1st Matches of 2021-22 Season: 7th August 2021

[Salvador]

All back to normal now isn’t it. (Highs?)Lows. Optimism faded by 3:10.
Harrogate’s match day experience is a shit as ex non league side fans have made out. 3 toilets and a tiny food kiosk. Not fun.

 

[Chief Rocka]

Well on top against Crawley most of the game deserved the win by the sounds of it. Tyler Burey seems handy?

Class to get that first win on a special day.

Up the fucking Pools.

Best team won over 90 minutes, I think Crawley had one shot second half after about 70 minute, header about three foot wide, we had three glorious chances first half, all going just wide, second half was a little flatter from us but deserved that late goal on the balance of play.

Burey looked good when he came on but you can see the lad is a winger and not a striker, lightening quick and loves to beat his man.

Byrne is gonna be a fan favourite here and Timi had the game of his life, their front line got nothing from him all game.

Fucking get in boys!

 

[WilsdenBantam]

Good game against Exeter despite the score line. We should have scored a goal or two first half but struggled after our RB got injured and we had no replacement on the bench so had to change the spine of our team, second half Exeter were the better team but created little except an absolute sitter which there was no excuse not to score. Fair score in the end, think both teams will be up there.

 

[shoddycollins]

He has been excellent for us whenever he's played since he signed to be fair.

He pulled off some excellent saves for us while he was here, even bagged an assist, but then single handedly cost us two goals in one match when he fumbled two easy catches and was promptly sent back to Liverpool injured so that was our lasting impression of him.

Looked like he definitely carried the ball out of the area in the first half and got away with it but then no idea how he kept Mellish out towards the end.

 

[shoddycollins]

There will be a tense 15 minutes as we get closer to the answer of the question on everyone's mind: Who's starting the relegation thread this year?

You mean HG hasn't started it already?

 

[leedsvaliant]

Northampton weren't great today but didn't need to be. We started well and I thought it was only a matter of time before we scored. Then we went a goal down and all our zip went and would never return after the sending off. Northampton did everything that we need to become, were physical, went down at the right times to break any momentum and looked pretty organised and comfortable to see the game out. They've not got any stand out players but will see a few 1-0s out like that.

We still haven't learned that you need to be cynical at times and try and disrupt the other team's rhythm. We didn't use the 3 decent footballers in midfield anywhere near enough and 3-5-2 sees too many attacks started from deep with aimless balls down the channels. We had Jones who is a defender expected to play at lwb and worrall who is an attacker playing at rwb. It's never going to work. The sooner we go 4-3-2-1 or similar the better.

It's only 1 game and I anticipate we might be in the bottom half after 10 games but hopefully we'll improve. Can't help but think we're missing a player with the x factor to create the chances.

 

[Reginald Fodstain]

We rather lucked out on that one, neither side had a whole lot of chances. Ash Taylor's open goal miss at the end made my weekend. Good numbers from Walsall, we should hopefully take 2k or so to Vale next week.

 

[Stringy]

Think we just about deserved that win. Was a close game but like a 60/40 thing where we were the better team. Clear red card and pretty clear penalty in my admittedly biased eyes from up in the West Stand.

Chuckled at Barton making a point to shake hands with both linos but not the ref after the game too.

Perhaps more than any of that though, just enjoyed being back at a game and in that atmosphere. Few pints beforehand, having a few with me dad afterwards now too. After what we've all been through let's just enjoy the season IMO, whoever you support.

Safe journey home to the Gas that went and good luck for the season to the fans on here.

In my highly biased view I agree you.

If Anderson had scored it might have been a different game. If that's the one who used to play for Lincoln then I swear he used to be much better for Lincoln.

The sending off was ridiculous. The Rovers player got away with it once because the ref didn't see it and then he did exactly the same thing 12 seconds later. That takes stupidity. No rational thought going through his head at all.

 

[Stagat]

In my highly biased view I agree you.

If Anderson had scored it might have been a different game. If that's the one who used to play for Lincoln then I swear he used to be much better for Lincoln.

The sending off was ridiculous. The Rovers player got away with it once because the ref didn't see it and then he did exactly the same thing 12 seconds later. That takes stupidity. No rational thought going through his head at all.

I missed the first incident that they were arguing about just beforehand but saw the one that got him sent off. I don't know anything about the player. He might normally be a measured chap. But what he did today was stupid and he deserved to go fo sho.

 

[Robshep]

Having looked at the alleged red card the Walsall 28 should be retrospectively banned for simulation.

 

[shoddycollins]

Having looked at the alleged red card the Walsall 28 should be retrospectively banned for simulation.

Do they still do that? I remember the season it was introduced but haven't seen a retrospective ban applied in a couple years now.

 

[EricSabin]

Thought Vale were pretty shite today. Didn’t really seem to have an idea going forward, everything was pretty slow and there wasn’t much penetration from them.
Not sure what the keeper was doing for the red, absolutely screaming out of his area, but a comfortable win in the end

 

[Reginald Fodstain]

Re the red, I thought he got the ball, but didn't have the best of views. The replay doesn't really show much either way, as you can't see the contact made (if any) due to the angle, so it will probably stay as the ref's call.

 

[Bottega Don]

Do they still do that? I remember the season it was introduced but haven't seen a retrospective ban applied in a couple years now.

Dieng for Southend was retrospectively banned last year for simulation against us, he got Jordan Clarke sent off and won a penalty.

Think he got a 3 game ban.

 

[saddler78]

We rather lucked out on that one, neither side had a whole lot of chances. Ash Taylor's open goal miss at the end made my weekend. Good numbers from Walsall, we should hopefully take 2k or so to Vale next week.

Thought both sides looked pretty ordinary mate but we will both improve still players to come for both sides.

 

[Pablosammy]

Thought both sides looked pretty ordinary mate but we will both improve still players to come for both sides.

Yep, neither side looked like they've gelled yet but both defended well I thought. Not much between the sides at all.

 

[Randolph Haggerty]

I love the way that Clarke got his excuse in for this defeat, before the game by stating his teams start slow.
I didn’t go, only listened, sounded poor.
Ho hum

 

[EricSabin]

Peter Walton on radio Northampton of
course agreed with the refs decision to send the Vale keeper off because of course

 

[kieran_vale]

Peter Walton on radio Northampton of
course agreed with the refs decision to send the Vale keeper off because of course

It was down the other end so no idea but he’s a fucking idiot putting himself in that position. Seems there’s going to be just as many why the fuck did he do that moments as how did he save that.

Not in the least bit interested in the Sunderland game but first home league game against Tranmere am expecting a response after this.

 

[RiftHouseLad]

splash the cash on a proven CF and we could cause some real problems
for teams.
3 or 4 nil would not of flattered us.

Ground bouncing before and during the match.

 

[RiftHouseLad]

Peter Walton on radio Northampton of
course agreed with the refs decision to send the Vale keeper off because of course

PW is a boring yes man who loves VAR, says it all.

 

[Vale on Trent]

Terrible game of football from both sides. Can’t say I’ve missed watching that.

 

[Robshep]

Re the red, I thought he got the ball, but didn't have the best of views. The replay doesn't really show much either way, as you can't see the contact made (if any) due to the angle, so it will probably stay as the ref's call.

I had the same angle as the camera view but nearer to the pitch. He won the ball cleanly and the Walsall player threw himself on the floor and acted like he was dead. Strange how the treatment he got was on the knee he landed on but not the ankle that was supposed to have been hit by a train from his reaction.
Labadie influence is strong, he did his usual screaming and rolling about garbage a few times.

 

[Robshep]

Yep, neither side looked like they've gelled yet but both defended well I thought. Not much between the sides at all.

Both have improved squads from last season but a lot of new players always takes a while for understanding to happen.

 

[EricSabin]

PW is a boring yes man who loves VAR, says it all.

It was a red from where I sat, no idea what the keeper was doing

 

[EricSabin]

It was down the other end so no idea but he’s a fucking idiot putting himself in that position. Seems there’s going to be just as many why the fuck did he do that moments as how did he save that.

Not in the least bit interested in the Sunderland game but first home league game against Tranmere am expecting a response after this.

No idea why he came steaming out

 

[Chief Rocka]

splash the cash on a proven CF and we could cause some real problems
for teams.
3 or 4 nil would not of flattered us.

Ground bouncing before and during the match.

Great wasn't it, like the proper days of old!

 

[kieran_vale]

No idea why he came steaming out

He got sent off finding himself miles out of his area in a friendly at Chezzy last week. Struggling to recall a keeper getting himself red carded in consecutive games like he has. Just crazy.

 

[RLC]

I thought it was a decent game at Prenton Park today. Walsall looked a reasonable side and had plenty of possession, but were lacking in the final third; our centre halves were excellent and Joe Murphy did not really have a save to make.

I thought our extra quality and experience just about made the difference in the end, as epitomised by the winning goal, which was a great move finished by MacManaman.

 

[SaddlerJonny]

Tranmere and Walsall both fairly average. They scored from the same kind of attack that we had created three times in the second half but wasn’t able to capitalise from. Just that spark of quality was the difference.

Great noise from us I felt, even after being a goal down.