Cheltenham Town	Lincoln City	Rochdale	Cambridge United	West Ham United	Bristol Rovers
Macclesfield Town	Rushden & Diamonds [2]	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

Dudfield in typically wholehearted style against Macclesfield Town

Nobody has ever quite been able to get to the bottom of Lawrie Dudfield’s psyche. When he made his switch from Northampton Town to the Shrimpers, initially on loan, it looked for all the world as though he would become one of the top strikers in the Third Division, as it was then. What transpired in League Two last season was almost Tesfaye Bramble Mk II.

That, of course, would be a tad unfair on someone whose work rate is second to none – not that Bramble’s was always as low on the pitch as it may have appeared. On the training field, the impression is that Dudfield has always striven to produce his best. Perhaps it is the succession of strange and unhealthy injuries that have set him back, but it is not for the want of trying.

The ex-Leicester City player is currently in the midst of being out of contract for the first time in his career. Maybe he will move, to Bristol Rovers perhaps and a new start with Ian Atkins, or to Peterborough United and the wild riches of a season under Barry Fry. Maybe he will stay and chance his arm behind Freddy Eastwood and Wayne Gray. The decision, in the end, will belong to the 25-year-old.

A study of his season must contain the goal-a-game ratio that he maintained in the reserve team in 2004/5. It will mean nothing to Dudfield that he was The Little Gazette’s Player-of-the-Season in that form of the game, but it does prove that he is desperate to be handed a first-team chance.

When he did have that, it was mainly injury, and an unfortunate loan capture of Freddy Eastwood, that put him in the shade. Dudfield was the first Southend United forward to score from open play, against Rushden & Diamonds at Nene Park. He added another from the penalty spot, an important facet of his game.

He looked as though he was the man, and his understanding with Tesfaye Bramble looked set to forge a fine partnership. But a back injury had ruled him out against Colchester United in the LDV Vans Trophy, and although Blues beat Notts County and Kidderminster Harriers with Dudfield up front, he did not score or supply the goals. He was dropped to the bench.

He netted from the spot as a sub against Oxford United, and as a starter in the LDV at old club Northampton, but by then Eastwood was firing on all cylinders, Gray supplying many of his goals. Even a vital goal as a substitute in the home game against Chester City was not enough, and despite have what would have been an important leveller at home in the defeat to Mansfield Town, his start three days later was to rest Tilson’s new star man.

Dudfield played his part – mostly in the LDV, when further goals followed against Swindon and Bristol Rovers – but in League football his biggest impression was a yellow card for a suspected dive at Swansea City, in what was admittedly a joke of a decision. Gray, Eastwood and even Bramble, recalled to the side for the away leg of the play-off semi-final at Northampton after a loan spell at Cambridge United, were ahead of Dudfield in the pecking order.

A fine substitute’s appearance at Cardiff in the final against Lincoln City should have boosted morale. It certainly enhanced agent Richard Cody’s value of the player, and he turned down a new deal at the Hall. Now he waits. His future, at Roots Hall, the Memorial Stadium or London Road, even elsewhere, is uncertain.

Robert Craven
www.thelittlegazette.com