24th Feb Match Thread

[Greenacres]

I have just checked and I am pretty sure it was towards the end of the 98/99 season, so it must have been before your club reformed.

I think a lot of teams overlook the advantage of investing in a good pitch, drainage is of course the key, as many find out to their cost. It is extremely rare that games are postponed in the higher divisions due to an unplayable pitch, even in the worst winter weather, it is most often because the areas around the grounds are considered dangerous. We are really lucky to be near the top of a hill, which should be an advantage as water generally flows downwards, but even in our first couple of seasons at the ground we had drainage problems in front of the main stand. This hasn't been an issue recently and the pitch generally looks pretty good.

 

[GTFC1979]

I wouldn't have thought the condition of Halifax's pitch would matter too much, as the ball is normally 20 foot in the air for 90 minutes.....

 

[Pliny Harris]

I have just checked and I am pretty sure it was towards the end of the 98/99 season, so it must have been before your club reformed.

I think a lot of teams overlook the advantage of investing in a good pitch, drainage is of course the key, as many find out to their cost. It is extremely rare that games are postponed in the higher divisions due to an unplayable pitch, even in the worst winter weather, it is most often because the areas around the grounds are considered dangerous. We are really lucky to be near the top of a hill, which should be an advantage as water generally flows downwards, but even in our first couple of seasons at the ground we had drainage problems in front of the main stand. This hasn't been an issue recently and the pitch generally looks pretty good.

It's the main thing that will either prevent us from being a football league team or make us a laughable one. Forget local apathy, this is the hot topic.

No real problems from water running downhill as the ground is level just at the top of the slope on all sides, just the water that stands there when it falls on the pitch, stands that keep out the best of the sunlight, and near non-existent drainage. The New Lawn is situated very well and honestly in Halifax you couldn't find many better places to build a stadium even if you had absolutely anywhere to choose from.

 

[Nansan]

Gateshead don't ground share, although I think they played 6 games at Hartlepool's Victoria Park last year because they couldn't play on their own pitch

we no longer groundshare as the egg chasers have merged with Newcastle and now play at Kingston Park. Our pitch issues were two years ago now and we havn't had a league game postponed since. Fa cup tie last year and a couple of trophy games this year have been lost due to severe and adverse weather.
That said we have had so much rain the pitch, whilst drains well, doesnt seem to dry out which is why its a bit bog like. Tomorrow should be ok and it would be good to actually win a game for a change.

 

[Davidimp]

Didn't even realise Halifax-Eastleigh was scheduled for tomorrow but I'd say there's more chance of us winning 10-0 than a game being played on that pitch.

If you score early enough against you never know the way we play away from home!

 

[Davidimp]

Six games in total tomorrow evening.

Alfreton vs Dartford

Big 6 pointer here. A home win sees them move 7 points clear of their opponents, and out of the bottom four for the time being. A draw isn't very good for either side in my opinion, while 3 points for Dartford would open it up for them again.

Bristol Rovers vs Braintree

Rovers can move to the top of the league with a win here, as Barnet don't play tomorrow night. They should win, with Braintree losing 10 of their 15 games on the road thus far.

Grimsby vs AFC Telford

Again, you'd imagine a home win, on paper. However Grimsby have lost 3 of their last 4 at Blundell Park, but confidence should be high after an excellent win at the weekend. Telford haven't won since a 4-0 win at Wrexham 4 games ago. If Grimsby want to push on towards the top 3 they have to be winning this sort of match.

Wrexham vs Forest Green

Wrexham play host to an inform FGR side who are unbeaten in 8, with 6 wins in that run. Rovers are good on the road, picking up 26 points, the fourth highest in the league, while Wrexham are quite average at the Racecourse, though recent results show signs of improvement. Tough one to call.

Gateshead vs Kidderminster

Out of form Gateshead welcome Kidderminster to the North East. The Heed haven't won in their last 7 at home, but Kiddy aren't exactly in a run of form either. This probably won't be on for some reason anyway, and it'll be another for Gateshead to play in the run-in.

Torquay vs Lincoln

We're pretty crap. Lincoln are terrible on the road. I'd like to think we'd win this but with a lot of focus on Saturdays second leg we probably won't. If we are still looking at top 5 then we need to be winning around 10 of our last 13 in my opinion, starting with tomorrow night.

Do you think you'll be resting any players with the big game on Saturday in mind?

 

[TheGas]

Our pitch looks lovely. Glad as well. We're poo on poo pitches. As Dartford found out

 

[BeesKnees]

Good luck Marks & Sparkes. With hopefully Mensah proving to be a challenge to the Bristol defence.

 

[Gassy]

Got a 0-0 feeling. Think the pressure will be too much

 

[DarkSithLord]

Very nervous this morning.
Someone posted our record since the 1st of January 2014. When we were 3rd in the league
15 drew 10 lost 29 goals for 65 goals against 101

 

[yellow]

Do you think you'll be resting any players with the big game on Saturday in mind?

Nah, Hargreaves is still pumping the playoffs line, so I'd expect a strong 11. May rest a couple, but I expect Campbell (who apparently did well in his short spell on Saturday) and Reid to start.

Fortunately it's supposed to be dry all day today after concerns it was supposed to be a right storm down here, so the game should be on, albeit ruining the pitch ahead of Saturday.

 

[Luke Imp]

I'll settle for trailing 1-0 in the 93rd minute and end up winning 2-1 again...

EDIT - No coach running either, which is the first time I can remember one not being run in all my time of watching Lincoln.

 

[slaphead]

It's the main thing that will either prevent us from being a football league team or make us a laughable one. Forget local apathy, this is the hot topic.

No real problems from water running downhill as the ground is level just at the top of the slope on all sides, just the water that stands there when it falls on the pitch, stands that keep out the best of the sunlight, and near non-existent drainage. The New Lawn is situated very well and honestly in Halifax you couldn't find many better places to build a stadium even if you had absolutely anywhere to choose from.

We spoke to some of your fans in the pub after our game up there early in the season, we asked why the grass was left so long, and was that the reason behind the change in tactics this year. Last term I remember Halifax being one of the best footballing teams we played, not one that launched it. The reason we were given was that the council are heavily influenced by the Cuddly League mob and do as they want, even though they are not paying up. Any truth in this, and if so, is there an alternative to playing at the Shay?

 

[DarkSithLord]

Alfreton v Dartford is OFF. Waterlogged Pitch. Disappointing.

 

[slaphead]

Alfreton v Dartford is OFF. Waterlogged Pitch. Disappointing.

Understandable after the state it was in Saturday.

 

[Luke Imp]

Our game postponed at 1/1.30pm.

 

[DarkSithLord]

Thats awful. Lincoln fans really have been treated badly with postponments this season!

 

[Luke Imp]

Team coach were an hour or so away having left at 9am to get there nice and early. So about it'll end up about 10 hours of travelling time for nothing.

Apparently we had been on the phone to them all morning and there were never any problems until a phone call out of the blue saying it was off.

Call me cynical, but Torquay had apparently asked for the game to be re-arranged again quite late on, which we declined...

 

[CrazyImp]

Tinpot Torquay, has quite a nice ring to it doesn't it.

As stated previously, some of the clubs in this division are laughable, a myth.

 

[les.gtfc]

Looks like Torquay want their pitch in the best possible condition for Saturday's 2nd leg FA Trophy Semi-Final.

 

[TheGas]

No one can postpone a game without anyone moaning

 

[Vanni]

Tinpot Torquay, has quite a nice ring to it doesn't it.

As stated previously, some of the clubs in this division are laughable, a myth.

There's something fantastically tinpot about Torquay, but in a good way if you know what I mean. Problem is I don't know what it is exactly.

 

[Urban]

Team coach were an hour or so away having left at 9am to get there nice and early. So about it'll end up about 10 hours of travelling time for nothing.

Apparently we had been on the phone to them all morning and there were never any problems until a phone call out of the blue saying it was off.

Call me cynical, but Torquay had apparently asked for the game to be re-arranged again quite late on, which we declined...

Not the first time they've done something dodgy to postpone a game. We had the whole #HosepipeGate last season. Twice can't be a coincidence.

 

[Vanni]

Erm, no #TEAMMACC game tonight ?

 

[DarkSithLord]

Erm, no #TEAMMACC game tonight ?

No their in county cup action against Crewe.

 

[CrazyImp]

Erm, no #TEAMMACC game tonight ?

Team Macc, oh dear, are they the Aldi equivalent of the #MaccMachine2015, aka the champions elect? What a disservice.

I stand by my comments earlier. To be an hour away from the shot glass full of sand and water that is there without any common sense indication of a postponement, having travelled for hours already, to quote a certain Mr Mourinho: I cannot find the adjective to describe this.

My club can be as broke as it wants - it'll still have more courtesy and properness about it than the majority, unfortunately this doesn't win points.

You may now all call me a better looking version of B2TF, the end.

 

[Shotsfan1993]

Alfreton v Dartford is OFF. Waterlogged Pitch. Disappointing.

Not massively suprised. The pitch didnt look good at the end of Saturdays game. Guessing any rain you had since then killed it off?

 

[DarkSithLord]

Not massively suprised. The pitch didnt look good at the end of Saturdays game. Guessing any rain you had since then killed it off?

Yes it tipped it down the majority of Sunday and last night. Not surprised myself just wanted the game on and 3 points. Means we will be in to March having not played Dartford at all yet/
Think Us v Dartford and Barnet v Halifax are the only teams not to meet each other yet?

 

[Gashead]

Feeling that Braintree will be solid defensively tonight, even a lot of their away losses have only been 1-0

With our lack of attacking prowess, 0-0 may be on the cards...

 

[Pliny Harris]

We spoke to some of your fans in the pub after our game up there early in the season, we asked why the grass was left so long, and was that the reason behind the change in tactics this year. Last term I remember Halifax being one of the best footballing teams we played, not one that launched it. The reason we were given was that the council are heavily influenced by the Cuddly League mob and do as they want, even though they are not paying up. Any truth in this, and if so, is there an alternative to playing at the Shay?

Happen. That one's new to me I think, but I wouldn't put it past them!