Easter Monday & Tuesday 6th April

[kieran_vale]

It will be interesting what Harrogate fans say about her. When you win fans generally say ref was good.

Haven’t seen anything from any Harrogate fans though their manager was content with her performance and also said the two penalty appeals they had in the first half she got spot on.

Best thing about her performance was she was just very understated and didn’t try to make it all about themselves like some refs are prone to do. Before the game she said that a successful game is the ref not being talked about so as long as she takes that forward in her career she will do very well I think.

 

[SVH]

Thats the second time this season we have been robbed of 2 extra points by awful decisions against Cambridge. We scored a perfectly good goal there which was chalked off by a shocking offside decision. Having now watched Cambridge twice I can only assume they get loads of similiar calls their way because other than that I can`t for the life of me see now they are top of the league. I`ve seen plenty of teams better than them this season. BTW I would like to congratulate them on taking second place in this seasons " screaming when tackled" trophy behind Newport

We have been below par against you this season but clearly we haven’t beaten the teams we have or are top of the league because of getting all the decisions. I know it’s a bitter pill to swallow as you desperately needed the win to stop the rot but we are a very very good side.

 

[CTFCfan99]

Thats the second time this season we have been robbed of 2 extra points by awful decisions against Cambridge. We scored a perfectly good goal there which was chalked off by a shocking offside decision. Having now watched Cambridge twice I can only assume they get loads of similiar calls their way because other than that I can`t for the life of me see now they are top of the league. I`ve seen plenty of teams better than them this season. BTW I would like to congratulate them on taking second place in this seasons " screaming when tackled" trophy behind Newport

The problem is most of us don't watch any team (apart from our own) more than twice a season, and with the inconsistency you get in this league it's hard to judge them on only a couple of games. For example Barrow are 21st and might get relegated yet they've taken 6 points off us winning 5-0 over two games and fully deserved it both times, while we've beaten you 7-0 over two games yet there's every chance you're going up. That said I have to agree especially having seen Cambridge's penalty yesterday, they do seem to get more than their fair share.

 

[Si Robin]

I'm just catching up on the highlights, and that Cambridge penalty is an absolute disaster.

Sometimes promotion is written in the stars, and getting decisions like that suggests it just might be for Cambridge.

 

[shoddycollins]

It will be interesting what Harrogate fans say about her. When you win fans generally say ref was good.

Harrogate don't have any fans so it's a moot point

 

[SVH]

Getting pens doesn’t mate us a shit team though. The Tranmere fan just sounds very very bitter. Most are fine but Reremnart can’t work out how we are top and it must be because of all the decisions we get.

 

[shoddycollins]

Cambridge have had almost half as many penalties this season as Southend have goals. Cambridge will 11 penalties, Southend with 23 goals.

Paul Mullin has missed more penalties this season than ourselves and Grimsby combined have been awarded.

 

[Soz]

worst part of that penatly debacle is the cambridge player diving when clarke 'shoves' him during the celebration.

i do wish that footballers would just fuck off sometimes.

 

[Bottega Don]

Think our game is going to be an absolute shitter later. Our players do not care anymore and I don't see that suddenly changing. We are unbeaten in the last 5 but 4 have been draws.

If Carlisle even slightly get out of first gear they will win, if not it will be another bore 0-0 draw.

 

[Robshep]

Getting pens doesn’t mate us a shit team though. The Tranmere fan just sounds very very bitter. Most are fine but Reremnart can’t work out how we are top and it must be because of all the decisions we get.

Its not just Tranmere fans if you read a few other posts.

 

[valefan16]

Wasn’t even any Harrogate comments that I could see on their Twitter feed at full time.

Looks a tiny ground but the pitch was awful mind, add in the huge winds and definitely a game of 2 halves, first half we stood up to them got in at half time and went for them second with the wind.

Pitch looked like a beach, but rock hard.

Would of been a good away day, wife’s always banged on about going Harrogate so was planning on dumping her in the town centre to take in the sights whilst I watched the Vale. Damn you Boris!

Next season maybe!

 

[SVH]

The old saying the league table doesn’t lie. I’ve read all the posts. Little old Cambridge will fall away when Mullin stops scoring. Cambridge will fade away with such a small squad. Now it’s Cambridge must be top because of all the pens and decisions they get.

Suck it up lads. We are top on merit and unbeaten in 2021.

 

[shoddycollins]

Think our game is going to be an absolute shitter later. Our players do not care anymore and I don't see that suddenly changing. We are unbeaten in the last 5 but 4 have been draws.

If Carlisle even slightly get out of first gear they will win, if not it will be another bore 0-0 draw.

You take the fewest number of shots on goal of anyone in the division... we take the most shots, also most shots on target and fewest shots and shots on target faced.

Games can always go any way, or we'd be clear at the top of the table with those stats but the last couple of games we're getting back to limiting teams to zero shots on target while I'm hearing that Scunny plan to just defend their way through the rest of the season (they certainly don't concede many). Also our home record has remained decent throughout our dreadful spell.

All points to a 3-0 win for Scunthorpe, though this is one game I do hope simply goes exactly as the pre-match analysis suggests it might.

 

[Si Robin]

Pretty sure we beat you this year....

EDIT: Response was to SVH

 

[Bottega Don]

You take the fewest number of shots on goal of anyone in the division... we take the most shots, also most shots on target and fewest shots and shots on target faced.

Games can always go any way, or we'd be clear at the top of the table with those stats but the last couple of games we're getting back to limiting teams to zero shots on target while I'm hearing that Scunny plan to just defend their way through the rest of the season (they certainly don't concede many). Also our home record has remained decent throughout our dreadful spell.

All points to a 3-0 win for Scunthorpe, though this is one game I do hope simply goes exactly as the pre-match analysis suggests it might.

You think we will go forward enough times to score 3 goals?

We don't give a shit about winning games anymore, we're looking to get a point in every game.

It'll be 0-0 or 1-0 Carlisle probably.

 

[Arbury]

We’re top because we’re currently the best team in the division, simple as.

bolton, Cheltenham and Scunthorpe have beaten us in 2021.

KTF

 

[SVH]

Pretty sure we beat you this year....

EDIT: Response was to SVH

You’re right, as did Bolton. No idea where I got that from but people get my point. Always an excuse for unfancied teams, mainly from fans of the bigger clubs.

 

[northstandexile]

Paul Mullin has missed more penalties this season than ourselves and Grimsby combined have been awarded.

Teams have to get players in the opposition’s penalty area to have a chance of being awarded a penalty.

 

[Si Robin]

We’re top because we’re currently the best team in the division, simple as.

bolton, Cheltenham and Scunthorpe have beaten us in 2021.

KTF

It's not quite as simple as that being as we have our game in hand.

That's not to say we'll win said game in hand, but only if you're top after 46 games, or less if mathematically you can't be caught, can you say that with any clarity.

 

[northstandexile]

We’re top because we’re currently the best team in the division, simple as.

bolton, Cheltenham and Scunthorpe have beaten us in 2021.

KTF

This is the true league table of who deserves to be top of table.

Expected goals table: League 2, 5-6 Apr 2021

These alternative league tables are calculated using expected goals (as seen in my match timelines). There’s a full explanation in the first post here.

experimental361.com

 

[Laker]

The old saying the league table doesn’t lie. I’ve read all the posts. Little old Cambridge will fall away when Mullin stops scoring. Cambridge will fade away with such a small squad. Now it’s Cambridge must be top because of all the pens and decisions they get.

Suck it up lads. We are top on merit and unbeaten in 2021.

Yep we were told the wheels were falling off the wagon earlier this season when we had a poor run, we’ve been told we’re top because Vale have had more injuries, now we’re top because we get all the decisions go our way.

Maybe other clubs should look closer to home as to why they’re not top. It all seems to be excuses to me.

 

[SVH]

It's not quite as simple as that being as we have our game in hand.

That's not to say we'll win said game in hand, but only if you're top after 46 games, or less if mathematically you can't be caught, can you say that with any clarity.

Would you take your game in hand or our extra two points and goal difference?

 

[Laker]

It's not quite as simple as that being as we have our game in hand.

That's not to say we'll win said game in hand, but only if you're top after 46 games, or less if mathematically you can't be caught, can you say that with any clarity.

Yeah Cheltenham are the only side who can use an excuse really - “Cambridge are top because they’ve played more games than us” is a fair enough reason!

 

[Si Robin]

Would you take your game in hand or our extra two points and goal difference?

I'd take getting promoted automatically over anything to be honest, whether that's in first, second or third.

I was merely pointing out that at present, you can't claim to be definitively the best because we could go top if we win our game in hand.

 

[SVH]

I'd take getting promoted automatically over anything to be honest, whether that's in first, second or third.

I was merely pointing out that at present, you can't claim to be definitively the best because we could go top if we win our game in hand.

Of course but I was generally interested in what you would prefer? If we both continue to win our games your game in hand is away to Stevenage.

I know what I would rather.

 

[Si Robin]

Of course but I was generally interested in what you would prefer? If we both continue to win our games your game in hand is away to Stevenage.

I know what I would rather.

Our game in hand is at home to Carlisle.

I've got Stevenage away as a nailed on defeat anyway. We never do anything there. In our run-in last season (before lockdown), I had no concerns with going to Swindon, but Stevenage away worried me.

As for our current position. It really doesn't bother me. I'd love to win the L2 title, it's not something we've ever done before. But I won't celebrate any differently to if we come 2nd or 3rd.

 

[dedwardp]

Cheltenham's game in hand is at home to Carlisle.

 

[Monkey Tennis]

This is the true league table of who deserves to be top of table.

Expected goals table: League 2, 5-6 Apr 2021

These alternative league tables are calculated using expected goals (as seen in my match timelines). There’s a full explanation in the first post here.

experimental361.com

That is the least convincing evidence in support of xG yet - it has us in 9th and we've been shit all season.

 

[shoddycollins]

Teams have to get players in the opposition’s penalty area to have a chance of being awarded a penalty.

Think we might still be number one in the division for entrances into the opposition box. We were at least but it's not a stat that I've seen regularly updated and we've somehow managed to retain some of our other positive attacking stats despite a woeful run of form, such as most shots taken and most on target.

 

[Monkey Tennis]

Wasn’t even any Harrogate comments that I could see on their Twitter feed at full time.

Looks a tiny ground but the pitch was awful mind, add in the huge winds and definitely a game of 2 halves, first half we stood up to them got in at half time and went for them second with the wind.

Pitch looked like a beach, but rock hard.

Would of been a good away day, wife’s always banged on about going Harrogate so was planning on dumping her in the town centre to take in the sights whilst I watched the Vale. Damn you Boris!

Next season maybe!

They've had a plastic pitch until this season, so the groundsmen probably don't know what they're doing.