2020/21 General Match Thread

[Gassy]

Embarrassing from Nichols? Lol it was a definite penalty, wait until you see it on TV.

Can’t comment on the ‘stone wall’ penalty, if there was one for the first half I might have seen that.. was it where it (on mobile) looked like his stomach? Otherwise from what I saw I can’t remember what happened.

The ref wasn’t awful, you just didn’t know how to play him. He gave fouls when they were fouls, we essentially were better at drawing them out, especially JCH. The amount of times we’d hold the ball up and you’d clatter into us and somehow moan how the ref was cheating you was insane.

Personally if my team is losing 1-0 and we kicked a strikers legs from behind, I wouldn’t be singing “you don’t know what you’re doing”, instead I’d be moaning about our stupid defender wasting another 30 seconds for a freekick. The dive from your player in the box in the 73rd minute as well was deserved of a yellow card - absolutely shocking.

Also, when players go down injured and get subbed off from that injury they normally get either an applause or nothing. Lincoln fans booed Nichols off for time wasting while he was on the floor which ended up with him getting subbed

Deserved win overall IMO, we lacked creativity as usual but our defending was excellent

 

[Guernica]

Embarrassing from Nichols? Lol it was a definite penalty, wait until you see it on TV.

Can’t comment on the ‘stone wall’ penalty, if there was one for the first half I might have seen that.. was it where it (on mobile) looked like his stomach? Otherwise from what I saw I can’t remember what happened.

The ref wasn’t awful, you just didn’t know how to play him. He gave fouls when they were fouls, we essentially were better at drawing them out, especially JCH. The amount of times we’d hold the ball up and you’d clatter into us and somehow moan how the ref was cheating you was insane.

Personally if my team is losing 1-0 and we kicked a strikers legs from behind, I wouldn’t be singing “you don’t know what you’re doing”, instead I’d be moaning about our stupid defender wasting another 30 seconds for a freekick. The dive from your player in the box in the 73rd minute as well was deserved of a yellow card - absolutely shocking.

Also, when players go down injured and get subbed off from that injury they normally get either an applause or nothing. Lincoln fans booed Nichols off for time wasting while he was on the floor which ended up with him getting subbed

Deserved win overall IMO, we lacked creativity as usual but our defending was excellent

Disagree with all of that but there you go, other than O'Connors dive which which I agree with. Honestly, you think that was a pen? Jesus.

 

[CCFC_Charlie]

Top of the league, nice one

 

[TractorBoys]

That's by far and away the worst we have played this season.

Donny should feel hard done too despite not scoring.

Positives are we picked up a point against one of the better sides. We've now faced Burton, Sunderland, P'boro and Donny and remain unbeaten.

Once Sears, Keane, Huws and Garbutt are match fit I'd like to think we'll be a cut above... though I accept 4 or 5 sides in this league will feel the same.

 

[Gassy]

Disagree with all of that but there you go, other than O'Connors dive which which I agree with. Honestly, you think that was a pen? Jesus.

What part of it isn’t a foul in the box?

 

[Luke Imp]

I wasn't there but the pens are the wrong way round IMO.

The guy's handled the ball (probably going wide, but still handled it) and the winning penalty, the players goes well out of his way to back into Eardley. He's basically barged into him himself.

 

[Tom_ITFC]

Doncaster really did impress me today. A tidy side who work brilliantly as a team.

Unlucky not to take all three points home with them. I was in line with the shot that eventually hit the post and honestly thought it was going in, felt like I was watching it in slow motion!

 

[Gassy]

I think they’re both pens, having just seen the replays.

About time we had some luck with it after Accys dive last week at the end which lost us 2 points

 

[Shrimpurh]

Maybe we could give you Leonard back. That would help us both out.

Has he been that bad? I thought he’d be able to make the step up tbh. Would obviously take him back in a heart beat. Hoping we pinch your coach being Barrett as our new manager

 

[Super_horns]

Well Phil Parkinson has just ruled himself ou of the job on the Football league show .

 

[Kim Mitten]

Deserved the win vs wycombe, very poor from both teams in the 1st half, we were much the better team and half.

Was expecting much more from wycombe considering their start all the did was fall over a roll around for ages

Got to agree. 1st half was just two teams hoofing it into the channels, both teams looked threatening from set pieces though.
Was a bit of a culture shock for someone who has spent the early part of the season watching a very slow tikka takka!

2nd half Gills fully deserved the win, all changed when Hanlan came on, superb burst down the left and good cross then a wonderful finish. I knew Mandron was at Gillingham but seriously he's starting League One games?!?
Penalty looked incredibly dubious but Gillingham deserved the win regardless.

As for Southend, a point!!! EIEIEIO.

 

[Meadow]

Trying to think about the syllabus of a "Gillingham Training Camp"...
Module 1 - "Large Scale Meccano in Stadium Construction"
Module 2 - "Serial employment of Hessenthalers"
Module 3 - "Suitable Mourning of much-loved Chelonians"
Module 5 - "Supplying Pies to Coaching Staff"
Module 6 - "Your New Career with AFC Wimbledon"

(Module 4 - "The Care and Maintenance of Ponytails" has been discontinued due to the equipment having been exported to Humberside)

 

[wangle]

We were crap and so were Rovers.

Both teams could defend well but were pretty awful going forward.

The game hinged on two decisions that both went Bristol's way. If he calls the first one, we have the chance to go 1 up after a few mins and they'd be down to 10 men. He pretty much bottled it.

 

[Gassy]

We were crap and so were Rovers.

Both teams could defend well but were pretty awful going forward.

The game hinged on two decisions that both went Bristol's way. If he calls the first one, we have the chance to go 1 up after a few mins and they'd be down to 10 men. He pretty much bottled it.

Why would we be down to 10 men from a hand ball?

The rule is a yellow card, not straight red.

And we’re Rovers or Bristol Rovers - not Bristol. I expect stupid Man Utd & Arsenal fans to write that, not EFL.

 

[Plumbob]

Why would we be down to 10 men from a hand ball?

The rule is a yellow card, not straight red.

And we’re Rovers or Bristol Rovers - not Bristol. I expect stupid Man Utd & Arsenal fans to write that, not EFL.

Agreed.
First view and that is all the ref gets, from half-way and high in the main stand, I didnt think either was a pen. Handball, I thought but But between shoulder and chest, I might have the wrong appeal on that but it's the only one I recall. Yours was a soft as can be, no contact initiated by our lad.
My mate and I were convinced the game would be 0-0 unless the referee did something ridiculous, and that looked very likely from very early on. I thought he would send someone off for very little, the other lad thought he would give a crazy penalty.
If you think the ref was ok, good for you, but i doubt you would have been happy in our seats. As you said silly decision cost you at Accy. To an extent, these things even out, but they really shouldn't happen as often as they do.
Good luck for the rest of the season, like us, you'll need it if yesterday is all you have.

 

[wangle]

Why would we be down to 10 men from a hand ball?

The rule is a yellow card, not straight red.

And we’re Rovers or Bristol Rovers - not Bristol. I expect stupid Man Utd & Arsenal fans to write that, not EFL.

That's probably right actually. For some reason I was thinking deliberate handball stopping a certain goal, which it wasn't.


Haha! Sorry mate, touched a nerve there?

 

[THE LAST WALTZ]

Has he been that bad? I thought he’d be able to make the step up tbh. Would obviously take him back in a heart beat. Hoping we pinch your coach being Barrett as our new manager

If you get Adam Barrett as manager I will be seriously cheering you to stay up.
Wasn’t with us that long but a terrific, heart on the sleeve defender and a genuinely nice guy.

 

[Gassy]

Agreed.
First view and that is all the ref gets, from half-way and high in the main stand, I didnt think either was a pen. Handball, I thought but But between shoulder and chest, I might have the wrong appeal on that but it's the only one I recall. Yours was a soft as can be, no contact initiated by our lad.
My mate and I were convinced the game would be 0-0 unless the referee did something ridiculous, and that looked very likely from very early on. I thought he would send someone off for very little, the other lad thought he would give a crazy penalty.
If you think the ref was ok, good for you, but i doubt you would have been happy in our seats. As you said silly decision cost you at Accy. To an extent, these things even out, but they really shouldn't happen as often as they do.
Good luck for the rest of the season, like us, you'll need it if yesterday is all you have.

I just think your players didn’t manage the game well. The ref was more in our favour, but because we made him in our favour, especially after the goal. The amount of times Clarke-Harris held the ball so long doing nothing and got clattered into resulting in a freekick was unreal. Sure he went down easily in them but they were hardly dives, they were fouls no doubt - when you’re 1-0 at home you need to be smarter.

Honestly this is what we struggled with when we had a very similar journey to you from NL to L1. L2 wasn’t much of a difference but the game management, strength and finishing was the big step up IMO. For the last 2 years we’ve been struggling with this, but GC has finally got us to manage it better so it’s so refreshing to do it to someone else.

We are long from the finished article, long way to go but you could see without JCH up front we don’t have much going for us up top. I’ve enjoyed watching your journey though, good luck to yourselves but I’m curious to see life after Cowley. Has the bubble burst?

That's probably right actually. For some reason I was thinking deliberate handball stopping a certain goal, which it wasn't.


Haha! Sorry mate, touched a nerve there?

Haha sorry for the bite, I hate being called Bristol, as all Rovers & City fans do. No one calls Man Utd Manchester or the Sheffield clubs Sheffield, so for us it feels deeply disrespectful - for me anyway lol

 

[SF_]

Grayson.

 

[Plumbob]

I just think your players didn’t manage the game well. The ref was more in our favour, but because we made him in our favour, especially after the goal. The amount of times Clarke-Harris held the ball so long doing nothing and got clattered into resulting in a freekick was unreal. Sure he went down easily in them but they were hardly dives, they were fouls no doubt - when you’re 1-0 at home you need to be smarter.

Honestly this is what we struggled with when we had a very similar journey to you from NL to L1. L2 wasn’t much of a difference but the game management, strength and finishing was the big step up IMO. For the last 2 years we’ve been struggling with this, but GC has finally got us to manage it better so it’s so refreshing to do it to someone else.

We are long from the finished article, long way to go but you could see without JCH up front we don’t have much going for us up top. I’ve enjoyed watching your journey though, good luck to yourselves but I’m curious to see life after Cowley. Has the bubble burst?

Think we've had a slow puncture for a few weeks. Maybe the players knew something was coming?
Yesterday was the worst we've played since the last home game of last season. The interim coaching team certainly ruled themselves out of the job of replacing the tyre!

 

[Marked Ox]

Embarrassing from Nichols? Lol it was a definite penalty, wait until you see it on TV.

I saw it on TV and it wasn't a penalty.

 

[Marked Ox]

We were ok and Tranmere were very poor in our 3-0 win. Both looked penalties to me live and in the highlights, although Mellon was complaining about the 1st one. There was no way the Tranmere defender was getting the ball from behind Fosu so should have backed off for the 1st rather than make contact as he did, and the 2nd the defender was done by a superb turn by Shandon Baptiste. Would be interesting to hear Tranmere fans' views who were at the game as it was in front of them. The open play goal (2nd goal) was just some very good composed play.

A comfortable win in the end. Probably about 5 mins at the start of each half when Tranmere were the better team and the rest we were on top although not much end product in the 1st half. We do seem to start slow at the beginning of a half.

If Shandon Baptiste can stay fit (after 2 bad separate injuries last season that he has just got back from) then he could turn out to be a very, very good player. I just hope he is now long term injury free for his sake and the club's as well.

As for Tranmere, based purely on yesterday, were as said very poor. The only player that impressed was Manny Monthe who looked a class act. Putting aside his team's overall performance, he had a right battle with Jamie Mackie and both appeared to enjoy it as they shared a handshake when Mackie got subbed. Stefan Payne was notable in how bad he was.

 

[RLC]

We were ok and Tranmere were very poor in our 3-0 win. Both looked penalties to me live and in the highlights, although Mellon was complaining about the 1st one. There was no way the Tranmere defender was getting the ball from behind Fosu so should have backed off for the 1st rather than make contact as he did, and the 2nd the defender was done by a superb turn by Shandon Baptiste. Would be interesting to hear Tranmere fans' views who were at the game as it was in front of them. The open play goal (2nd goal) was just some very good composed play.

A comfortable win in the end. Probably about 5 mins at the start of each half when Tranmere were the better team and the rest we were on top although not much end product in the 1st half. We do seem to start slow at the beginning of a half.

If Shandon Baptiste can stay fit (after 2 bad separate injuries last season that he has just got back from) then he could turn out to be a very, very good player. I just hope he is now long term injury free for his sake and the club's as well.

As for Tranmere, based purely on yesterday, were as said very poor. The only player that impressed was Manny Monthe who looked a class act. Putting aside his team's overall performance, he had a right battle with Jamie Mackie and both appeared to enjoy it as they shared a handshake when Mackie got subbed. Stefan Payne was notable in how bad he was.

I thought we were the better side for the first twenty five minutes and very poor after the opening goal. I thought both penalties were the correct decisions, although in general the referee was useless, over-officious and fussy and did not let the game flow. The first one was soft, but it was naive of Ridehalgh to make contact rather than just running shoulder to shoulder with the attacker.

Oxford were not great and it was not really a three-nil game, but they had more quality in the vital areas, which has been the case with most of our opponents so far.

As a whole, the performance just emphasised that we have got a massive job on our hands this season. We have probably only got four or five players genuinely good enough for this level, which is to be expected given our limited finances at the moment and the fact a number of the squad were playing National League football fifteen months ago. Monthe still has two years on his contract fortunately.

I just hope our supporters stay patient with Mellon after all that he has done for the club.

 

[thewwfc]

Deserved the win vs wycombe, very poor from both teams in the 1st half, we were much the better team and half.

Was expecting much more from wycombe considering their start all the did was fall over a roll around for ages

Wasn’t there but apparently we were shite. Oh well. As long as we respond in the right way then all is well.

We seem to have become mediocre away and decent at home, which is a reversal on the past few seasons, but I guess that’s preferable for the majority of fans.

 

[wangle]

I just think your players didn’t manage the game well. The ref was more in our favour, but because we made him in our favour, especially after the goal. The amount of times Clarke-Harris held the ball so long doing nothing and got clattered into resulting in a freekick was unreal. Sure he went down easily in them but they were hardly dives, they were fouls no doubt - when you’re 1-0 at home you need to be smarter.

Honestly this is what we struggled with when we had a very similar journey to you from NL to L1. L2 wasn’t much of a difference but the game management, strength and finishing was the big step up IMO. For the last 2 years we’ve been struggling with this, but GC has finally got us to manage it better so it’s so refreshing to do it to someone else.

We are long from the finished article, long way to go but you could see without JCH up front we don’t have much going for us up top. I’ve enjoyed watching your journey though, good luck to yourselves but I’m curious to see life after Cowley. Has the bubble burst?

Haha sorry for the bite, I hate being called Bristol, as all Rovers & City fans do. No one calls Man Utd Manchester or the Sheffield clubs Sheffield, so for us it feels deeply disrespectful - for me anyway lol

I said at the time that as soon as your striker went over it was going to be a penalty because at that point the ref had lost the plot a bit. Clever forward play, but it's very very soft. I expected refs to improve going up to league 1, but a good number of them aren't actually fit enough to keep up with play.

I think when the Cowleys moved on we we're in a false position in the league. Realistically we'll be midtable this season at best, even if the Cowleys were around. It did feel very subdued yesterday, but, hopefully when we get the new manager in place we can regain our direction.

100% was not trying to disrespect, just poor knowledge on my part.

 

[Jockney]

Has he been that bad? I thought he’d be able to make the step up tbh. Would obviously take him back in a heart beat. Hoping we pinch your coach being Barrett as our new manager

Absolutely terrible. Our record signing too! I don't think anyone knows what he does. A shame, as I thought it looked like quite a shrewd signing at the time.

 

[Marked Ox]

I thought we were the better side for the first twenty five minutes and very poor after the opening goal. I thought both penalties were the correct decisions, although in general the referee was useless, over-officious and fussy and did not let the game flow. The first one was soft, but it was naive of Ridehalgh to make contact rather than just running shoulder to shoulder with the attacker.

Oxford were not great and it was not really a three-nil game, but they had more quality in the vital areas, which has been the case with most of our opponents so far.

As a whole, the performance just emphasised that we have got a massive job on our hands this season. We have probably only got four or five players genuinely good enough for this level, which is to be expected given our limited finances at the moment and the fact a number of the squad were playing National League football fifteen months ago. Monthe still has two years on his contract fortunately.

I just hope our supporters stay patient with Mellon after all that he has done for the club.

It certainly wasn't a great game. Thinking back you were indeed the better side for longer than 5 minutes, it wasn't until after Eastwood parried a cross and then the follow up shot was excellently blocked by Gorrin that we took over. We lacked confidence in the 1st half and it showed but the 2nd half you could see it coming back into our game. On paper, potentially we have a decent side but agreed we weren't great yesterday but hopefully we now kick on and fulfil some of that potential.

Good that you have Monthe contracted for another 2 seasons as said he does look a class act. I suspect other clubs will be looking at him next summer whether you stay up or not but you should be in a good negotiating position at the least.

Edit: On the Ref, while he made mistakes, I thought he was generally consistent both ways with those mistakes/interpretations. We've had a lot worse this season.

 

[Gassy]

I said at the time that as soon as your striker went over it was going to be a penalty because at that point the ref had lost the plot a bit. Clever forward play, but it's very very soft. I expected refs to improve going up to league 1, but a good number of them aren't actually fit enough to keep up with play.

I think when the Cowleys moved on we we're in a false position in the league. Realistically we'll be midtable this season at best, even if the Cowleys were around. It did feel very subdued yesterday, but, hopefully when we get the new manager in place we can regain our direction.

100% was not trying to disrespect, just poor knowledge on my part.

Perhaps it was soft, but IMO it’s still a penalty. You’ll just have to get your revenge on us back at the Mem, we’ve had some cracking games over the years including 3-2 at your place in NL.

I know how you feel with being subdued, I had and still do feel sad about Clarke leaving us. And ultimately he didn’t leave us on a high like Cowley did, we also saw his demise with us which was devastating to also see. Even when we went I’d rather have see us in L2 with him than L1 without him. Only really this season have I really been able to move on I think as we started to change the squad over completely.

Referees are much worse in L1 IMO. I find in L2 they’re often the same referees but the pace is much faster in L1 and as you say, they just can’t keep up with it.

 

[Fedora Dale]

Posh 6 - 0 Dale.

There is something to be said for getting half-a-season's worth of defensive errors out of the way in one game, which we may well have lost anyway!

Well-played Posh, though - not many better teams, or better players than Madison and Toney in this league.

 

[Marked Ox]

Posh 6 - 0 Dale.

There is something to be said for getting half-a-season's worth of defensive errors out of the way in one game, which we may well have lost anyway!

Well-played Posh, though - not many better teams, or better players than Madison and Toney in this league.

Is your keeper accident prone in other games or was that just a one off shocker?