bank Holiday Monday at home to the league leaders, Phoenix Sports.
Whereas the away game on Saturday was rather dull and uneventful, this game against Phoenix Sports had everything the large crowd of 183 could wish for, including a welcome sight of the sun and the warmth that brought to the Community Stadium.
Many of the fans in attendance, those supporting the Crows anyway, probably turned up hoping that the home side might be the first club to lower the visitors colours in the league this season but in reality it was more in hope than expectation that the three points would go to the Crows.
Before kick off I'm sure most Crows supporters would have taken a point from the game as the visitors have proved week-in, week-out, to be a side that scores plenty, doesn't concede goals very often and never gets beaten.
However, if there was any trepidation amongst the fans, it obviously hadn't got to the players and whilst the visitors arrived, full of confidence, quite rightly so, the Crows side also seemed to be very buoyant as befits a side that was on a five match unbeaten run.
The Crows got the match under way, kicking towards the dressing room end and it was apparent very early on the tatics of the away side were to get the ball forward as quickly as possible, using the space behind the home side's full-backs, Cameron and Rich, or to aim the ball to Constable upfront so he can hold the ball up or flick on for the pacey forwards of Carnegie and Gnahore.
Therefore, the Crows defensive unit, superbly marshalled by Boddy and Trotter and ably supported by those in and around them, knew they were going to be in for a tough afternoon and would need to play well if the Crows were to get anything from the game.
The away side started well and put the Crows under pressure straight away, forcing a couple of early corners, one of which resulted in Rich clearing a header off the line to keep the score at 0-0 after 8 minutes.
Unfortunately, this only proved to be a temporary reprieve for the home side as 2 minutes later, in the 10th minute, it was 1-0 to the visitors. The Crows had been on the attack but a long kick from the visiting 'keeper cleared the Crows defensive unit and Carnegie was able to beat Collick to the bouncing ball and head it towards Jeffrey who had the simple task of knocking the ball into the net.
Some people felt that Jeffrey may have been off-side when Carnegie beat Collick to the ball as there was only one defender behind the home goalie at the time, however, the Crows didn't protest too much and the assistant referee was in no doubt the goal was a good one.
Perhaps there were many in the crowd who now expected the worst but the Crows weathered the early storm and started to get back in the game, Carrington trying his luck from distance but his shot is easily saved after 15 minutes but at least the Crows were now having more of the ball and a greater share of the possession.
The home side got the equaliser they probably deserved in the 19th minute as Rich put over a cross into the visitors area and Phillips, the Phoenix goalkeeper, called for the ball but was beaten to it by Boddy, still up in the area following a corner, his header falling at the feet of Ridley who hit a sweetly struck half-volley into the visitors net, much to the joy of all people involved with the Crows.
As you'd expect, the visitors didn't like conceding and with the tactics they were playing to, the Crows defence came under pressure once more. However, despite a few corners the Crows repelled most of their attacks, as they did our's but the match was never dull, despite the fact that I only counted four shots, other than the goals, during the first 45 minutes.
One of those shots though was a Phoenix free-kick from some thirty yards out which hit the post and rebounded to safety before being cleared from the penalty area by Cameron. Collick seemed to be unsighted as he was rooted to the spot as the ball hit the post.
The referee, who I thought had a good game throughout, booked a couple of Phoenix players during the first half, Constable on 31 minutes for a deliberate trip on Ridley as he broke clear and Goodchild on 39 minutes sees yellow for a very late tackle on Cameron after he'd cleared the ball down the line.
Carrington had a further shot on goal but we reached the half time break with the score at 1-1 and with the Crows as the happier side, as witnessed by the fact that quite a few of the Phoenix players had spent a large part of the first 45 minutes arguing between themselves and the referee.
The away side started the second half but it was the Crows who started to take control of the game and put the away defence under pressure, although the Crows now saw a player booked, Death seeing yellow for needlessly kicking the ball away when it had already gone out for a goal kick after 46 minutes.
With only one fit striker, Ross and Scott Treleaven both missing due to injury, the home side were concerned after 51 minutes when Carrington went down injured in the centre circle and had to receive some treatment. Thankfully, he was able to carry on and the Crows were able to remain on top.
In the 55th minute the Crows really should have gone 2-1 up, Carrington doing well to win the ball whilst holding off a defender and the ball falls to Ridley some eight yards out but his effort goes wide. The Crows wanted a corner but a goal kick is awarded and one was left to ponder if that miss would prove costly or not.
It was now that the Crows came under increased pressure and the visitors started to have their best spell of the game, winning corners and free kicks around the Crows penalty area which were always going to give the home side problems due to the height they had within their team.
Due to this pressure, Butler receives a yellow card for bringing down Constable and in the 70th minute Collick makes a great save from a header and Boddy clears the ball away for a corner before a Phoenix player can poke the ball home.
Only two minutes later, in the 72nd, Constable misses an open goal after being put in by a colleague who looked five yards off side before passing the ball side wards to Constable, with Collick completely out of the picture. However, for some inexplicable reason, he fires over the bar to the amazement of all concerned and is then subsequently substituted in the 77th minute by Carl Cornell.
In the 80th minute Boddy sees yellow for a challenge on Gnahore and a minute later Trotter gets the yellow card for what the referee deemed to be a late tackle.
In the 83rd minute Charlie Baitup makes his senior debut as he replaces Ryan Hinkson and shows his pace when covering Rich to get back and tackle a Phoenix player who would have been clear had he not done so.
Collick then had to make a couple of good saves late on to keep the score at 1-1 as the away side tried to get the winner in stoppage time. However, the only thing they did get was another yellow card, Whibley incurring the wrath of the referee for venting his frustration out on him.
The game finished at 1-1 and the applause rang out loudly as the home players left the pitch. The Crows can be pleased with their afternoons work with a depleted squad and a bench full of U18 players but you also have to give credit to the champions-elect, Phoenix Sports, who never gave up themselves and played their part in what was an entertaining game throughout.