26th/27th League 2 Fixtures

[Chief Rocka]

27th

Must win for both us and Rochdale here, surprising win against Crawley aside our record away is abysmal, we need a collection of wins in this Christmas period before strengthening in January.

Going for an optimistic 2-1 Pools win, Umerah scoring his last goal for Pools before he's flogged to the SPL for tuppence.

 

[Casey]

Etherington's 3rd game in charge.

Did OK in the first, shit show in the 2nd so Lawd only knows for this.

Word is Lynch and Nadersan are out for 8 weeks after their injuries v Pool so that's our attack and defence gone. I've also heard Sutton are going through a tough time so obviously going to turn us over.

I'm full of Christmas cheer.

Casey

 

[BogDaddyO]

Genuinely annoyed our game has been moved - I'll be going so I don't give a monkeys that it's on TV (plus who is going to watch it anyway...), and it makes boxing day so much less enjoyable...
Humbug.

As for the fixture itself, is it a massive game for us, or are we already getting to the point where we can coast our way to a top-3 finish?
We're a colossal 16 points clear of 4th - on average over the last 5 years, 81 points is enough to see you up automatically, so in theory we only need 30 points from 25 games.
Unless, that is, we want to have a crack at Reading's record points haul of 106...

The game will likely be a turgid affair, Stevenage and fatty are not known for their attractive footballing philosophies, I reckon they'll set up for a 0-0 or try to nick a 1-0 as they keep doing all season.

Really hope we give them the 5-0 spanking they deserve and start a run of poor form for them that sees them drop out of the hunt.

Let's be real - they should be in the national league.

 

[EricSabin]

We’re off to Mansfield this Boxing Day, I say we, I’m not due to family commitments.

Judging from the comments of both managers both camps are struggling with illness. We missed a couple on Tuesday due to illness and a couple of players went down with cramp due to not being in the best condition.

Should make it an interesting one, I’d happily take a point but our record against the top teams is good so far this year. Wins away at Stevenage, Bradford, Swindon, point with 10 at Orient, and beating Carlisle and Barrow at home. We’ll definitely go for the 3 points but I can see a draw.

 

[PuB]

A big relegation six pointer for us at home to Colchester we desperately need to win, but mind you they do too. Hopefully the illness we’ve had in the camp which limited players availability on Tuesday night will have cleared up by then.

 

[BarraMatt]

Salford away, I can see any of the three results happening, however I'm there any my away record is horrendous. 2-1 loss.

 

[Bone Idle]

Wombles away!! got my ticket and looking forward to visiting their new ground for the first time, the missus is'nt too happy with me though going to the football in London on boxing day.

 

[DearneValleyRover]

Playing the other Rovers away, they haven’t won for a while and we are very good at accommodating sides like that with a lovely 3 point Christmas, the other thing on their side is we always lose when we’ve had a break

 

[E10rifle]

Genuinely annoyed our game has been moved

Me too. Was looking forward to bailing on the in-laws Boxing Day bullshit. Now it’s on TV the missus doesn’t want me to go so I probably won’t.

Anyhoo, looking forward to Evans praising us to the hilt before the game, acting like a complete c*** and then complaining about how awful everything is after the game no matter the result. Hope we eviscerate the sweaty toad.

 

[gary]

Wombles away!! got my ticket and looking forward to visiting their new ground for the first time, the missus is'nt too happy with me though going to the football in London on boxing day.

Lol. Enjoy the game well not too much !! We have a sickness bug around the squad at the moment so we might have a few player's out.

 

[JaredSUFC]

Is Sutton v Crawley a derby? It’s a strange one.

This is a chance to bounce back from last Saturdays disappointment at Orient as well as a chance to put some distance between us and the bottom 2.

Rumours abound that more of our mega list of injuries may be available and it’ll be a good test for those who recently returned.

 

[pontoonlew]

My first away game where I’ll be sat in the home end, couldn’t get a ticket but wasn’t going to miss out on a Boxing Day game on my doorstep.

No doubt it’ll be a belter and I’ll have to sit there, emotionless

 

[RiftHouseLad]

My first away game where I’ll be sat in the home end, couldn’t get a ticket but wasn’t going to miss out on a Boxing Day game on my doorstep.

No doubt it’ll be a belter and I’ll have to sit there, emotionless

you may be sat alone!

 

[AR27]

Carlisle away for us which is a fixture we never do well in. Really need to win after the last couple of defeats but I guess we can expect Bradford City rejects FC to have their best performances of the season.

Critchlow will be back which is a massive boost as we look so much more solid and composed at the back with him there. Wright should also be fine after another week of rest as he was a doubt for last weekend. Walker may start but it could still be too early for him. 1200 travelling bantams with potd so looking at a good following up there again. Let's hope we're not let down.

 

[Crewelad87]

Stockport away, not a derby but a decent local fixture that can get abit fiesty. Sold just under 1000 tickets which is garbage really but so many of ours fans have become disillusioned by the way it's being ran.

Last time we played them we relegated them into non league so I expect they will be up for revenge of sorts. Were missing our best player and captain in Offord due to suspension, our only goal threat is potentially out injured for the season, so things aren't looking good.

Stockport 3-0 Crewe 10,000 odd (999 Railwaymen)

 

[hellogregory]

Carlisle away for us which is a fixture we never do well in. Really need to win after the last couple of defeats but I guess we can expect Bradford City rejects FC to have their best performances of the season.

Critchlow will be back which is a massive boost as we look so much more solid and composed at the back with him there. Wright should also be fine after another week of rest as he was a doubt for last weekend. Walker may start but it could still be too early for him. 1200 travelling bantams with potd so looking at a good following up there again. Let's hope we're not let down.

How many do we have now?

 

[The Terminator]

Start of a tough period for us. Three games in six days and two of the opponents are 2nd and 3rd with Newport away chucked in the middle. We're gonna lose at least one of these games you'd have thought.

Annoyed the game on Boxing Day has been moved which in turn has moved our game at Newport.

Expecting our squad depth to be tested in this time as well. A draw against Stevenage won't be a disaster, can we turn up in front of the tv cameras? Our record on Sky/BT is poor.

 

[AR27]

How many do we have now?

Gibson, Patrick, Guy and Devitt unless I've missed anyone

 

[hellogregory]

Haven’t been impressed with us at all these past couple of games. Salford away was our one decent performance of recent weeks/months. But other than that we’ve been off it really and I can’t see that changing tomorrow.

I think we’re a poor team who’ve been punching well above it’s weight for months but slowly we’re starting to get found out. Our manager has done a great job, but lack of quality tells and I think it will tomorrow.

Can only see one outcome and that’s an emphatic Bradford win.

Carlisle United 0-3 Bradford City

 

[Casey]

Is Sutton v Crawley a derby? It’s a strange one.

The A217 Derby! It's about ten miles I think.

We are close to each other but we've hardly ever played (Isthmian v Southern). Although there are a few who have played for both side there ain't that many really.

Maybe if the pair of us can stick around for a while....?

Happy Christmas

 

[Meadow]

The A217 Derby! It's about ten miles I think.

Our ground is closer to the A217 than Sutton's is.

Anyhoo, Newport at home. As I work in retail, I had to book the day off work for this. I've not been to a Boxing Day match in years.

How will it go? Not a clue.

 

[JaredSUFC]

The A217 Derby! It's about ten miles I think.

We are close to each other but we've hardly ever played (Isthmian v Southern). Although there are a few who have played for both side there ain't that many really.

Maybe if the pair of us can stick around for a while....?

Happy Christmas

27 miles between the grounds according to Google maps. (There’s 5.2 between Sutton and Wimbledon).

If Wimbledon hadn’t have come down more of a rivalry could have developed. Still should be a big game and it wouldn’t surprise me if there are more Sutton fans at the Broadfield than at Orient last week for the second season running. I

 

[AdamStag]

Home to northampton, see if we can make it 4 wins over them in 2022.

Tbh it’s a game we must win a lot more than them, a win for northampton would leave 3rd 11 points clear of us which wouldn’t really be acceptable.

As mentioned above sounds like there’s a bit of something going round in both camps though i’m sure there’s some mind games in there too

Hopefully a decent crowd and i’d be expecting a good thousand or so from northampton given it’s only an hour or so up the road.

 

[EricSabin]

Home to northampton, see if we can make it 4 wins over them in 2022.

Tbh it’s a game we must win a lot more than them, a win for northampton would leave 3rd 11 points clear of us which wouldn’t really be acceptable.

As mentioned above sounds like there’s a bit of something going round in both camps though i’m sure there’s some mind games in there too

Hopefully a decent crowd and i’d be expecting a good thousand or so from northampton given it’s only an hour or so up the road.

Having to make do with iFollow today unfortunately, family commitments.

Draw acceptable for me I think.

 

[Casey]

Our ground is closer to the A217 than Sutton's is.

Anyhoo, Newport at home. As I work in retail, I had to book the day off work for this. I've not been to a Boxing Day match in years.

How will it go? Not a clue.

It's just a jokey aside but the point was that, although we are close, Crawley v Sutton isn't a Derby (nor is Wimbledon v Crawley).

We haven't had a Derby for 20-30 years and even when we did they were half hearted affairs.

Casey

 

[Shrimper92]

Haven’t been impressed with us at all these past couple of games. Salford away was our one decent performance of recent weeks/months. But other than that we’ve been off it really and I can’t see that changing tomorrow.

I think we’re a poor team who’ve been punching well above it’s weight for months but slowly we’re starting to get found out. Our manager has done a great job, but lack of quality tells and I think it will tomorrow.

Can only see one outcome and that’s an emphatic Bradford win.

Carlisle United 0-3 Bradford City

Have you predicted Carlisle to win a game at all this season?

 

[Son of Cod]

Harrogate away. Both teams in exactly the same form over the last five matches in all comps so a tough one to call. Don't think it's gonna be a particularly scintillating affair with the way either team plays. We'll set up to counter them I'd imagine. Will be interesting to see if Max Wright makes the match day squad for them and it also sounded like Sean Scannell is in contention for us so I'm hoping he'll be on the bench and maybe make an appearance.

Sounds like there's gonna be plenty of Town fans in the home ends for this one.

 

[EricSabin]

Squad looks bloody strong today. 1-0 Mansfield.

 

[hellogregory]

Have you predicted Carlisle to win a game at all this season?

Yes.

 

[Casey]

There was me saying there were very few players who have played for both teams and Sutton have three ex Reds in their team today.

Crawley going with a munchkin attack by the look of it.

Casey