National League Fixtures - 27/11/2018

[East Bank Shot]

Great point for us. Only the third time we’ve picked up points on the road this season I believe.

 

[GTFCfish]

This unbeaten run from Chesterfield has to be the least impressive unbeaten run ever in the history of fucking football.

 

[Chief Rocka]

Our annual relegation battle has started early this season.

 

[BarraMatt]

Had it nailed to a tee with my 0-0 prediction. We always seem to draw against Wrexham, it must be around five in a row now.

We were good and more than matched them, their only chance of note was a header that hit the post and a decent save from Dixon from what looked like a one on one, whereas we had a few decent ranged efforts thrown in with a few scrambles in the box and last ditched tackles. The change of shape we've implemented over the last couple of games including playing a taller striker in Blyth has improved our fortunes, hopefully we can back up two good results from games where I was expecting little with a win against Braintree on Saturday.

I was quite surprised with the way Wrexham played, didn't seem to be in any particular rush until the final ten minutes or so, not sure if that's been the case all season or not. Shaun Pearson does some moaning, most of the time over nothing.

 

[Leewilson]

Absolutely killed Havant. We have a seriously good team now and I wouldn't rule out us putting 7th under pressure come the back end of the season. Unlikely but stranger things have happened in this average league.

Conor Wilkinson is a class above for this level. 4 goals in his first 3 games. He obviously wasn't quite up to it in League 1 but he should be plying his trade in League 2. Movement, control, running with the ball, eye for goal - all there. Munns and Balanta behind him are class and the back 4 is solid as a rock. Ironically, we brought Kenny Clark on for the last 15 minutes for his debut and the first thing he did was make a mistake to gift Havant a consolation. Onariase and Goodliffe are as good a pairing as we've ever had at this level. Hopefully we can extend their loans.

The Daggers are pushing on.

 

[Fyldefan]

Good result for us. Especially with Harrogate, Wrexham and Orient slipping up. Extremely tight this league but I still think Salford/Harrogate first and second. Well done to Dagenham and Dover who have really improved

 

[The Terminator]

A frustrating game for us, not for the first time this season we've had a game with us dominating possession but unable to create or take that killer chance, against a side who puts eleven men behind the ball. Aldershot were in the main very toothless up front, but were missing about 5 players and two more went off injured.

Have to give credit to Aldershot who did put in a very good shift and were organised, they were worthy of a draw and could've nicked it near the end with their only real chance they created in open play - which was probably the games best chance. Another top save from Dean Brill who has more than played his part for us this month.

10 points from 12 in November for us, so can't grumble as I would've taken this at the halfway stage. Still not sure if we can pip Salford to the title as they seem to better at home than us and win more games at home.

 

[Soup Ladle]

Wow, i thought we were shaping up for a good season but we've completely imploded.

All that good work in pre season, new owners who cared, good signings, good season ticket sales. Maybe we'd finish in the top half of a league for the first time in ten fucking years. Is that not so fucking hard at this level where we are one of the bigger and better supported clubs? Well actually everything is hard for Hartlepool United.

Last season taught me that down here what you need to go up is a physical side with leaders who work hard for each other and someone to finish the chances. We get in Nico Muir who's scored about 200 in the last 4 seasons, we get Luke James who once made us 500k and scored 1 in 2 at a woeful Barrow side. So we think about leaders - We get Liam Noble, widely regarded as one of the best midfielders this league has ever seen. We get Andrew Davies, a big centre half who is renowned for his no nonsense defending and is highly regarded at Bradford whose fans still fucking talk about him. We have the best keeper in this league (as voted by you on 1FF), we have Magnay, Donaldson, two players who have won promotion out of this godforsaken shit pit. We have several promising young players. Yes yes yes I thought we'd finally have the fucking ingredients of a decent team but no.

Bates got off to to a good start and we played 343, we created loads of chances but too open at the back.' Fucking hell Bates, tighten up' the fans demanded, he did and went 352, which I agreed with but it resulted in the most turgid soul destroying football from a good group of players (for this level). I'm a fan of 352, it's a great formation for passing football, triangles, keeps the centre solid and has outlets out wide. A good choice especially with our two short arses up top and no obvious wingers. No, we bang it long and doesn't sodding work. We get raped down the flanks time and again. He's ditched it now and gone 442 as demanded by the fans, in fact we look even worse. Things have got so crap that I can't put myself through going to another game. In fact things are so bad for the club that it's not only me not showing up.

We had our lowest crowd in more than 30 years tonight and I wonder what the board reckon to that. It's that shocking, it's less than 50% of our last home attendance. I've never seen our support fall off a cliff like that. The weather's shite, that's fine, we haven't won a game for 2 months but genuinely stunned at how low the crowd is. I feel for Bates, he probably needs more time, but it's clear there's issues in the dressing room and performances on the pitch show he isn't up to the task of taking us forward.

I don't know when this club will ever get its shit together but it won't be soon.

C U R S E D

ta for reading if you made it this far

 

[Chief Rocka]

Pretty well surmised there Ladle.

I'm not yet frothing at the mouth yet like most of our lot on social media or the boards but something drastic needs to change soon, it's impossible to defend him after 6 league defeats in a row, he's his own worst enemy though, that lineup tonight was rotten, Luke James upfront on his own at home, we were just pumping long balls over the top to him, no Noble, Kioso or Muir in the starting 11? Probably our three most influential players this season, all warming the bench, what's the thinking there?

Players also need to shoulder the blame, Donaldson completely missed the ball, total air shot three yards out at 0-0 with just the keeper to beat, Richardson/Anderson were both god awful tonight, Richardson looks petrified whenever he has the ball and can't wait to get shot of it and Anderson seems to struggle with the basics like standing upright.

I think he's gotta win Saturday or it's curtains, it was pretty toxic in there tonight with 1600 home fans, it'll be a lot worse Saturday if they get beat again.

 

[The Terminator]

Personally. I don't think Bates was the right appointment for Hartlepool. You need a manager who knows this league if you're a big club on the way down in this league.

Steve Watson would be a very good fit for Hartlepool, he is clearly a very coach as well as manager because he clearly improves players who he's taken in at Gateshead with him.

If I was the owner of Hartlepool, fuck spunking money on players. I'd do everything to get Steve Watson as their manager.

 

[Soup Ladle]

Pretty well surmised there Ladle.

I'm not yet frothing at the mouth yet like most of our lot on social media or the boards but something drastic needs to change soon, it's impossible to defend him after 6 league defeats in a row, he's his own worst enemy though, that lineup tonight was rotten, Luke James upfront on his own at home, we were just pumping long balls over the top to him, no Noble, Kioso or Muir in the starting 11? Probably our three most influential players this season, all warming the bench, what's the thinking there?

Players also need to shoulder the blame, Donaldson completely missed the ball, total air shot three yards out at 0-0 with just the keeper to beat, Richardson/Anderson were both god awful tonight, Richardson looks petrified whenever he has the ball and can't wait to get shot of it and Anderson seems to struggle with the basics like standing upright.

I think he's gotta win Saturday or it's curtains, it was pretty toxic in there tonight with 1600 home fans, it'll be a lot worse Saturday if they get beat again.

Kudos to you that you're still going.

It's bizarre what Bates is doing, I just do not get his thinking at all. It's so frustrating watching games and see us use tactics like you described, a carbon copy of any home game this season. We know he's fallen out with Noble but what's gone on with Muir and is Kioso benched cos of his monumental Barnet fuck up? He's probably there watching thinking 'how the fuck did Myles Anderson get a pro contract let alone start ahead of me?' Seriously WTF.

You'd never think we were that bad the way Simpson and Brian Honour bang on on Pools player. 'we matched a good side' ' oh we haven't done much wrong'. I'd rather they were just honest

I was steaming after the Gillingham game so gave following the Dover debacle a complete miss for the day. I might come on Saturday so I can push the crowd over a 1000. Really bad times. Our crowds never dropped off like this last year when we almost went bust. Looks like this is the final straw. As you say, must win on Saturday or it will be hell on.

 

[Chief Rocka]

Personally. I don't think Bates was the right appointment for Hartlepool. You need a manager who knows this league if you're a big club on the way down in this league.

Steve Watson would be a very good fit for Hartlepool, he is clearly a very coach as well as manager because he clearly improves players who he's taken in at Gateshead with him.

If I was the owner of Hartlepool, fuck spunking money on players. I'd do everything to get Steve Watson as their manager.

I don't think Bates was many people's first choice for manager, but to be fair he earned a crack at it after turning around Craig Harrison's monumental fuck up of a season and keeping us up last season.

Watson would've been interesting to try and get when Gatehead's future was up in the air post/pre season, couldn't see him leaving there now.

 

[Soup Ladle]

Personally. I don't think Bates was the right appointment for Hartlepool. You need a manager who knows this league if you're a big club on the way down in this league.

Steve Watson would be a very good fit for Hartlepool, he is clearly a very coach as well as manager because he clearly improves players who he's taken in at Gateshead with him.

If I was the owner of Hartlepool, fuck spunking money on players. I'd do everything to get Steve Watson as their manager.

He's done wonders there and as you say he's someone I'd be speaking to to replace Bates when the time comes. But I doubt he'd come now sadly.

One thing for sure is we need to stop this ex Boro obsession. We like appointing their coaches and assistants as managers/DOFs etc and signing their turgid youngsters

 

[The Terminator]

I don't think Bates was many people's first choice for manager, but to be fair he earned a crack at it after turning around Craig Harrison's monumental fuck up of a season and keeping us up last season.

Watson would've been interesting to try and get when Gatehead's future was up in the air post/pre season, couldn't see him leaving there now.

Watson I think would jump at the chance to join you IMO.

If you offered him a better wage, your playing budget will be bigger than Gatesheads and it would give him the chance to manage a club bigger with a better infrastructure with more of a chance of moving forward.

IMO he'd be able to attract better names to your club from the North East region.

A few people have told me that he is very unlikely to leave the North East region for obvious reasons. I think he's worth the punt myself.

 

[Monkey Tennis]

Our lowest attendance this season by some distance, with Wrexham making up more than an eighth of the crowd. Too many fairweather fans, and sadly every kid around here supports Utd or City these days.

Wrexham didn't look like one of the top teams, offering very little in attack and not especially dominant at the back. Thought the centre back (30) in particular looked like a weak link. We played a slightly more Route 1 style and it really troubled them at times, and somehow we didn't score with a couple of really easy chances. Hopefully we're back on track now and the confidence seems to have returned after some terrible recent results.

 

[Chief Rocka]

Kudos to you that you're still going.

It's bizarre what Bates is doing, I just do not get his thinking at all. It's so frustrating watching games and see us use tactics like you described, a carbon copy of any home game this season. We know he's fallen out with Noble but what's gone on with Muir and is Kioso benched cos of his monumental Barnet fuck up? He's probably there watching thinking 'how the fuck did Myles Anderson get a pro contract let alone start ahead of me?' Seriously WTF.

You'd never think we were that bad the way Simpson and Brian Honour bang on on Pools player. 'we matched a good side' ' oh we haven't done much wrong'. I'd rather they were just honest

I was steaming after the Gillingham game so gave following the Dover debacle a complete miss for the day. I might come on Saturday so I can push the crowd over a 1000. Really bad times. Our crowds never dropped off like this last year when we almost went bust. Looks like this is the final straw. As you say, must win on Saturday or it will be hell on.

To be honest, first 40 minutes we played alright, Hawkes is a breath of fresh air in this stale side, positive, taking people on, shooting from outside the box, he'll probably be dropped on Saturday, second half was mind numbing boredom.

The crowd was abysmal tonight, I walked in about 19:35 and the Town End was sparse, Tuesday nights generally are poor and the rain was absolutely honking it down but we were missing what 1300 season ticket holders tonight, that's a massive dip in attendees.

Someone asked Loach after the match what the crack was with Noble and Bates and said he wasn't aloud to talk about it.

 

[E10rifle]

Depressing night for the Brotherhood. So bad, in fact, that a tinpotter is predicting that fellow tinpotters Harrogate are going to finish above an Orient side that beat them 3-zip on their own patch:

Extremely tight this league but I still think Salford/Harrogate first and second.

FBL.

 

[E10rifle]

We have a seriously good team now and I wouldn't rule out us putting 7th under pressure come the back end of the season...The Daggers are pushing on.

Just our luck that we missed you being pure dogshit and will instead play you twice just as you’re coming into form.

 

[GTFCfish]

Good result for us. Especially with Harrogate, Wrexham and Orient slipping up. Extremely tight this league but I still think Salford/Harrogate first and second. Well done to Dagenham and Dover who have really improved

No way will Harrogate be top 2, they’ll fall away in the new year.

 

[Raymondo316]

Complete shambles tonight!!

Players randomly running into each other, constant hoofing the ball to no one, far to many who can't seem to do a simple pass, players running round like headless chickens, defenders who haven't got a clue how to actually defend, forwards who don't look like ever scoring......I could go on and on.

Eastleigh weren't even that good, but they still beat us with ease.

Also our manager who has signed something close to 15 players in the last two months is saying we still need more changes.

 

[EnglishRed]

Our lowest attendance this season by some distance, with Wrexham making up more than an eighth of the crowd. Too many fairweather fans, and sadly every kid around here supports Utd or City these days.

Wrexham didn't look like one of the top teams, offering very little in attack and not especially dominant at the back. Thought the centre back (30) in particular looked like a weak link. We played a slightly more Route 1 style and it really troubled them at times, and somehow we didn't score with a couple of really easy chances. Hopefully we're back on track now and the confidence seems to have returned after some terrible recent results.

Worse performance of the season according to Ricketts. We desperately need some actual strikers.

Cant blame the players though. A Tuesday night in November at Barrow? No ones deserves that.

 

[Fyldefan]

Depressing night for the Brotherhood. So bad, in fact, that a tinpotter is predicting that fellow tinpotters Harrogate are going to finish above an Orient side that beat them 3-zip on their own patch:



FBL.

We beat Macclesfield 6 nil last season. What’s your point

 

[Soup Ladle]

We beat Macclesfield 6 nil last season. What’s your point

Well I dunno about his but your point needs a . and a curly thing on top like this ?

 

[CFC91]

Excited for the incoming 1-1 draw and more national finger pointing at the state we are in

LOL

 

[Sestonpoolie]

Conor Wilkinson is a class above for this level. 4 goals in his first 3 games. He obviously wasn't quite up to it in League 1 but he should be plying his trade in League 2. Movement, control, running with the ball, eye for goal - all there. Munns and Balanta behind him are class and the back 4 is solid as a rock. Ironically, we brought Kenny Clark on for the last 15 minutes for his debut and the first thing he did was make a mistake to gift Havant a consolation. Onariase and Goodliffe are as good a pairing as we've ever had at this level. Hopefully we can extend their loans.

The Daggers are pushing on.

Pleased for Munns.Had a bad time with injuries at Pools & then wasn't played in his best position when fit.
Spoke to him a few times at the gym & seemed a decent lad.

 

[JaredSUFC]

We scored. Twice. In one game. I’m in shock

 

[E10rifle]

We beat Macclesfield 6 nil last season. What’s your point

That we’re a demonstrably better side than Harrogate under any measurable you care to mention?

 

[Master D]

Harrogate will fade, they can’t afford to go up. It would RUIN them.

 

[Razzmachaz]

I would of taken a point from this one. Aldershot appear a bit of a bogie team at the moment and I predicted before game we would be tired mentally and physically after Saturday. Thought they did well to frustrate and were organised, but we didn't get anywhere near top gear and were slow and sluggish.

 

[Mark kavanagh]

It’s been a total disgrace for years. It almost makes me glad about Guiseley and WHAT THEY DID to Braintree on that fateful afternoon.

Nah norburn is a cock