AFTER a match that was ruined by the referee last week we’re all hoping that the headlines from today’s FA Cup clash at Braintree are about us as players rather than the man in the middle.

Some of the decisions from the ref in our defeat at Fleetwood were a joke and it was a very frustrating afternoon for all of us.

The inconsistency is what drives players, managers and fans mad and we keep seeing it.

It happens in every league but it does seem to be worse in League Two.

I’ve played higher up the leagues and the refs are easier to talk to at that level.

It’s a subject that needs looking at by the authorities because big decisions change games and, you never know, something like Saturday could be the difference between making the play-offs and missing out.

It could be that crucial so you’ve got to get the best referees you can at all levels and make sure their trained well and are as consistent in their decision making as they can be.

But we’ve got to move on now and, to be honest, we said that on the coach home from Fleetwood. We have to forget that game and put it behind us.

If we respond the way we did after the Rochdale defeat then we’ll probably be top of League Two by the end of the month!

But first we’ve got a break from league action with today’s FA Cup first round tie at Braintree and then the visit of Portsmouth to Rodney Parade in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy on Tuesday.

It still seems strange to me to see a big team like Pompey in the same division as us.

It’s only five years since they were beating Cardiff in the FA Cup final at Wembley so it will be a good occasion on Tuesday night.

If we get past Portsmouth then we’re edging closer to a Wembley final and what an achievement it would be to get there three years running for a club like County.

But we’re not thinking about that yet because we know we have to focus 100 per cent on Braintree this afternoon.

I don’t know what the manager is going to do but it would be nice for me to get some time on the pitch after being stuck on the bench for the last few weeks.

The gaffer wants to win every game we go into and we’re the same as players but we’ve only got a small squad so maybe there’ll be a chance for one or two of us to get 90 minutes under our belt, particularly with Hartlepool at home in the league on Friday night as well.

Today’s game is a bit of a no-win situation for us because we’re expected to win so if we don’t it’s a shock and if we do we won’t get any praise for it.

We know from last season when we lost to Yate and Welling in the cups that we can’t take any team lightly and Braintree are going well in the Conference.

It was a hard game down there for us just over a year ago, even though we won it in the end, and we know we’ll have to earn another victory today.

Robbie Willmott won’t be playing as he serves his ban for last week’s red card and his big bushy beard should keep him warm in the stands.

We’re all growing our facial hair for Movember but most of you will have noticed that Robbie has taken it a stage further than most of us!

He’s been getting a lot of stick from everyone but I reckon it does suit him in a strange way and he insists he’s been getting a lot of female attention so good luck to him.

When it gets down to his chest and defenders are pulling him back by his beard he’ll have gone too far but for now he’s OK.

I won’t be going as far as Robbie because it takes me a month to get any decent growth but by the end of the month me and the rest of the boys should have some top ‘taches and we’ll have raised some money for a great cause.

We’ve got a good set of boys here who are determined to help give the club a good name on and off the pitch and looking silly for a month won’t do us any harm.