National League North 2024/25

[Quakerz]

Can someone explain why Buxton have started with 3 home games in a row??

Might be something to do with Farsley who have 7 away games in a row due to their new pitch? Maybe the Buxton v Farsley match would otherwise have been the other way around?

 

[High Peak Blue]

Not horrible to watch. Pretty good to watch much of the time really. But not started well this season - 3-0 home defeat - and ground out a scratchy away result today. Danny Newton missed a sitter too.

If you enjoy watching that, fine. I would like to see my side do more than launch long throws into the box. I don't have a beef with anyone or mind losing to to decent football, but I know what I watched yesterday from both sides.
Equally, I'd like to see my side play with more width and with more presence up front.

 

[Lucky Bobble]

If you enjoy watching that, fine. I would like to see my side do more than launch long throws into the box. I don't have a beef with anyone or mind losing to to decent football, but I know what I watched yesterday from both sides.
Equally, I'd like to see my side play with more width and with more presence up front.

Well, I'm with you with the long throws not really being the beautiful game. But once you've got that weapon - which makes every throw nearly as good as a corner - you're going to use it. Bit unlucky to concede a goal from it - we scored very few last year. Overall I thought two pretty even and average looking sides - but one thing I said Brackley had to improve on is nicking close games, so it would be hypocritical to be too hard on them. Clear both sides looking a bit toothless currently.

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

If you enjoy watching that, fine. I would like to see my side do more than launch long throws into the box. I don't have a beef with anyone or mind losing to to decent football, but I know what I watched yesterday from both sides.
Equally, I'd like to see my side play with more width and with more presence up front.

Style is always for me not the issue it’s manner can infuriate me, being happy to play for draws can grate me.

I’ve seen Carlisle destroy league two back in 2006 playing 4-3-3 mass long ball hoofing to a tall forward to nod down to two quality supporting strikers…..was it an all glorious passing display, nope but it was enormous fun to watch weekly when it clicked.

Even back in 1994 watched Carlisle win title by lugging constant balls forward into the corner flag for a forward to run onto again superbly entertaining.

Can get nice passing teams that bore me to death with endless sideways football and trying to make perfect goals and sit there wishing for something basic and simple….but also seen passing teams work.

I’d imagine a lot of ex league club fans here would be happy with ANY style currently if it gets them out of this level for now and up nearer where they should be.

 

[Darlo On Tour]

Saturday August 17th 2024 National League North Results

Att. 489 - Alfreton Town 3 King"s Lynn Town 0
Att. 702 - Buxton 2 Farsley Celtic 1
Att. 1,993 - Chester 0 Brackley Town 1
Att. 1,300 - Chorley 1 Hereford 1
Att. 2,504 - Kidderminster Harriers 3 Radcliffe 0
Att. 571 - Leamington 3 Spennymoor Town 1
Att. 434 - Needham Market 1 Southport 2
Att. 862 - Oxford City 2 Darlington 2
Att. 1,475 - Scarborough Athletic 3 Rushall Olympic 0
Att. 4,436 - Scunthorpe United 3 Marine 0
Att. 1,811 - South Shields 1 Curzon Ashton 2
Att. 886 - Warrington Town 1 Peterborough Sports 0

 

[Lucky Bobble]

Style is always for me not the issue it’s manner can infuriate me, being happy to play for draws can grate me.

I’ve seen Carlisle destroy league two back in 2006 playing 4-3-3 mass long ball hoofing to a tall forward to nod down to two quality supporting strikers…..was it an all glorious passing display, nope but it was enormous fun to watch weekly when it clicked.

Even back in 1994 watched Carlisle win title by lugging constant balls forward into the corner flag for a forward to run onto again superbly entertaining.

Can get nice passing teams that bore me to death with endless sideways football and trying to make perfect goals and sit there wishing for something basic and simple….but also seen passing teams work.

I’d imagine a lot of ex league club fans here would be happy with ANY style currently if it gets them out of this level for now and up nearer where they should be.

I remember a Kidderminster team coming to Brackley several years ago now, and passing us off the field. It sticks in my mind because it was the most I've ever seen us outplayed in 20 years of watching, including when we played teams 3 divisions higher. It didn't get Kiddy promoted though... very pretty, but as you say, this doesn't always convert into winning football.

 

[High Peak Blue]

Style is always for me not the issue it’s manner can infuriate me, being happy to play for draws can grate me.

I’ve seen Carlisle destroy league two back in 2006 playing 4-3-3 mass long ball hoofing to a tall forward to nod down to two quality supporting strikers…..was it an all glorious passing display, nope but it was enormous fun to watch weekly when it clicked.

Even back in 1994 watched Carlisle win title by lugging constant balls forward into the corner flag for a forward to run onto again superbly entertaining.

Can get nice passing teams that bore me to death with endless sideways football and trying to make perfect goals and sit there wishing for something basic and simple….but also seen passing teams work.

I’d imagine a lot of ex league club fans here would be happy with ANY style currently if it gets them out of this level for now and up nearer where they should be.

The problem is that when you have seen your pitch shortened and narrowed and then all your wingers dispatched with, then you know what you are going to get. Playing with 4 identikit strikers doesn't work and after a while we end up resort to lumping it up to a group of relative midgets.

We were told that we told that we were going to bulk up this year, but the only evidence of that is in defence, where we needed it least.

I think what Chester fans are looking for is evidence of at least a Plan B.

 

[Andy Harrier]

I remember a Kidderminster team coming to Brackley several years ago now, and passing us off the field. It sticks in my mind because it was the most I've ever seen us outplayed in 20 years of watching, including when we played teams 3 divisions higher. It didn't get Kiddy promoted though... very pretty, but as you say, this doesn't always convert into winning football.

I'd imagine we probably lost that one too!

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

I think what Chester fans are looking for is evidence of at least a Plan B.

I think that is an important aspect and can see why you grumble if it hasn’t developed.

I still feel it’s hard sometimes to judge certain smaller sides here, we get labelled at curzon a lot also like say Brackley but I don’t think it’s as such these sides are more defensive or timewaste its
More they have more time to develop and fine tune their style and approach, we do t have 1-2000 fans ‘demanding’ on a weekly basis when things don’t work we don’t have forums demanding radical change or solutions

Clubs like Brackley, Curzon and Alfreton have their styles, had them a few seasons, know their players, players have gelled to it for 3-4 seasons now and are doggedly good at it, but we don’t have the same pressures and fanbase pressures others clubs have.

Not sure what Chester really need to do in order to finally push on they have tried many things, but it’s early days yet and some wins to get momentum may lead to a turnaround.

 

[Bottega Don]

We played probably the best football in the division last year and finished behind a very direct Tamworth team, I know which one i'd rather be

We're a lot more direct this year. Our goals on Sat coming from a long throw, a cross and a long ball from the keeper

 

[High Peak Blue]

I think that is an important aspect and can see why you grumble if it hasn’t developed.

I still feel it’s hard sometimes to judge certain smaller sides here, we get labelled at curzon a lot also like say Brackley but I don’t think it’s as such these sides are more defensive or timewaste its
More they have more time to develop and fine tune their style and approach, we do t have 1-2000 fans ‘demanding’ on a weekly basis when things don’t work we don’t have forums demanding radical change or solutions

Clubs like Brackley, Curzon and Alfreton have their styles, had them a few seasons, know their players, players have gelled to it for 3-4 seasons now and are doggedly good at it, but we don’t have the same pressures and fanbase pressures others clubs have.

Not sure what Chester really need to do in order to finally push on they have tried many things, but it’s early days yet and some wins to get momentum may lead to a turnaround.

Dave, we haven't scored a goal at home since the game before we played you at home last season. That is seven games ago!
We scored 6 away at Buxton and 4 at Gloucester, but those are on plastic pitches. We train on a plastic pitch. Something isn't quite right.

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

Pressure I suppose and tomorrow isn’t going to make it much better, you have a tough start of games Spennymoor is a tough trip and Brackley and Radcliffe tough looking home games

I’d say your next club of home games Scarborough, Peterborough and shields are games where you have a lot better chance of goals. The question is whether the pressure has heightened by then.

 

[GEORGE]

Saturday August 17th 2024 National League North Results

Att. 489 - Alfreton Town 3 King"s Lynn Town 0
Att. 702 - Buxton 2 Farsley Celtic 1
Att. 1,993 - Chester 0 Brackley Town 1
Att. 1,300 - Chorley 1 Hereford 1
Att. 2,504 - Kidderminster Harriers 3 Radcliffe 0
Att. 571 - Leamington 3 Spennymoor Town 1
Att. 434 - Needham Market 1 Southport 2
Att. 862 - Oxford City 2 Darlington 2
Att. 1,475 - Scarborough Athletic 3 Rushall Olympic 0
Att. 4,436 - Scunthorpe United 3 Marine 0
Att. 1,811 - South Shields 1 Curzon Ashton 2
Att. 886 - Warrington Town 1 Peterborough Sports 0

Great support for NM. Nearly 10% of their population with Ipswich home as well.

 

[Swedes]

Great support for NM. Nearly 10% of their population with Ipswich home as well.

There were around 50 Southport fans there, and around 50 of their fans wearing Ipswich Town merchandise. Unsurprisingly their clubhouse was very busy before the match!

 

[Railway Blue]

The ref was fine. I can't be arsed to create beef with another club, but Chester is the only place we go in this league whose fans seem so able to suspend reality & create an intellectual dissonance where the refs have it in for them. Everyone gets good and bad refs, but far too many Chester fans, based on the mood in the stadium, genuinely seem more one-eyed than any other fan base I've seen in the league.

He just about got all decisions wrong. Your goal came form a throw in that everyone in the ground could see was ours. Not that we deserved to win, we were crap, and Willoughby missed an easy one.

 

[Lucky Bobble]

I'd imagine we probably lost that one too!

Yep. 1-0. To basically our only shot on target. At least you can win a Playoof Final mind.

 

[Lucky Bobble]

Great support for NM. Nearly 10% of their population with Ipswich home as well.

There'll probably get people from the surrounding towns too - e.g. Stowmarket with 21,000 pop a few miles away? The South Midlands is not a football hotbed - see Brackley, Banbury, Leamington & Oxford City attendences. I imagine Norfolk is the same - at least compare to the ares like Lancashire and Yorkshire.

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

Next set of games some games even this early becomming must not lose:

Buxton vs Darlington
Chester vs Radcliffe
Chirley vs Scarborough
Curzon vs Oxford
Hereford vs Peterborough
Kidderminster vs Brackley
Kings Lynn vs Rushall
Leamington vs Alfreton
Marine vs Farsley
Needham vs Scunthorpe
South Shields vs Warrington
Spennymoor vs Southport

 

[Railway Blue]

Massive game for us tonight. Playing against our old managers and 5 of our old players. That fact might stop the crowd dropping below 1,500. Not a must-win but Calum is going to get it tonight if we're playing like we did on Saturday i.e. classic Southgate w/o any goals.

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

It is cruel because Oxford fans travelling a long way but think we need to win this one to keep momentum going, Brackley have a tough game tonight so if we can win and they lose we’d head to Brackley with little stress and them under a little bit of pressure to get a win.

Have no clue on Oxford fair play the fans of theirs who turn up it’s a long trek. Hopefully a good batting game.

 

[Bottega Don]

Think we won only 1 Tuesday night away game last year and that was right near the start of the season, have to be better this year

Think it will be a tough game for us tonight. I am assuming this will be Needham's biggest ever league game so they will be well up for it.

 

[BigDaveCUFC]

Having seen needham and sortve reading what swede said from their game needham have a very solid team, hard to break down that will work hard but have at present very little going forward

If you can get ahead of them it’s very doubtful they will come back into it but they for large spells of the game make it very tough to break them down.

They will make it very competitive but I think they need other attack options or they are in trouble this season

 

[Swedes]

BigDave pretty much nails it regarding Needham Market. They're only real attacking threat was their number 7 (Ingham?). They will fight for everything, but are quite predictable going forwards.

 

[David Curries Mullet]

It is cruel because Oxford fans travelling a long way but think we need to win this one to keep momentum going, Brackley have a tough game tonight so if we can win and they lose we’d head to Brackley with little stress and them under a little bit of pressure to get a win.

Have no clue on Oxford fair play the fans of theirs who turn up it’s a long trek. Hopefully a good batting game.

Our game Saturday could have ended 8-8. We created a lot of chances against them, and they created quite a few themselves.

 

[Railway Blue]

Yep. 1-0. To basically our only shot on target. At least you can win a Playoof Final mind.

Our play-off record is worse than yours. At least you have won a play-off game.

 

[Harrier94]

We tend to struggle against Brackley so I'm not expecting much from the game. We're probably missing Morgan-Smith after he went off after being knocked out on Saturday. He'd come to not long after and walked off the pitch but with the current concussion protocols in place he probably misses the next 2 games.

 

[Darlo On Tour]

Tuesday August 20th 2024 National League North Results

Att. n/a - Buxton 2 Darlington 0
Att. 2,081 - Chester 2 Radcliffe 0
Att. 1,150 - Chorley 1 Scarborough Athletic 2
Att. n/a - Curzon Ashton 1 Oxford City 0
Att. 2,557 - Hereford 1 Peterborough Sports 1
Att. 2,382 - Kidderminster Harriers 1 Brackley Town 0
Att. 1,070 - Kings Lynn Town 2 Rushall Olympic 1
Att. n/a - Leamington 2 Alfreton Town 2
Att. 1,104 - Marine 0 Farsley Celtic 3
Att. 925 - Needham Market 0 Scunthorpe United 1
Att. 1,744 - South Shields 2 Warrington Town 1
Att. 1,270 - Spennymoor Town 2 Southport 0

 

[Swedes]

Spennymoor were deserved winners against us last night. They were far better on the ball, and whilst not creating much in the first half they could have scored more in the second half. I don't think we even tested their goalkeeper. A bit of a let-down after two good results.

 

[Prodigal]

Have to say Scarboro deserved the win last night although the game really should have been over by half time as we really should have been 3 up. They made changes early second half and took control, they equalised and then it was a battle to hold on to a point which we lost in added time, as I suspected not sure where our goals are coming from this season.
Quite a concern as we travel to Scunthorpe on Saturday and then face a tough game with Southport on Monday.

 

[Harrier94]

A rare win against Brackley for us. Apart from the first 20 minutes and the last 5 we were very comfortable probably should've grabbed a couple more goals in the first half.

Wasn't sure how we'd do after a not great preseason really but things seem to have clicked veyr well. Maz Kouyhar is up there with the best in the division on the wing.

Overall we look very solid as a team I feel right now the only weak point is Paul Downing in defence, he looked a bit shaky in those first 20 minutes.