Easter Monday fixtures

[thewwfc]

We continue through the agonising twists and turns of the end of the season on Monday.

Those stationed at either end of the table will as ever have almost as much of an eye on other results as their own, but that's the "fun" of this time of year.

Blackpool v Wrexham should be a close-run thing for starters - technically on the beach, Blackpool are still ahead of Wxm in the form table, so it remains to be seen how Wxm react to today's disappointment v Brovers, especially as they are not always powerhouse away performers.

Brovers v Stevenage is another stonker, Stevenage another beach side, but are traditionally solid and tough to beat, and the Gas will be desperate for a result here with Burton having narrowly leapfrogged them, and BA having a game in hand.

Orient could send Cambridge down, but personally I'll be cheering on Cambridge to deflate the O's and their playoff punt, given that we face the latter straight after Cambridge.

Crawley are another side that may well go down on Monday, but they get some pretty unpredictable results sometimes, so who knows.

Lincoln beating Reading today was surely not on most people's predictions, let's see if they can fuck up the hopes of Bolton too, who are holding onto their playoff desires by their fingernails.

You'd have to guess that Stockport v Hudds is a home banker, sadly.

Very nervous for our home game v Charlton, although at least they can't achieve my original prediction that they would leapfrog us on this day and I'd have to deal with the infuriating gurning of Jones on full time. Well, I still may have to deal with the gurning and fist-pumping. We'll see.

 

[Throbber_for_Dunk]

Orient could send Cambridge down, but personally I'll be cheering on Cambridge to deflate the O's and their playoff punt, given that we face the latter straight after Cambridge.

The double edged nature of things, obviously having known we're down for six weeks means it's been a case of predicting when, not if, but pulling a fantastic result like today out of our arse only means we get to go down at home in front of a packed house against a fairly local side (the ironic gurns of the "M11 derby" aside).

Personally, I'd bookmarked today as the day, so I'm happy it hasn't happened yet but I'd imagine it'll feel a lot worse to do it home to Orient.

There is, of course, "the hope". Beat the O's and we have Burton next, would that just be an even worse way to go down?! Hard to say.

 

[folletto]

We haven’t been playing brilliantly lately and tend to be slightly reserved away. That being said I feel Iike the pressure is off us a bit this game whilst it’s piled on Wycombe. A win sees us still praying that we can pull of the miracle of automatics. Anything other than a win practically confirms we can’t catch Wycombe

 

[Arbury]

Lorient at home which has turned into a pretty big game for both sides, since Lorient promotion they’ve had our number and not once have we given them a game, hoping that changes on Monday and we at least make them break a sweat for there inevitable win.

We’re somehow still in with a chance after giving everyone a 10 game head start, this lge is proper cack this year and we should have been relegated along time ago, just a few points in those first 10 games would have made all the difference.

UIE.

 

[The Terminator]

Lorient at home which has turned into a pretty big game for both sides, since Lorient promotion they’ve had our number and not once have we given them a game, hoping that changes on Monday and we at least make them break a sweat for there inevitable win.

We’re somehow still in with a chance after giving everyone a 10 game head start, this lge is proper cack this year and we should have been relegated along time ago, just a few points in those first 10 games would have made all the difference.

UIE.

Will be a tight game IMO, if it’s level near the end, other results will dictate what we do.

We’ve started games poorly recently but have also come from behind to win our last 3 scoring 10 in the process.

We MUST win this though as we have Wycombe next week which is shaping up to be a huge game.

 

[Casey]

We are all but down. Its been a car crash of a season for us. Its not the players as such but the system they've been told to play doesn't suit the players we recruited.

We live to fight another day if we beat Exeter and other results favour us but even if we do there is always another collapse waiting to happen. See Exeter away, Bolton, Stevenage, Orient and on and on.

Casey

 

[denzel ecfc]

Now we're safe be nice to play a few more kids rather than have Kevin McDonald lumbering around, but captain cautious won't do that.
I doubt we will create much, Crawley at home was the game of the season at the Park but we're off that at the moment so probably a 0-0 or 0-1.
I'll be watching a non league game somewhere else in all probability

 

[Tangerine_tart]

Wrexham at home. We need to win. They are in a slump and we are free scoring. I'm going for Blackpool 3-1 Wrexham. Bloomfield road will be rocking .

 

[AdamStag]

The point friday was massive, at one point we were 3-1 down and brovers were winning, looking very dicey

We’ve reading monday and then bham sunday, so a point at home to reading with GD would be very welcome.

 

[Claret Forever]

We've got both Shrewsburys and Crawley to play in our final 3 - Bristol Rovers almost beating Wrexham shows that we're still easily catchable, so we need to at least 4 points I think to be sure from the last 3. And if you can't get 4 points against two teams who are pretty much already relegated, then we probably deserve to go down. Hoping Shrewsbury don't suddenly have the a lot more freedom with the pressure off.

 

[Master D]

Drawn 3 out of the last 4 all against relegation teams and struggled to beat Burton, we have very much chucked it away now. I'd rather us know it's over with 2 games to go and then we can get ready for the playoffs.

 

[denzel ecfc]

We've got both Shrewsburys

Is one pronounced shroosbury and the other shrosebury?

 

[Muzzle]

Think you'll find Evatt and the Board (who should have sacked him in the summer of 2024) fucked our promotion up mate

 

[IzzyFook]

Drawn 3 out of the last 4 all against relegation teams and struggled to beat Burton, we have very much chucked it away now. I'd rather us know it's over with 2 games to go and then we can get ready for the playoffs.

Aye. There's me, thought the days of us Wrexham-ing it up were gone....

 

[Throbber_for_Dunk]

Basically got out of our box once in 20 minutes and have the lead. Orient look like the real deal.

 

[Master D]

Blackpool keeper having the game of his life here, very frustrating.

 

[thewwfc]

Charlton deservedly 2-0 up, shit marking for their first (atypical of us recently) and an absolute banger for their second.

We haven't been terrible but we certainly haven't been creating very much and our best chance has been a narrowly-missed OG attempt from CAFC.

I suspect we will not throw men forward in the search of goals, and just try and keep it tight, and hope that Wxm don't go ahead in their game.

 

[Master D]

Can't believe Wycombe have let us back ahead. We were brilliant today, we had to win and we properly showed up.

 

[thewwfc]

Well, it's the problem with our cagey Southgateball style, playing not to lose, to try and keep it tight and nick things at the margins.

When it just about works (as it has done in the past few games) then it's all very well to a point (albeit not enjoyable to watch), but when it goes tits up, it's not only bad to watch but infuriating.

Anyway. Not going to be bitter, Charlton did a number on us and got their tactics right by being positive and attacking.

I don't want to overreact to one bad result (that's our only pasting this season) but it's come at exactly the wrong time, I don't really fancy us to beat any of the contenders in the playoffs over two legs.

 

[Throbber_for_Dunk]

Fair play to Orient, two well taken goals. Valiant effort from us, had some chances we didn't take and we aren't officially down yet, which is impressive in itself from being 13 adrift not that long ago.

Ho hum.

 

[folletto]

Blimey, what a performance and what a result. That’s twice Wycombe have got it completely wrong against us this season. Soured slightly by a straight red for Aneke that would see him banned for the first leg of the playoffs. A win at Wrexham takes it to the final day which is incredible given where we were at Christmas

 

[denzel ecfc]

On the beach today. Pathetic

 

[thewwfc]

Blimey, what a performance and what a result. That’s twice Wycombe have got it completely wrong against us this season.

100% (and two different managers cocking it up). I can't stand Jones so that makes it even worse.

 

[IzzyFook]

Blimey, what a performance and what a result. That’s twice Wycombe have got it completely wrong against us this season. Soured slightly by a straight red for Aneke that would see him banned for the first leg of the playoffs. A win at Wrexham takes it to the final day which is incredible given where we were at Christmas

It was a mega-day for us, with the only tiny blemish being Bpool's late goal...what consequence might it eventually have, with being SO tight?

That being said, a draw against you now (even with it being at ours...) might be OK - but tbh, we - or you, are not gonna be playing for a draw, so who knows?

 

[Casey]

Some nice play from Crawley today but Exeter were not 100% .

All the action was down the other end from me today so it's hard to comment on our goals but it looked like pinball at times. Exeter scored because of our inability to mark in the box. Good header from a cross from your 14 (I thought he was decent)

I've seen penalties given for what happened when the Exeter keeper and centre back ran into each other but it would have been very harsh (though welcome). It did appear the centre back stopped the ball falling for our forward when it hit his arm.

The results went for us today. We are still going but we still need help.

Casey

 

[EricSabin]

Safe. Happy days, Shrewsbury were dog.

 

[Casey]

Safe. Happy days, Shrewsbury were dog.

Can you be Dog on Saturday please?

Casey

 

[folletto]

It was a mega-day for us, with the only tiny blemish being Bpool's late goal...what consequence might it eventually have, with being SO tight?

That being said, a draw against you now (even with it being at ours...) might be OK - but tbh, we - or you, are not gonna be playing for a draw, so who knows?

If Orient can get a result against Wycombe, you could go into it knowing a result against us sends you up. We don’t have anything to lose so will go all out for a win and hope something miraculous happens final day. Should be a good occasion, all we can do is go for the win and hope

 

[AmberAndy]

Fair play to Orient comfortably the best team to come to the Abbey this season, but my goodness we really should have won that with the chances we had before (and after) they equalised. Such is our season, only ourselves and Monk to blame. If Lavery had been fit 4 weeks ago we would have been comfortably safe by now, so there is hope for next season. We have the bones of a squad that should challenge but we do need to 3-4 quality players in key positions, and more striking strength in depth. Would be nice to make Burton sweat by beating them next week, but there’s no way they won’t get one point from three games, they are pretty effective shithouses when required. Our chance went when we didn’t sack Monk before Xmas and that lies solely with our ( usually admirable) chairman.

 

[EricSabin]

Can you be Dog on Saturday please?

Casey

We can give it a go, maybe play the kids like Scunthorpe did against the Gas a few years back