OCTOBER has proved to be a nightmare of a month, if you consider the number of games our small squad as had to endure.

It’s not saying they were ‘running on empty’ against the Sky Blues last Saturday, but against an improving side, they were probably the last team we wanted to face.

Not only have the O’s been unlucky in attack with the worrying goals ‘for’ ratio diminishing even further against games played, but it is the ‘new manager syndrome’ that we have embraced no less than three times in the last fortnight.

But, not only did Bournemouth dispense of the services of Paul Groves - and ‘hey presto’ the returning Eddie Howe is in the stands to watch his charges hit a quick-fire two-goal second-half salvo, but Colchester - under the new stewardship of Pat Dunne - also knock us from our perch and last - but not least - Mark Robins’ Coventry side - who could well make the play-offs - snatch a win down in east London at the weekend.

In what I had thought was a very tight division, we do seem to be having that annoying habit - of late - of coming up short against our opponents. But, it’s like when you are not scoring goals, then you’ll no doubt snatch at your chances and so the last few game have proved.

Even against Hartlepool - that seems ages ago now - we had a hatful of chances, but only Ryan Brunt’s header was all we had to show for an evening of almost total domination, save for Steve Howard nearly spoiling the party.

And, that was after I really did think this month would be the time we could go into the FA Cup season with a creditable 20-plus points on the board.

But, that is all in the past and this coming Sunday the FA Cup first round provides the players with a breather from a hectic league schedule and Gloucester City may be in form after a good run has seen them battle through the qualifiers, to what some people may see at their ‘cup final’.

On the ‘flip side’, our ‘advantage’ is this tie is at Whaddon Road, Cheltenham - not on some River Severn swamp as we may have feared, due to the fact that City groundshare with the Robins. It’s an excellent playing surface and one which should suit the likes of Cooky and Moses - and I would be quietly confident of us winning at the first time of asking and then look forward to a home second round tie - and who knows - Arsenal in the third round?

Keep the faith, Up the O’s