Saturday 11th December

[Bobbin']

Bobbin' , random one but I could do with some advice for our prediction league, what do you think the attendance will be today? Notice the last couple have been a lot bigger than what you'd been getting previously, ticket promotions or genuine spike in interest because of the new manager?

Ticket promotions (although Jackson being in charge will certainly have helped), every season ticket holder could claim up to 3 free tickets for the games against Plymouth, Ipswich and Cambridge.

There were no tickets left in the home areas yesterday and I understand you’ve sold around 1500.

Obviously not all of those tickets will be used so if I were to guess. I’d go for somewhere around 22-23kish.

 

[NorthernSoul]

Lump on Ipswich. For some reason we are resting several key players and playing a formation that doesn't work at home. Really can't understand that line up.

 

[NorthernSoul]

Trevor Kettles Tractor Boys.

Not sure how violent conduct punishment is a talking too? Surely if you lose your head and stamp on someone, having already just got booked for a foul and gone right upto the linesman and mouthed off, somehow stays on the pitch. Also a perfectly good goal disallowed by the linesman who was utterly inept and shouldn't be near a football match again. Clearly had vision issues.

Frustrating as we got things wrong with the formation again but Ipswich were there for the taking and had we correctly gone 2-0 would have probably fallen apart as a few of their players were getting very frustrated. Expected Ipswich to be much better and finally start playing today but never really did much. I think a few of their players don't want to be there or know they are off.

 

[Millerbri]

I'll never understand football.

First half we should have been 4 0 up, Smith and Ladapo missing great chances and finish uo drawing to an offside (to me) goal.

Second half Burton ran us ragged and we get 2 more goals.

Excellent second half by Burton, we were very lucky to survive.

 

[Boletus Edulis]

Trevor Kettles Tractor Boys.

Not sure how violent conduct punishment is a talking too? Surely if you lose your head and stamp on someone, having already just got booked for a foul and gone right upto the linesman and mouthed off, somehow stays on the pitch. Also a perfectly good goal disallowed by the linesman who was utterly inept and shouldn't be near a football match again. Clearly had vision issues.

Frustrating as we got things wrong with the formation again but Ipswich were there for the taking and had we correctly gone 2-0 would have probably fallen apart as a few of their players were getting very frustrated. Expected Ipswich to be much better and finally start playing today but never really did much. I think a few of their players don't want to be there or know they are off.

Was it the Captain Morsy? When they played us I have no idea how he stayed on the pitch.

 

[NorthernSoul]

Was it the Captain Morsy? When they played us I have no idea how he stayed on the pitch.

Was Chaplin, had a full on meltdown. Was pretty bizarre really as it was a challenge initially around the half way line that wasn't leading to any danger, but desperately tried to get sent off.

First time in 18 months Richardson has criticised officials that I can remember but they were spectacular bad today and changed the result. Like he said Chaplin will get a 3 match ban off the FA but how is that any use to us.

Meanwhile at worse the officials have a national league game next week as so called punishment, then they are back in League One.

Kettle and the linesman aren't fit to officiate at this level, maybe even at all, if you get decisions wrong that happen a few yards directly in front of you.

 

[YEO YEO YEO]

Gutted to throw it away at the end after scoring a 2nd in injury time ourselves. However great to see us much more competitive today. Any ideas if Scully/ Jackson/ Walsh etc are close to returning?

Massive game at home to Donny on Saturday.

 

[thewwfc]

We let in a shambles of an early goal then AFCW parked the bus and hit us on the break as hard as they could - annoying but to be fair spot on tactics, which nearly got them the win were it not for us scraping a penalty right at the death.

Nice to see Akinfenwa coming on for a late cameo and obeying the time-honoured old boy curse of scoring vs his former club.

 

[codaplenty]

We deserved the win but fair play to Gills who really made a first of it after they had got one back. An entertaining 2nd half, young Paddy Lane, just turned 18 has got himself contact an extended contact and MOM was justified
A word about Evans, we just sit near the dug outs, plenty of shouts directed at him, but you know I felt there was an air of resignation about him. His assistant never be stopped screaming and shouting, perhaps he is being well schooled

 

[Tom_ITFC]

Was Chaplin, had a full on meltdown. Was pretty bizarre really as it was a challenge initially around the half way line that wasn't leading to any danger, but desperately tried to get sent off.

First time in 18 months Richardson has criticised officials that I can remember but they were spectacular bad today and changed the result. Like he said Chaplin will get a 3 match ban off the FA but how is that any use to us.

Meanwhile at worse the officials have a national league game next week as so called punishment, then they are back in League One.

Kettle and the linesman aren't fit to officiate at this level, maybe even at all, if you get decisions wrong that happen a few yards directly in front of you.

Haven’t seen the situation but was listening to the game and the commentators said the initial challenge came off as a clear dive and it’s likely that may have let things boil over for Chaplin following the events of the last week at the club.

Not an excuse or reason to make it ok but a likely reason for an out of character reaction

 

[NorthernSoul]

Haven’t seen the situation but was listening to the game and the commentators said the initial challenge came off as a clear dive and it’s likely that may have let things boil over for Chaplin following the events of the last week at the club.

Not an excuse or reason to make it ok but a likely reason for an out of character reaction

Yeah it did look a bit soft. Not sure from my angle whether there was a bit of a clip or not but yeah the reaction was nuts and should have seen him seen off. Had he just walked away from the initial decision nothing at all would have happened and the free kick was well inside our half so hardly threatening.

 

[Marked Ox]

Great win for us at MK Dons. Very happy with 7 points from 9 away from in the last week.

 

[Luke Imp]

Gutted to throw it away at the end after scoring a 2nd in injury time ourselves. However great to see us much more competitive today. Any ideas if Scully/ Jackson/ Walsh etc are close to returning?

Massive game at home to Donny on Saturday.

MA said Scully has an outside chance for Doncaster but more likely MK and Walsh is mid-January earliest along with Hopper.

Jackson has had two concussions this season so I think he has to sit out an extended period of time. It'll be 10 days by next Saturday but I'm not sure how many days it is after a second one.

 

[DearneValleyRover]

We won, I know, we won

 

[Luke Imp]

I'm assuming Plymouth's drop off in form has coincided with who they've been playing? Wednesday and Portsmouth are bobbing along nicely now, likewise Oxford who haven't seem to have been talked about much. Sunderland back in form as well.

 

[Boletus Edulis]

I'm assuming Plymouth's drop off in form has coincided with who they've been playing? Wednesday and Portsmouth are bobbing along nicely now, likewise Oxford who haven't seem to have been talked about much. Sunderland back in form as well.

I think there are a number of factors. First, who we have been playing. Second, the season ending injury to Galloway at LCB has left a gapping gap. His backup is not good enough.Third, we stopped being able to score. Across three of those games we had 50 shots and only scored once. Fourth, some people wonder Lowe’s leaving has been on the cards a few weeks and whether this had an effect.

 

[PuB]

Can’t question the effort but lost again, six defeats in a row.

 

[BarrieOwl]

The penalty on half time was key, thought we were very comfortable against a tenacious but inexperienced Crewe team. Sad that some of our youthful fans got a bit giddy mind

 

[CTFCfan99]

Gutted to throw it away at the end after scoring a 2nd in injury time ourselves. However great to see us much more competitive today. Any ideas if Scully/ Jackson/ Walsh etc are close to returning?

Massive game at home to Donny on Saturday.

That was a really good game to watch, not a huge amount of quality but both teams had a right go and there were more than a few words between the players which always spices things up!

A draw was probably fair although both teams had their chances and could argue they should've won it. Officials were absolutely dreadful, the ref completely lost the plot second half.

 

[Bartonyellow]

We played well in parts today but we are powderpuff at the back.
hasselbank has so many players at his disposal, most not injured and he still doesn’t know his best team. Questions starting to be asked of him now, and fans are starting to moan.

 

[thewwfc]

The relegation dogfight looks interesting this time around, no-one’s really getting cut adrift yet.

As usual, if anyone can string together even a semi-decent run they can easily get out of bother, but there’s the old cliche that nothing goes your way when you’re down the arse end of the table.

 

[Millerjam]

Was Chaplin, had a full on meltdown. Was pretty bizarre really as it was a challenge initially around the half way line that wasn't leading to any danger, but desperately tried to get sent off.

First time in 18 months Richardson has criticised officials that I can remember but they were spectacular bad today and changed the result. Like he said Chaplin will get a 3 match ban off the FA but how is that any use to us.

Meanwhile at worse the officials have a national league game next week as so called punishment, then they are back in League One.

Kettle and the linesman aren't fit to officiate at this level, maybe even at all, if you get decisions wrong that happen a few yards directly in front of you.

I've seen some bad refs over my life time watching rotherham but trevor kettle is something else. I still cannot understand how he hasn't been stopped from officiating in the football league surely they monitor referees. He really hasn't got a clue and clearly never played the game before he's as bad as it gets

 

[The Alex]

The penalty on half time was key, thought we were very comfortable against a tenacious but inexperienced Crewe team. Sad that some of our youthful fans got a bit giddy mind

You made it a good atmosphere, but there was a large number of your fans that behaved embarrassingly.

 

[BarrieOwl]

You made it a good atmosphere, but there was a large number of your fans that behaved embarrassingly.

Oh agreed, I wasn't there but saw the idiots, however I will add, everytime I've been to yours there's been Arseholes in both sets of fans.

 

[K-Win]

That's 21 points for us from an unbeaten run of 9 games. Admittedly, it's been a run of easier games but we did win at Wycombe and were very unlucky not to beat Wednesday in midweek.

There have been a few reasons for our upturn in form. George Hirst has emerged as an all-action centre forward, finally replacing the misfiring Marquis. He's made the front three much more effective as a unit, and Harness in particular is on fire. We're able to press high up the pitch which has made life very difficult for our opponents.

Joe Morrell and Louis Thompson have formed an excellent partnership in midfield. They've both missed the last few games due to illness and injury but it thankfully hasn't stopped our good run.

Connor Ogilvie's recovery from injury has helped plug the gaps in central defence,, finally giving Raggett some much needed help. Mahlon Romeo continues to impress at wing back.

All in all the players now seem capable of playing how the Cowleys want them to. It will be interesting to see how we get on post-Christmas when the fixtures get tougher.

 

[BarrieOwl]

Hope young George is OK, I worried he'd broke a bone with all his theatrics midweek. The little prick.

 

[Agombar stool]

That's 21 points for us from an unbeaten run of 9 games. Admittedly, it's been a run of easier games but we did win at Wycombe and were very unlucky not to beat Wednesday in midweek.

There have been a few reasons for our upturn in form. George Hirst has emerged as an all-action centre forward, finally replacing the misfiring Marquis. He's made the front three much more effective as a unit, and Harness in particular is on fire. We're able to press high up the pitch which has made life very difficult for our opponents.

Joe Morrell and Louis Thompson have formed an excellent partnership in midfield. They've both missed the last few games due to illness and injury but it thankfully hasn't stopped our good run.

Connor Ogilvie's recovery from injury has helped plug the gaps in central defence,, finally giving Raggett some much needed help. Mahlon Romeo continues to impress at wing back.

All in all the players now seem capable of playing how the Cowleys want them to. It will be interesting to see how we get on post-Christmas when the fixtures get tougher.

Louis Thompson is a blast from the past. Was plagued with injuries at Norwich but glad to hear he's doing well with you guys. There was a tiny murmour that he might head back to us but he would clearly be playing below his level in league 2.

 

[K-Win]

Louis Thompson is a blast from the past. Was plagued with injuries at Norwich but glad to hear he's doing well with you guys. There was a tiny murmour that he might head back to us but he would clearly be playing below his level in league 2.

I think he's still on a pay-as-you-play type contract with us due to his career-wrecking injury history. It's a real shame as he's clearly Championship standard when fit. He picked up another injury a couple of weeks back but apparently should return soon.

I really hope he plays enough games this season to earn a proper contact. He's a powerful presence in midfield and can cause real problems when he makes the occasional run forward.

 

[Bobbin']

We weren’t very good at all yesterday, far from it actually but job done. Thankfully Cambridge lacked any real quality so we got away with it.

Have to say, disappointed with Cambridge. Falling on the floor, whinging all the time, I understand it’s done to disrupt our game but my god, glad I don’t have to watch that every week. They were losing aswell! So glad they didn’t equalise as god knows how much worse it would have got.

Special mention for Sam Smith, biggest diva and moaner to ever grace the Valley which is hilarious considering he’s national league South standard.

Cambridge fans brilliant though, good number and good noise, my Dad and I agreed they are the best fans to visit so far.

Ref was diabolical.

 

[DearneValleyRover]

If we can get a manager in who can motivate the players we have, get some of the walking wounded back and sign 2 to 3 decent players in January we might survive but that’s a lot to ask.