WHY was the pitch watered at half time on Tuesday but only in the half we were defending? Chris, e-mail; Geraldine Harper, e-mail

Jacko says: I CAN'T really answer this question because I didn't see where the water went.

What I asked for was the centre of the pitch watering because, as you've no doubt gathered, the stadium surface is quite hard.

In an effort to counteract that, and the ball bouncing as high as it does, we do water the surface heavily before kick-off to try and make it as slick as possible.

For a night match, the sprinklers will be on from about 6pm to give it a real soaking, because the pitch itself is generally bone dry - and it does dry out quickly no matter how much water you put on it, hence the half-time drenching.

WHY is it that we only seem able to play for 45 minutes in a game and not the full 90? John, Cowlersley

Jacko says: I KNOW exactly where you are coming from and it's very frustrating.

Over the season we don't seem to have put together too many consistent 90-minute performances and it was just the same the other night against Chesterfield.

In the first half, we looked a really good side and played some entertaining, attacking football.

In the second half that seemed to get forgotten, the major feature being the fact we didn't get the ball out to our wingers so that they could provide decent service to the frontmen.

When you have got people like Brandon and Schofield attacking like they can then we are going to cause problems for any opposition.

In the first half it worked a treat but in the second we didn't really get the ball into the right areas for them and the chances dried up.

I still feel, too, we were hurt by the changes we had to make with Andy Holdsworth going off at half time, Tom Clarke falling ill after going on as his replacement and Jon Worthington ending up at right-back.

I STILL don't feel it's all over as far as automatic is concerned, but do you feel we need to win all the last three games to stand a chance? Maurice, Honley

Jacko says: YES, I think we could well have to win every game.

That will certainly be our intention, anyway, and then we'll just have to wait and see what happens to the others in the shake-up.

If we had won against Chesterfield, of course, it would have been completely in our hands and we would have been in control of our own destiny.

That's why the defeat hurt so much because now, even if we win all three matches left, we still have to rely on other results going our way.

It wouldn't surprise me if other teams slip up between now and May 6 because that's the way this division has gone from start to finish, but all we can do is keep going and hope.

It's a bitterly disappointing situation to be in when, with a victory on Tuesday, we would have been in a really strong position.

It would also have dealt a psychological as well as numerical blow to our rivals, but they have all been through the same thing in the previous few weeks.

WHY did you play Tom Clarke at right-back instead of putting him alongside his brother in the middle and moving David Mirfin to No2, where he has previously looked strong? Tony, Huddersfield

Jacko says: BOTH Tom Clarke and David Mirfin can play right-back and I didn't see the point of making two changes where one was perfectly acceptable.

I think Nathan Clarke and Mirfin have formed a really good partnership since the injury to Martin McIntosh (it was good to see him back in the Reserves on Wednesday) and I didn't see the need to split them up after the way we played in the first half.

Tom has played right-back in the Reserves and the first team and it's not unfamiliar to him.

What proved the problem was his illness.

While he felt slightly under the weather, Tom didn't believe he would have any problems playing and getting through 45 minutes, but he quickly deteriorated on the pitch.

He had sickness and diarrhoea and when he'd been on the field for less than 10 minutes he could feel his stomach starting to cramp up.

It certainly didn't help Tom or us and contributed to what happened with us losing the passing game which had served us so well in the first 45 minutes.

DO YOU agree that with the possible exception of Andy Holdsworth our younger players haven't come on as much as they might have done this season? James, Almondbury

Jacko says: I THINK the young players at this club have made tremendous leaps in the three years since I've been back here.

There is bound to be a stage where people's development stands still for a while, but our lads are developing and learning all the time and they will definitely become better players over the next couple of years.

Everybody knows how highly I rate them, I have every confidence in the lads who have come through at this club and I always will have.

As for Andy Holdsworth, he has developed into a really good right-back and I think that was proven with how much we missed him when he was forced off against Chesterfield at half time.

Andy gives us so much down the righthand side and we didn't look the same force when he wasn't there.

WHAT happened to our widemen in the second half against Chesterfield? In the first half they were a constant threat but in second, they were no threat at all. Paul, Lockwood

Jacko says: I AGREE with your assessment and, as I explained earlier, we needed to get them in the game a lot more and simply couldn't do it.

In fairness to Chesterfield, they closed us down a lot more than they had done in the first half and that made it more difficult.

It wasn't a surprise that they closed us down more because we had exposed them in the first half and just needed to make more of our domination.

If we'd scored a second goal, there is no doubt in my mind we would have won the game.

Chesterfield obviously felt they were far too open, despite playing five across midfield, and we weren't able to operate down the channels where we'd had so much joy before half time.

It was a shame, because our widemen are a big threat.

Chris can cause problems for any defence when he goes at them, while Danny's touch and balance are tremendous. He tormented Chesterfield in the first half.

PERSONALLY, I feel sorry for Jon Worthington because he's a victim of how the game is administered these days. He would be my vote for player of the season, who would be yours? Chad, Oakes

Jacko says: I DON'T think it would be fair to answer that at this stage, especially as I would offer a few contenders.

Worthy would be one of those in my mind as well, but I think you've also got to mention Andy Booth and Nathan Clarke as well, who have both been very consistent.

I also feel Gary Taylor-Fletcher has done really well at his new club and he has proved an excellent signing for us.

There are others I would like to mention but, by the time I got to the end, I would probably have gone through the names of the whole squad.

That probably illustrates how happy I am with the lads.

And I just hope we can all finish this season with big smiles on our faces and promotion in the bag.