2016/17 National League North

[AnimoEtFide]

Wish that were three points, but I'm still happy by the manner in which we shared the spoils.

Had we been 1–0 down at the Shay by half-time, record attendance being announced, to any team in this league at all, we wouldn't be best pleased. If we'd then been granted a penalty, a sending off for the opposition and an own goal, only to concede an equaliser in the final minute of added time, then we'd be livid.

Not the best performance but a more together display from the defence in some ways. Especially sweet to slightly disrupt all the non-league Disney going on across the segregation barriers. Salford is a home from home to me, but once they equalised and all they could think of was waving at us and grunting "TOP OF THE LEAGUE" and ironically cheering every move we made, I could separate the city from the City. When they got their winner (they effectively won because most of their fans had left the ground once the equaliser went in), one of them even got their morbidly obese infant to waddle up to us with his arms outstretched. Fuck that. When you know you visited Moor Lane before 90% of their current fanbase did, it's worth giving it back. A lad in my sixth form played for them back then!

Having already played half our games with the Bankrolled Three, it's now or never that we get some form going.

That's exactly how I imagined a visit to Salford City to be. Not looking forward to being surrounded by a bunch of gobby bandwagon jumpers, especially as they'll probably spank us. Hope we'll never have to play them again after this season, however that comes about. Same goes for the other Manchester United franchise in the division

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

got thumped at flyde, not a surprise but at least that is the horrific run of the top 3 sides back-to-back out of the way.

bad night for us really with afew wins for the sides down near bottom, but we need now to focus on this spell of games where we've more a chance of winning.

 

[DarkSithLord]

It's only just turned September and Alfreton have already conceded 26 goals!?

Words cannot express how bad we are. Our defence has to be seen to be believed. We are an absolute car crash at the back.
I am still fuming this morning. If you can concede 5 to that very poor Worcester side who are about as bad as this division will serve up then you might as well give us a pass to Step 3 right now.

We are in serious danger of being the whipping boys this season now and if rumours are to believed that Chairman Mr Bradley is refusing to sign any players then I see nothing but misery for us. It really is a sad state of affairs at the minute.

A certain Danny Cowley was sat behind my shoulder last night so I exoect Dan Bradley who also looked to be suffering with this awful lack of confidence which has gripped the squad like a disease at the moment, last night will be off soon.

Worcester are very poor and will not score 5 again this season (expect when they visit us) and I would not be surprised if they are relegated with us come the end of the season.

 

[Pliny Harris]

That's exactly how I imagined a visit to Salford City to be. Not looking forward to being surrounded by a bunch of gobby bandwagon jumpers, especially as they'll probably spank us. Hope we'll never have to play them again after this season, however that comes about. Same goes for the other Manchester United franchise in the division

Yep pretty much. Another club who lack that classic non-league welcome I've been hearing so much about these past eight years. They did have it though, back at the game I attended there in 2009. A motley crew in the grandstand singing away as their team went from rock bottom in winter with a couple of points, to second bottom and safe just in time for the final game. They sung and engaged in friendly digs with us throughout the game that day, although there was a stony silence when they conceded the only goal of the game, which was understandable as their survival had fallen on the rocks at the time. Now they're another club I don't have the Vision to comprehend who you only hear from when they're jeering. It's strange how most of my decent meetings in person have been against the large, big bollocks sides: even Rochdale fans are nice to you when you're watching Bury. I guess you've seen it all before after four seasons down here.

I have to commend them on their prices though. It cost £13 for three of us last night. £48 for four of us at Flyde (one adult, two students, one octogenarian), £18 for an adult at FGR, similar at £astleigh, probably the same standard when we go back to Harrogant... These sides tend to say that they've "only got the 6th best budget in the league", a random guess to make it sound like making the playoffs showed a lot of financial astuteness. It's refreshing that one of these sides knows which side its bread is buttered.

Anyway, getting to this point has taken some doing on our own behalf. Best pull our socks up.

 

[Idsall Buck]

Telford 1-0 Kiddy Harriers. Get in! Always nice to do over your local rivals. Top drawer away following of around 450.

 

[StanLee]

We have confirmed the signing of Jimmy Ball from Stalybridge after we put in a 7 day notice to them last week.

Seems a handy player. Scored a cracker against us for Staly earlier in the season, and it's another option in midfield for us.

Tonight we head up to Darlington on the back of 2 wins narrow wins against Worcester and Altrincham. Tough away game against a side who have started really well following promotion, and we have very much flattered to deceive so far this season. Would be happy with a point.

 

[appletablepenny]

Agree with you Robin, good game, probably an OK result, thought we had won it deep in added time. If it's any consolation I thought you looked a better side than Tamworth who we beat away on Saturday, your overall fitness looks lacking. Our weak link was unsurprisingly Josh O'Keefe! Overall satisfied with a point.

I thought Chorley looked decent last night, Carver (? - the number 9) and Walker were a handful. Yes, it was good to see O'Keefe hasn't suddenly transformed into a world beater over the summer. If he'd scored instead of punting that ball into the Cheshire night sky, I wouldn't have been happy. Has Leather been playing at right back all season? He filled in there (and left back) quite regularly for us over the past couple of years.

 

[Clem Fandango]

Apparently we were pretty crap last night at Tamworth, a place we always seem to lose at. Improved in the second half but conceded a late third trying to chase the game. Reliably informed we had 60-70 there, probably the lowest amount we've taken there I can remember.

I was at the planning meeting where our stadium application was finally approved. Got to have all the conditions signed off and the full plan approved in October before anything major can happen down there but it's a formality now and just going through the legal process. Be interesting to see whether our gates go up as a result of people knowing it's finally happening..

 

[Modernist]

Congrat's clem, be great to see Gloucester finally with their own ground.

 

[Prodigal]

Robin, we actually play with 3 CB's, with Leather on the right of the three, that is how we have tended to set up this season with two "wing backs" meaning it can be 5 at the back if needed. Scott Leather has been in good form all season. Carver cane to us having turned down a new contract at Accrington as he wanted to play regularly, together with Walker they are quite a handful.

 

[Pliny Harris]

Apparently we were pretty crap last night at Tamworth, a place we always seem to lose at. Improved in the second half but conceded a late third trying to chase the game. Reliably informed we had 60-70 there, probably the lowest amount we've taken there I can remember.

I was at the planning meeting where our stadium application was finally approved. Got to have all the conditions signed off and the full plan approved in October before anything major can happen down there but it's a formality now and just going through the legal process. Be interesting to see whether our gates go up as a result of people knowing it's finally happening..

That's great news Dave, is the ground design the same as before?

 

[AndyPark]

Great 2-1 win for Darlo at home to Stockport in front of 1700+ again for 2nd game in a row.

Can count ourselves lucky with 3 points, but with a patched up defence. Well done Quakers.

 

[David Curries Mullet]

Good win, though Stockport will count themselves unlucky. They were much the better team first half, and but for great goalkeeping, a tremendous goalline clearance from Marrs, and some poor finishing, they could have been out of sight by halftime, instead of all level. Second half we were much better, but they still had chances to get something from the game. One thing we will always do is keep going, and our determination saw us over the line. Missing both Centre backs, plus Gillies, so happy with three points. Stockport's centre forward dominated our two wing backs filling in as centre halves, and was suprised they took him off. Marrs did very well against Lloyd after a shaky start. On to nuneaton.

 

[AnimoEtFide]

Bit annoying to lose that. Given that Darlo looked very comfortable in the second half it would be a bit churlish to claim we deserved to win, but given the chances we created in the second half we should really have bagged enough to merit a draw. The first half was the story of our season - good going forward and creating chances but always shaky at the back. No idea what happened for their first. It looked as though they had three lining up in the six yard box to knock the ball in with not a centre-half in sight. We are especially weak down our left and it definitely looks like opposition teams have worked that out as they seem to direct all their play down that flank. Whereas Minihan is quite good at tracking back and giving the right back cover, Duxbury seems to get none at all and as a result is continuously getting outnumbered and caught out of position. It all looks very unbalanced.

Start of the second half we were awful. Hopeless punts up to Amis who, whatever his strengths may be, certainly do not include winning the ball in the air or holding up play. We basically gave Darlington the ball for the whole of the second half up until they scored. Things improved with the triple substitution. Odejayi showed why he should start because within 30 seconds of coming on he did a hell of a lot more than Amis had managed all game. Odejayi gets a lot of stick - some deserved, some downright moronic - but if we really are planning to play direct he is the best man to go up top. Spencer also did very well when he came on and, if fit, should definitely be replacing Marsden who had another anonymous game. We created a few more chances but Darlo did well to see the game out.

 

[David Curries Mullet]

Was suprised Spencer didn't start as he dominated our defenders twice for Hyde last season, although he seemed to be carrying some timber when he came on.

 

[StanLee]

Boston United at home tomorrow for us. Hopefully get back to winning ways following a very unfortunate defeat to Darlo on Wednesday night.

Tomorrow also sees the return to EP of Boston striker Lamin Colley who will almost certainly score!

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

Curzon have Tamworth at home.

Interesting game as it may highlight if we shall be comfortable midtable or a relegation battler.

Not saying Tamworth are rubbish, but at home we've mostly played the much bigger or richer sides most which we had limited chance anyway.

Is these games we cannot really afford to lose

 

[appletablepenny]

Curzon have Tamworth at home.

Interesting game as it may highlight if we shall be comfortable midtable or a relegation battler.

Not saying Tamworth are rubbish, but at home we've mostly played the much bigger or richer sides most which we had limited chance anyway.

Is these games we cannot really afford to lose

Big Dave - when are you going to change your username to BigDaveCAFC?

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

I'm not going to as I am a Carlisle fan just supporting a local non league side for a couple of seasons until I can afford to travel back up to Carlisle and watch games.

But I still support Carlisle, but my view this season is trying to at least embrace and get into following Curzon than just turning up

 

[Josh Butler]

Boston United at home tomorrow for us. Hopefully get back to winning ways following a very unfortunate defeat to Darlo on Wednesday night.

Tomorrow also sees the return to EP of Boston striker Lamin Colley who will almost certainly score!

More chance of us getting a result than Lamin Colley coming off the bench to score. A useful scientific experiment though in proving that chickens can survive in a decapitated state for a long time

 

[Benfcht]

Stalybridge at home today. Should be a comfortable win to get us back on track and going for that title. Comfortable 6 games coming up for us but it's been worrying not beating any of the other top sides. On paper we probably have the best squad in the league without injuries. We seriously need McManus back (torn acl) and Matty brown back (having ankle operation). Josh Wilde and Danny hone are the weak links and what makes our defence the let down.

 

[Harrier94]

I really want us to win today but I can't see it happening 2-0 Salford.

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

Curzon 0-2 so far.

Defending is shambolic, need to sort defence or bottom 3 is coming. Second goal was so bad I had to just get the chocolate out.

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

Oh dear 0-3 down and could be 6.

Long hard season ahead

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

Curzon 1-3 Tamworth.

Thank god, deserving nothing from this, should be thumped, grabbed a scrappy goal from a rare attack from a free kick.......maybe it will bring confidence for a fightback

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

Maybe not.

5-1 to Tamworth and fully deserved, should have had 10 id say

 

[Who Needs Mourinho]

Oh well another mid-table National League North finish it is - it could be worse we could be Altrincham.

 

[Harrier94]

What a win. Early goal from McQuilkin who scored a training ground set piece from 25 yards. The rest of the first half there was a couple of chances either way but nothing major. Second Half started with Simon Grand getting a straight red for Salford, he flew in late and high on Big Mani and got a deserved straight red. Dunno what the managers said to them but think Grand took it literally. The rest of the second half we dominated but couldn't score then the final 10 minutes Salford bombarded us but we held on.

Big 3 points for us and a couple of teams around us dropping points, onto Tamworth.

 

[SomeMightShay]

I bloody love Alfreton

 

[Sparrow]

I bloody love Alfreton

I don't.