Cheltenham Town	Lincoln City	Rochdale	Cambridge United	West Ham United	Bristol Rovers
Macclesfield Town	Rushden & Diamonds	Wycombe Wanderers	Notts County	Kidderminster Harriers	Colchester United
Darlington	Boston United	Swansea City	Scunthorpe United	Shrewsbury Town	Northampton Town
Shrewsbury Town	Oxford United	Luton Town	Yeovil Town	Grimsby Town	Northampton Town
Leyton Orient	Bury	Chester City	Wycombe Wanderers	Mansfield Town	Rushden & Diamonds
Kidderminster Harriers	Boston United	Notts County	Mansfield Town	Swindon Town	Darlington
Swansea City	Scunthorpe United	Bristol Rovers	Northampton Town	Shrewsbury Town	Bury
Chester City	Bristol Rovers	Lincoln City	Cheltenham Town	Rochdale	Cambridge United
Bristol Rovers	Wrexham	Leyton Orient	Macclesfield Town	Oxford United	Yeovil Town
Grimsby Town	Northampton Town	Northampton Town	Lincoln City

Flahavan concedes a rare late season goal to Yeovil Town's Phil Jevons

Yet 2004/5 did not start out that way for the Southampton-born shotstopper. He and Bart Griemink were both afforded half of the pre-season campaign each in which to impress manager Steve Tilson, and although he was not responsible for conceding three goals in the final quarter-of-an-hour at Dagenham & Redbridge, he did let in a typically flappy goal at Billericay Town’s New Lodge, ironically to ex-teammate Dave McSweeney.

That, and his reluctance to commit to a season-long deal with the Shrimpers – he initially put pen to paper on a three-month contract – meant that Griemink was undoubtedly the number one going into the season, and it was a position that he held onto until disaster struck at Nene Park. Flahavan came on as a 35th minute substitute, and let in just one during the course of a 4-1 triumph.

Perhaps in that initial spell of matches, the short custodian struggled to establish enough communication with his defence, as Nathan Tyson and Glyn Hurst both exploited hesitation to score strikes for Wycombe Wanderers and Notts County respectively. A clean sheet against Kidderminster Harriers was Flahavan’s first in almost six months, but then was to follow a clinching performance.

The scene was set at Layer Road, home of Blues’ Essex rivals Colchester United in a grudge LDV Vans Trophy first round tie. The match was tied at 1-1 in extra time, and Flahavan was faced with a season-defining moment as the U’s Neil Danns burst through. The midfielder was on loan from Blackpool, who of course had beaten the Shrimpers in the previous season’s final, but this time he was denied by the finest touch of Flahavan’s right fingertips. The visitors won on penalties, and barely looked back.

Then came a moment of madness. With Griemink injured and youth team goalkeeper Nick Morgan not considered good enough to earn a seat on the substitutes’ bench, the Seasiders led 2-0 at home to Boston United. Andy Kirk tried to chip the advancing Flahavan just before half-time, and outside of his area, the keeper made an instinctive but ill-advised block with his arm. He was dismissed, but another chink was spotted in his armoury and Griemink returned to the side when fully fit.

It was not until the big Dutchman was injured again, this time against Notts County in January, that Flahavan returned. But he kept a clean sheet against the Magpies, as well as Swindon Town and Darlington in two of the next three matches to concrete his spot in the team.

He was now a part of the side, and his confidence shone through, not least in a magnificent, match-changing save from Scott McGleish at Northampton Town in February. In the two play-off semi-finals against the Cobblers he was unbeatable; a rock. The final against Lincoln City was not as secure – on TV he made the same mistakes as he had eighteen months earlier at Canvey Island in the FA Cup and looked distinctly suspect on crosses into the penalty area. It sets up another intriguing battle for the number one jersey…

Robert Craven
www.thelittlegazette.com