For Aldershot Town fans, last Wednesday’s game against Tranmere was deflating, to say the least. A slip away goal just after the second half commenced was only part of the problem en route to the 3-0 loss the team suffered. It seemed, by the end of the game, that nothing was going to go right for the team, and when the cross came in and the ever-reliable Jake Cole was receiving, Shots supporters breathed a sigh of relief.
But he dropped it.
And Aldershot Town fans were stunned. Then they were panicked. It wasn’t much different for the man who scored, either. James Norwood said he panicked in that situation, but it requires a bit more explanation and understanding to truly realize what was going on that day.
Norwood said during a post-game interview on the Tranmere Rovers website, “I panicked. They’re harder ones than the 25-yarders. It went quiet and I wasn’t sure what was going on. So I thought just kick it in the net and then it went quieter and then nobody celebrated with me so I just ran around.”
While it’s easy to play from the sidelines and criticize mistakes, most people have made some major blunders in life, and most often when few, if any, other people are watching or paying attention.
For example, millions of people enjoy casino games. www.casinoonline.com.de is one such site where so many people find the best places to play, and for the majority of players, it’s about relaxation and fun. But for the die-hard gaming enthusiasts, they’ve all found themselves in the unenviable position of having a carefully set up and perfectly timed hand ready to deliver the big win, and they panic. They give something away, try to lay back too long, or miscalculate their opponent and before they know what happened, the game’s over and they’ve lost another.
For Jake Cole, before he even knew what had gone wrong, a bit of routine and even overconfidence can lead to problems.
While Jake Cole didn’t lose the game for Aldershot Town, it certainly didn’t help. Momentum is a key component of most sports matches and contests. When you have momentum on your side, it allows you to gain confidence, take greater chances, and create even more opportunities.
When mistakes happen, especially one after another, and they cost you goals for or goals against, suddenly you begin feeling as though your back is up against the proverbial wall and you play tighter.
Fans of the Shots were stunned by the mistake, and when it happened, they panicked. But there’s no reason to continue panicking because tomorrow is a new day. While the loss stings, it’s only one and the team has more opportunities to regroup and put this behind them next season. Jake Cole is a professional and also needs to let it go and move on. Lesson learned.
