Saturday 14th December

[Crewelad87]

Another very well controlled and clinical performance by us today. We look so solid defensively, probably the best defensive Crewe team I've ever seen. Then when you add the quality of Lankester going forward, it's a great mix. He's far too food for league 2, great bit of business for us to get him on a 3 year deal. Not lost since the Newport game in September now.

 

[dannyc5]

Another very well controlled and clinical performance by us today. We look so solid defensively, probably the best defensive Crewe team I've ever seen. Then when you add the quality of Lankester going forward, it's a great mix. He's far too food for league 2, great bit of business for us to get him on a 3 year deal. Not lost since the Newport game in September now.

Our last 5 goals, he's scored 3 of them and assisted 2. A seriously good player. If he's not the best player in the league, he's right up there.

 

[leedsvaliant]

We've won that 1-0 today. An absolutely appalling decision has robbed us of the win. Me and my mate were stood in the home end and they were laughing at the linesman decision. I've never seen such a clear goal not given.

What he has done is refuse to give us the goal because we'd given him some stick first half because he missed two clear offsides. He was clearly biased. Horrendous. Should never officiate again.

 

[OneDecentLester]

Olay olay, olay olay, DILAN MARKANDAY

 

[leedsvaliant]

We've won that 1-0 today. An absolutely appalling decision has robbed us of the win. Me and my mate were stood in the home end and they were laughing at the linesman decision. I've never seen such a clear goal not given.

What he has done is refuse to give us the goal because we'd given him some stick first half because he missed two clear offsides. He was clearly biased. Horrendous. Should never officiate again.

In fact, I'm adding 2 points to our total because that was clear cheating. I'm not having that.

We might as well not bother with rules anymore. Honestly, I'm astounded that neither a goal or a penalty has not been given.

Probably one of the worst refereeing decisions I've ever seen. As I said, their fans were astounded...that says it all.

 

[Meadow]

Chatting to folk around the ground before kickoff and at halftime, I couldn't mention that Doncaster have never beaten us at our grounds since we reformed. I didn't want to put the kybosh on it.

 

[mozzavale]

It's probably not...

This was the view the linesman had when the ball bounced on its way out of the goal (which he used his hand to clear). It must have travelled a foot to get that far. He could almost be excused for not seeing the ball at it's furthest point into the goal (albeit, anyone with a fucking brain could figure out it had gone in), but to miss this bit too? Wreaks of match fixing. You can't miss so many things in one incident between the ref and the liner, for it to be anything else. It's about as clear cut cheating as you're likely to see.

The goal cam footage shows the 2 blatant handballs the ref "missed" during the same incident aswell. The ref can be seen in the incident with a clear view.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1868008388757446944

EFL will have to look into it, it's that bad. At the very least they should never officiate in professional football again. At worst it's corruption, at best it's simultaneous unrivalled incompetence by 2 people at exactly the same time. Very very suspicious.

 

[Meadow]

Our ref apparently missed Donny's goalkeeper handling outside the area. It's the price you pay for not having VAR. I'd live with that because the alternative would be so much worse.

 

[Meadow]

Duplicate post.

 

[GTFCfish]

Yeah I’m sure the Vale fans are right and it is definitely match fixing, i reckon the ref and linesman had a good chat before the game and said that if a shot should happen to go over the line but not nestle in the corner of the net then let’s not give it and then let’s both go stick a massive wad on a 0-0 draw and just hope that no other goals go in either.
Fuck sake have a word with yourselves.

 

[Si Robin]

No no - of all the clubs in the league, the one the refs really want to cheat is Port Vale.

Anyway, we got a good 2-0 win at home to Morecambe. I'm shocked they're right at the bottom to be fair, they play some nice stuff and had much more of the play yesterday. Where they are lacking though is in the final third - they play some nice stuff in the middle of the park but then have nothing at all up front.

As for us, 2 defeats in 14 games now (in all comps) and we're cementing our place in the middle of the pack. That Mid-Table Trophy is coming home.

 

[AlanPep]

Watched yesterday’s game with two Port Vale supporting friends. Cracking advert for Div 2, Vale were poor first half, we should have gone in at halftime at least 2-0 up. Reorganisation and change on the left side for Vale at halftime meant they got better second half and yes looking at the pictures they scored a goal that wasn’t given. Poor by the officials but it’ll even itself out come season end and absolutely no conspiracy etc. Draw felt about right and any neutral would have had a good afternoon’s entertainment. I think anyone who watched today would agree we can play, and compete at this level. One of the best 0-0 I’ve witnessed

 

[kieran_vale]

Watched yesterday’s game with two Port Vale supporting friends. Cracking advert for Div 2, Vale were poor first half, we should have gone in at halftime at least 2-0 up. Reorganisation and change on the left side for Vale at halftime meant they got better second half and yes looking at the pictures they scored a goal that wasn’t given. Poor by the officials but it’ll even itself out come season end and absolutely no conspiracy etc. Draw felt about right and any neutral would have had a good afternoon’s entertainment. I think anyone who watched today would agree we can play, and compete at this level. One of the best 0-0 I’ve witnessed

Especially first half I thought you were very good as much as we were hopeless. Seemed we’d very much misjudged what sort of team you are and set up expecting a long ball aerial battle and in fact you played some really good football. For the focus that Cheek gets thought Imray and Congreve were your best players. Think the game evened out when we brought Rico Richards on.

Would probably be more pissed off about the disallowed goal if you had scored on the subsequent breakaway while about 3 of our players were busy celebrating then remonstrating with the linesman. That might have been one too far for me.

 

[mozzavale]

The team it happened against is irrelevant, the motive for match fixing isn't to piss off Vale fans. The naivety to think match fixing doesn't happen, is staggering. Don't pretend you don't know what the motivations are for a few reactions. It's been proven time and time again throughout the life of football. Have a chuckle at our expense like good little school children, but yesterday's incident should alarm all football fans.

At best, 2 officials simultaneously missed 4 clear chances to award either a penalty or a goal during the same incident. Missed one, or, two, I'd get it. But 2 people missing all 4 has to raise serious questions. The chances of that happening are ridiculous.

 

[leedsvaliant]

Watched yesterday’s game with two Port Vale supporting friends. Cracking advert for Div 2, Vale were poor first half, we should have gone in at halftime at least 2-0 up. Reorganisation and change on the left side for Vale at halftime meant they got better second half and yes looking at the pictures they scored a goal that wasn’t given. Poor by the officials but it’ll even itself out come season end and absolutely no conspiracy etc. Draw felt about right and any neutral would have had a good afternoon’s entertainment. I think anyone who watched today would agree we can play, and compete at this level. One of the best 0-0 I’ve witnessed

I was in the home end. Had a cracking day, there's a really good setup there with a really good clubhouse. Some of the stands need work but I'm sure that will come.

In terms of the game, you were all over us first half. Thought the little lad at wingback was great but his final ball was awful. I only really recall one save from Ripley in terms of a clear cut chance. The linesman missed a clear offside in the build up to that.

Second half I thought we ran it. Again though not creating a massive amount of great chances. The game was 1-0 to us though...I've never seen such ineptitude from officials. Everyone in the ground could see it was in and then to top it off their player scooped it with his hand. How on earth did the officials think he managed to clear it? The lad should be retrospectively banned for a clear red card offence. The ref had pretty much the same view as me and a load of Bromley supporters who were just dumbfounded that it hadn't been given.

Our fans were absolutely seething at the end. The linesman didn't dare go to that end of the pitch!

You say these things even themselves out, but we've had about 8 points cost so far this season from officials. I'm yet to see any decisions that are positive. We hardly ever get penalties.

 

[Cloudy]

Another very well controlled and clinical performance by us today. We look so solid defensively, probably the best defensive Crewe team I've ever seen. Then when you add the quality of Lankester going forward, it's a great mix. He's far too food for league 2, great bit of business for us to get him on a 3 year deal. Not lost since the Newport game in September now.

Agree. Defensively you were exceptional. Once you took the lead there was no chance of you dropping any points. Maybe not as easy on the eye as a couple of visitors to BP have been but, personally, I felt Crewe were very effective and impressive

 

[loz]

Yeah I’m sure the Vale fans are right and it is definitely match fixing, i reckon the ref and linesman had a good chat before the game and said that if a shot should happen to go over the line but not nestle in the corner of the net then let’s not give it and then let’s both go stick a massive wad on a 0-0 draw and just hope that no other goals go in either.
Fuck sake have a word with yourselves.

Good post. The pace of the game today is frantic and refs are human. They are all bound to make mistakes and costly ones really are frustrating to the victims. We can all cite "injustices" and forget our let offs for over a season, decisions tend to even out. We get over it and move on.

 

[OneDecentLester]

Didn’t go yesterday but sounds like it was a professional performance from us doing what we needed to do against a side that were unbeaten in their last 5 including games against Crewe & Doncaster.

Markanday though seriously, pay the Blackburn what they want… what a player. Goalkeeper should do better with his goal but he just oozes class & a constant threat, especially once he comes inside on that left foot. I’m consigned to losing him in Jan as he is far too good for this level & there’s been rumours floating round for weeks now that Blackburn plan to recall him, so we should probably just try to enjoy him whilst he’s here. Was glad to see Grigg score again aswell after Dobra chased Hayden down & put him under pressure in his own box who eventually made a mistake, and then Grigg did what Grigg does & finished from about 10 yards out.

That’s us up to 6th now, which considering the current injury list isn’t bad going at all, just got to keep trying to tick them off & stay in and around the mix until we get our injured lads back and then have a real push second half of the season.

 

[loz]

He just strikes me as a man who's best managerial days are behind him.
As to next week it's a very big game for us. We've a pretty good record against you but we look entirely capable of never winning again the way we're playing, we've slipped into being that bad.
I've watched us scrape draws at Swindon and Morecambe by being gritty but unconvincing to now looking entirely toothless at Crewe and Salford and were now shipping goals. The players played with no belief today, they looked second best all over the pitch.

His best days are behind him but yesterday Swindon were awful and we were not much better. I remember the Summerbee, Rogers Swindon team and to see that is sad. Swindon like us and yourselves should not be in this division but deserve to be because of diabolical past or present owners.

 

[dannyc5]

Having watched it back, the Vale 'goal' is, imo, the worst decision of the season. Absolutely disgraceful not to award a goal. I can understand why Vale fans are calling corruption, because it's incomprehensible that both officials missed it (obviously they're not corrupt, they're just awful League 2 officials).

I will give credit to the ref, tho. The ball was out of play, so no handball.

 

[BarraMatt]

Frustrated yesterday but feeling a bit better this morning, especially now I've been down the bookies to collect the absolute fortune I've made on a 0-0 at Bromley yesterday.

 

[Dirk Diggler]

£10 on this referee nodding in Swindon’s equaliser.

The ref was truly appalling. No idea what happened late in the 2nd half that warranted giving your keeper a drop ball?

 

[valefan16]

Having watched it back, the Vale 'goal' is, imo, the worst decision of the season. Absolutely disgraceful not to award a goal. I can understand why Vale fans are calling corruption, because it's incomprehensible that both officials missed it (obviously they're not corrupt, they're just awful League 2 officials).

I will give credit to the ref, tho. The ball was out of play, so no handball.

It’s up there with the one at Stevenage last season which we didn’t get a penalty for when one of their defenders slide right through the back of Chislett as probably the worst I’ve seen against us.

But as I said simple goal line technology at this level and that doesn’t happen. Don’t want VAR but surely in this day and age Goal Line Technology should be in for those.

 

[Dirk Diggler]

It was not a very pretty watch again for us and Swindon. I think that's the worst Swindon side I've ever seen. I don't think they had a shot at goal today. We weren't great either. Our goal seemed a tad fortunate, too. Happy for Kav to get it. He's not had a great season so far, but the effort is always there. Thought Huntington did well to marshal Smith. Solid win. And Aden Baldwin is back. Can't complain.

Oh, and I hate it when other team players fake injuries and contact so I'll have to be consistent and have a go at Halliday—embarrassing from him near the end today.

Extremely poor game and refereeing performance for both sides. I did think that some of your players took the fake injuries to an extreme. Huntingdon in your box late on as an example

 

[Dirk Diggler]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1867984433971892457

Absolutely disgraceful by the manager especially when you add it to his post match interview

 

[loz]

Absolutely disgraceful by the manager especially when you add it to his post match interview

He virtually admits to playing for 0 - 0. No supporters expect that.

 

[robsta1101]

Our ref apparently missed Donny's goalkeeper handling outside the area. It's the price you pay for not having VAR. I'd live with that because the alternative would be so much worse.

I was right behind that and the keepers feet were in the area. Refs seem to turn a blind eye to keepers grabbing the ball outside the area so long as their feet are inside the box.

 

[loz]

Extremely poor game and refereeing performance for both sides. I did think that some of your players took the fake injuries to an extreme. Huntingdon in your box late on as an example

He's getting on a bit and needed a breather otherwise he would have got up when he realised we had cleared the ball.

 

[Ainsty]

Very worried now, that performance against Tranmere was one of the worst I have seen in many years. We couldn't get the basics of keeping and passing the ball right. I don't think we won more than 10% of the headers and there were a series of stupid unforced errors that allowed them to put on the pressure. Finally, 2:1 down 78th minute and James Daly who is the only player showing attacking intent was taken off.

It feels worse than 22/23 when we were in a constant relegation battle with Hartlepool and Rochdale. We are back to hoping that there are 2 teams even worse than us and frankly, it is exhaustion. If any of the lower clubs get their act together this will be our season to disappear without trace back into non league.

 

[mozzavale]

The liner had a great view. Zero excuse for not seeing it.