National League North 2023-24

[Prodigal]

Well our weak squad was exposed today, without Calverley we didnt have a tackle between them in midfield and to make matters worse we were up against a Billy Heath side. Inevitable I suppose but they deservedly won 2-0 and we were lucky to get nil!

 

[Bottega Don]

As usual after a non-victory, our fans are having a meltdown.

With Tamworth playing on Tuesday and our away game being much harder than there's next week, it's very possible we could go into our game 8 points behind them (with a game in hand)

That game would become absolute must win though if that was the situation

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

0-0 in the end and a fair result as we performed much better second half and created afew chances including going through on goal but couldn’t make the chances count.

Although farsley nearly took the game again with the last kick when they were sent through on goal but also missed.

But I think fair result, first half dominated by farsley, second half we improved and seemed on top, a few chances created by both but neither form the lucky break.

 

[Bluandwite]

Awful again today, an alarming drop off from as recently as last week. Think we'll come good again when the forwards return though. Peers back next week by the sound of it.

Rushall excellent, fair play.

 

[Clem Fandango]

We bottled the fuck out of yesterday. At HT we were cruising against Southport but continually missed chances to put the game to bed. A key injury to Jeacock in goal (who made several massive saves) was going to cost us as despite having another keeper we didn't name one on the bench...then Pinchard, our best player of late, getting clattered and having to go off - the game swung in the away teams favour.

Against the run of play, Durrell struck a fantastic strike to make it two nil. But my God the guy is still ridiculously overweight. With him on the pitch, the utterly useless Parker and lazy Alfefe Santos - Southport kept coming at us and no surprise they pulled one back and then with mins to go got an equaliser. We've lost 13 points from throwing games away in the last five mins. Clearly fitness levels are appalling still. That was a must win and once again we've failed.

 

[Bartonyellow]

As usual after a non-victory, our fans are having a meltdown.

With Tamworth playing on Tuesday and our away game being much harder than there's next week, it's very possible we could go into our game 8 points behind them (with a game in hand)

That game would become absolute must win though if that was the situation

I wouldn’t worry too much. Tamworth were woeful yesterday for 80 mins and a better team would have beaten them. Really rode their luck. It is possible they might be running out of stream despite winning.

 

[Swedes]

We bottled the fuck out of yesterday. At HT we were cruising against Southport but continually missed chances to put the game to bed. A key injury to Jeacock in goal (who made several massive saves) was going to cost us as despite having another keeper we didn't name one on the bench...then Pinchard, our best player of late, getting clattered and having to go off - the game swung in the away teams favour.

Against the run of play, Durrell struck a fantastic strike to make it two nil. But my God the guy is still ridiculously overweight. With him on the pitch, the utterly useless Parker and lazy Alfefe Santos - Southport kept coming at us and no surprise they pulled one back and then with mins to go got an equaliser. We've lost 13 points from throwing games away in the last five mins. Clearly fitness levels are appalling still. That was a must win and once again we've failed.

It was another game where our substandard central defense cost us. I thought we started brightly but from around 10 minutes up until half time it was all Gloucester and the 1-0 scoreline was a fair reflection. Second half we were better, but the saves your keeper made were generally quite close to him. Great finish by the little tubster Durrell against the run of play to put Gloucester 2-0 up. After that Gloucester retreated, we made a couple of substitutions and switched to a 442, and then we really started to cause problems particularly down our left side. An opportunistic finish from Bennett and a back post header from Walton got us back in the game, and I hoped we would push on and win it from there but Gloucester started to show a bit more fight again. Overall a draw probably a fair result.

 

[Bottega Don]

Tamworth winning again, they are unstoppable at the moment.

Probably going to be a 8 point gap before we play them making it absolutely must win or the title race is pretty much over

 

[Swedes]

Southport 2-0 Darlington

Darlo fans, what the hell has that sour faced idiot Josh Gowling done to you? That team has the ability to stay up, but looked devoid of any confidence.

Have to say we deserved the win, purely because other that a goalmouth scramble and a shot well wide Darlo offered nothing. We scored with two poacher's goals from Richie Bennett, one poked home after his own shot hit the bar, another after a rocket of a free kick from Finlay Heath hit the post and landed pretty much right at his feet. Darlo had some spells in the game where they had possession but did very little, we had spells where we moved the ball around well but lacked the sharpness of a decent team.

It's a big win for us given our December capitulation. Hopefully we are back on track to safety now.

 

[David Curries Mullet]

We are devoid of pace, and any midfield guile/creativity. Asante and Nelson are, because of their injury history, done as strikers at this level. Nelson works hard, but his successful spell with us was about explosive pace and power, and he just hasn't got it anymore. Similar comments for Asante, minus the works hard bit.

 

[Railway Blue]

We are devoid of pace, and any midfield guile/creativity. Asante and Nelson are, because of their injury history, done as strikers at this level. Nelson works hard, but his successful spell with us was about explosive pace and power, and he just hasn't got it anymore. Similar comments for Asante, minus the works hard bit.

Is he just contracted until the end of the season? BTW I hope you guys stay up and I think Watson will achieve that.

 

[Quakerz]

Is he just contracted until the end of the season? BTW I hope you guys stay up and I think Watson will achieve that.

I hope so because he is finished.

He does have a good touch and lays it off well. There is that.

But he just aimlessly ambles around in midfield, occasionally attracting the ball and passing it to someone else but doesn't look capable of running faster than a slow jog. Therefore he is never anywhere the box when we mount a rare attack. I'd be surprised if he's had more than 2 shots in the 8 or so appearances that he's made for us.

I can't believe Howling sold Jacob Hazel (20 goals a season, year in year out) to bring him in. Howling should never get near managing a football club ever again.

 

[Lucky Bobble]

Tamworth winning again, they are unstoppable at the moment.

Probably going to be a 8 point gap before we play them making it absolutely must win or the title race is pretty much over

It really won't be. Results vary greatly in the league, and managing a part time squad throughout the winter months is very challenging. I've watched Brackley fall away several times, and although Tamworth are impressive, I still expect them to similiarly struggle in time

 

[Bottega Don]

Well our title hopes are pretty close to being gone, not winning next week puts them away for good. Our away form is shocking.

Didn’t go today but sounded like we were awful and deserved exactly what we got, crazy how much poorer we are away from home

 

[Bluandwite]

Nice and comfortable 3-0 win against Gloucester today. Peers was back and made a huge difference after ten weeks out. If we can get him and Caton on the pitch together then I think we could make a charge back up the table. Stiffer tasks ahead but nice to get back going in the right direction again.

Gloucester did nothing and worryingly for them didn't look like they wanted to do anything either.

 

[Clem Fandango]

Congratulations to these pair of chancers, not content with relegating Hungerford and leaving them in debt - they then let an entire play off team along with the Manager go to hand out daft contracts like confetti to players nowhere near this level. Then appoint a Manager who hadn't managed anywhere for two years.

We're now left with a squad, with the odd exception, barely good enough to be in the top half of the league below with most of them contracted into next season with no relegation clauses. No wonder most of these players couldn't care less they can just put in minimal effort for money they never thought they'd get again. We need to ship them out before we can get new ones in and most of them are refusing to go. Easy street. We're doomed.

 

[Bluandwite]

Congratulations to these pair of chancers, not content with relegating Hungerford and leaving them in debt - they then let an entire play off team along with the Manager go to hand out daft contracts like confetti to players nowhere near this level. Then appoint a Manager who hadn't managed anywhere for two years.

We're now left with a squad, with the odd exception, barely good enough to be in the top half of the league below with most of them contracted into next season with no relegation clauses. No wonder most of these players couldn't care less they can just put in minimal effort for money they never thought they'd get again. We need to ship them out before we can get new ones in and most of them are refusing to go. Easy street. We're doomed.

Purely on the game, quite liked that lad you got on loan from Villa yesterday, Rowe. I'm sure Murray for us is the smallest player in the league, he's not much bigger but looked quite nifty.

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

Got a very good away point at Boston, highlights I watched it seemed like a good game with some good chances either way.

But let’s be honest here, two draws in a row and while we are still holding onto that last play off stop there is a mass of others now banging that door down.

Darlington, kings lynn and rushall next……needs really at least 7 points from that lot as the others won’t be easing up.

The play off race is going to be frantic this season

 

[Ninety Per Cent]

“We’re going to piss the league”
“These are Jimmy’s players he picked them”
“Record points total”
“The referees are against us”
“We can’t play on these pitches”
“7 straight home wins”
“Tamworth will bottle it”
“There’s always the play offs”
“It doesn’t matter if we don’t get promoted this year”

Told you!

 

[Bartonyellow]

Well our title hopes are pretty close to being gone, not winning next week puts them away for good. Our away form is shocking.

Didn’t go today but sounded like we were awful and deserved exactly what we got, crazy how much poorer we are away from home

I am going to put a tenner on you to win the league.
Trust me / Tamworth are running out of steam. They are not playing well. Their luck will run out.

 

[Bottega Don]

I am going to put a tenner on you to win the league.
Trust me / Tamworth are running out of steam. They are not playing well. Their luck will run out.

I hope you're right but I can't see it at the moment, they just seem unstoppable.

Saturdays game means so much, we have to win

 

[Railway Blue]

I am going to put a tenner on you to win the league.
Trust me / Tamworth are running out of steam. They are not playing well. Their luck will run out.

They looked pretty ordinary when we beat them 2-0 at our place recently, but looking at their last 10 results they've won the other 9.

 

[Bartonyellow]

They looked pretty ordinary when we beat them 2-0 at our place recently, but looking at their last 10 results they've won the other 9.

And they will blame that on one the weather.
They are good at grinding results out, but will lose at scunny away.

 

[Bartonyellow]

I hope you're right but I can't see it at the moment, they just seem unstoppable.

Saturdays game means so much, we have to win

You will win. Your home form is excellent. Should be a good crowd, think they are bringing a decent following.

 

[High Peak Blue]

And they will blame that on one the weather.
They are good at grinding results out, but will lose at scunny away.

They certainly looked nothing special that day. That Liam Dolman must have a lot of nouse, because he look as though any pace would beat him hands down. The moment we moved him around he was beaten.

 

[Railway Blue]

Terrible performance last night against a team that scored very early and began their time-wasting immediately. We were poor and never looked like scoring. The referee was their12th man in not booking anyone or taking any action against their blatant time wasting. The goalkeeper was the worst culprit. We need a change of tactics and a few reinforcements.

 

[Bartonyellow]

Terrible performance last night against a team that scored very early and began their time-wasting immediately. We were poor and never looked like scoring. The referee was their12th man in not booking anyone or taking any action against their blatant time wasting. The goalkeeper was the worst culprit. We need a change of tactics and a few reinforcements.

I’m sure they had the extra incentive and motivation to beat you after you spanked them in the play offs.

 

[Lucky Bobble]

Terrible performance last night against a team that scored very early and began their time-wasting immediately. We were poor and never looked like scoring. The referee was their12th man in not booking anyone or taking any action against their blatant time wasting. The goalkeeper was the worst culprit. We need a change of tactics and a few reinforcements.

I'm not sure I trust Chester supporters views on refs anymore, after you all swore blind that the farcical penalty against Brakley was valid...

Nevertheless about 4/5ths of the league appear a 4 game good or bad run away from being a contender or not. You could be back.

Also think the post-Christmas midweek games is really where the full time teams can shine, and where squads really matter. Every year Brackley play a few of these and look about as interested as I am after a day's work, at scrapping in the freezing cold infront of a few hundred people.

 

[Railway Blue]

I’m sure they had the extra incentive and motivation to beat you after you spanked them in the play offs.

We've never won a play-off match in 4 or five attempts.

 

[AndyPark]

Curzon away this weekend, a place we never do great at.

Sure plenty of beers on the train en-route will help ease the pain.