Saturday 1st February

[Alfie]

 

[Alfie]

 

[Alfie]

 

[Alfie]

 

[Alfie]

Okay game tonight so Form Guide will alter after game.
Hopefully Odds will remain same.

 

[Scum.]

Doncaster away. Second Dons derby in a week. We never do well up there. Can see us losing 2-0. Especially if we haven’t got two of our first choice defenders available as looks to be the case and we’ve barely created anything up the other end in the last two games.

 

[Si Robin]

For the second time this season we play Chesterfield at lunchtime.

Annoyingly, this means I have to rush from my kid's football in the morning to the ground - I should get there before kick-off but it's not guaranteed. Bloody Sky!!

 

[valefan16]

Accrington, always a tricky banana skin and they gave us a really tough game at their place until they collapsed in injury time and we got the point.

They seem hit and miss, been battered a couple of times and obviously picked up a great win last week at Crewe so won't be an easy game by any means. Their last visit was marred in controversy when some lets say "questionable" tactics saw them come away with a point and we had a goal ruled out to be given a penalty instead which we duly missed off course!

Expect they will come and make it hard for us, all be it look like they have a bit of footballing style in patches about them too but we really need to win this one to push and keep in touch with the promotion pack, last night was a leveller for us in terms of now not having played more games than anyone bar Wimbledon and having games in hand so a clearer picture of what we need to do now.

 

[ROVERS⚽️]

Doncaster away. Second Dons derby in a week. We never do well up there. Can see us losing 2-0. Especially if we haven’t got two of our first choice defenders available as looks to be the case and we’ve barely created anything up the other end in the last two games.

We haven’t been playing as well as our league postion might suggest recently. Across January we’ve beaten Fleetwood 2-1, gills 0-1 and Harrogate 1-0, we were arguably very lucky winning all 3 of those games and haven’t been at our best!. Port vale we lost 2-1 in a game where it was once again a tight game. Obviously points picked up are more important than performances especially at the business end of the season but I could see us becoming unstuck tonight and at the weekend if we don’t improve. How many are you bringing?. How’s Crowley settled in?.

 

[Alfie]

For the second time this season we play Chesterfield at lunchtime.

Annoyingly, this means I have to rush from my kid's football in the morning to the ground - I should get there before kick-off but it's not guaranteed. Bloody Sky!!

You'll have to co-opt the boy's mother for help on Saturday.

 

[jacobncfc]

Getting sick of these early kick-offs now. We’ve been miles better away than at home, should be looking to pick up another win really with Gillingham’s form.

Would be nice to do so after their burglary at ML earlier in the season. Although their results since are probably punishment enough for that.

 

[OneDecentLester]

Getting sick of these early kick-offs now. We’ve been miles better away than at home, should be looking to pick up another win really with Gillingham’s form.

Would be nice to do so after their burglary at ML earlier in the season. Although their results since are probably punishment enough for that.

What happened to all the Gillingham fans on here. Im sure there were loads of em about at the start of the season when they shithoused their way to top of league after about 5 games. Not been seen since?

 

[hellogregory]

Our home form is diabolical. Our away form is as well but at home we’re worse.

As predicted the Fleetwood win was a one off flash in the pan. We do have these now and then as I eluded to the other day. Last night wasn’t a bad performance but ultimately still a defeat. It’s quite easy for our players to play well against the better sides knowing full well they aren’t expected to win. It’s like the pressure is off, we can pass pass pass but we don’t need to actually score as defeat is expected.

However the pressure will certainly be on Saturday and with us needing to win at home it will yet again be too much and sadly I can’t see anything other than a Swindon win.

Carlisle United 1-3 Swindon Town

We are 100% relegated in my view, but I want to at some point see us string some performances and wins together before the season is out. It’s vital we need to get that monkey off our shoulders before we embark on our National League season.

 

[Si Robin]

You'll have to co-opt the boy's mother for help on Saturday.

I mean, I'm their coach as well, so not sure I can get out of it to be honest.

 

[Scum.]

We haven’t been playing as well as our league postion might suggest recently. Across January we’ve beaten Fleetwood 2-1, gills 0-1 and Harrogate 1-0, we were arguably very lucky winning all 3 of those games and haven’t been at our best!. Port vale we lost 2-1 in a game where it was once again a tight game. Obviously points picked up are more important than performances especially at the business end of the season but I could see us becoming unstuck tonight and at the weekend if we don’t improve. How many are you bringing?. How’s Crowley settled in?.

Interesting. We have 2 wins in 10 and have been pretty drab recently, but then again, reading the match thread from last night, it seems no team played well last night/has been playing well recently (I guess that just shows how inconsistent and crap this league can be). Even Walsall have come unstuck in the last two games so all up for grabs still...

Crowley got his first assist last night (an easy pass in fairness). He has settled in well, definitely a class above what we had in that position before (Wearne). All our signings have made an impact so far - Jay Williams is just the kind of bruiser we needed as we were too soft in central midfield, Tommi O'Reilly has looked good on his cameos and grabbed a good goal at Fleetwood and Nathan Thompson was rock solid at the back against AFC Wimbledon and against Harrogate before he got injured. We definitely have a better squad than we had at the start of the season and enough quality to get promoted but it really has not clicked yet. Either we will have a dull end to the season and remain inconsistent or it will all just start to click and we will do what Crawley did last season. It feels it could go either way at the moment with a few months of the season left.

Either way, none of our fans are remotely confident we get our first win (or even just a draw) at your place. Our record at your ground is LDDDLDDLL. Scored 5, conceded 13.

We took 407 when we lost 3-0 at your place New Year's Day last year, which was decent for us to be honest. I suspect we will take similar this time, I would be surprised if we took any more so expect circa 400.

 

[FiRTHYY]

A.F.C. Wimbledon (a) - Biggest game of the season

There’s not a lot separating the pair of us. They have great home form, but ours is slightly better. We’ve both scored 38. Wombles have the better defence - keeping cleans sheets in 48% of their games thus far. Historically, we’ve lost five, won five and drawn five. Interestingly, Wimbledon haven’t beaten us at Plough Lane since 2017 - in fact, they’ve failed to score against us in their last three fixtures.

The first goal in this one is key. Whoever gets it, goes on to win the game IMO.

We made three changes last night, and it was telling. Halliday and Kav were brought off around the hour mark, so they should be nice and fresh for the weekend. As will our key talismen, Richards and Pattison, who both started on the bench.

Back to our strongest XI, please:

GK: Sam Walker

CB: Aden Baldwin
CB: Jack Shepherd
CB: Cieřan Kelly

RWB: Brad Halliday
LWB: Lewis Richards

CM: Ritchie Smallwood
CM: Alex Pattison

AM: Antoni Sarcevic
AM: Bobby Pointon

ST: Calum Kavanagh

My heart says 1-0 win, but I’ll be delighted with a draw. A loss here isn’t the worst result either, they’re a strong team who will be challenging for the autos.

I’d be a little disappointed if we didn’t sell this one out, but as per, zero communication from the ticket office with regards to what’s sold.

 

[loz]

We haven’t been playing as well as our league postion might suggest recently. Across January we’ve beaten Fleetwood 2-1, gills 0-1 and Harrogate 1-0, we were arguably very lucky winning all 3 of those games and haven’t been at our best!. Port vale we lost 2-1 in a game where it was once again a tight game. Obviously points picked up are more important than performances especially at the business end of the season but I could see us becoming unstuck tonight and at the weekend if we don’t improve. How many are you bringing?. How’s Crowley settled in?.

That augers well for when you get back to playing well.

 

[LS Bantam]

Would take a draw right now but can’t say there’s anyone we fear. I’d imagine Wimbledon will start as favourites but no doubt this will be a good challenge against one of the better sides away from home.

 

[CFC91]

For the second time this season we play Chesterfield at lunchtime.

Annoyingly, this means I have to rush from my kid's football in the morning to the ground - I should get there before kick-off but it's not guaranteed. Bloody Sky!!

Yep early start for us travellers too. Luckily hadn't booked the train or anything before it got moved. 8am train - into Cheltenham for 9.50, what pubs will be open at that time do you know? Not been for a few years, and that was to the races

 

[クレイグ]

Our game with Wimbledon will be tighter than Yorkshireman's wallet. 1-0 one way or a 0-0 you reckon. Someone like Matty Stevens with a quality finish.

 

[Si Robin]

Yep early start for us travellers too. Luckily hadn't booked the train or anything before it got moved. 8am train - into Cheltenham for 9.50, what pubs will be open at that time do you know? Not been for a few years, and that was to the races

The two Wetherspoons (Moon Under Water and The Bank House) in town, and that's probably about it to be honest. Hop on the D bus immediately outside the station and that'll drop you outside The Bank House.

I honestly can't be sure about any others though as my early drinking days are long behind me now and I live in Tewkesbury, so other than playing darts and watching Cheltenham I'm hardly a local anymore.

 

[Don Caster]

We have not been good to watch at all for a long time, franchise seem to shoot themselves in the foot quite often, it will be a dour 0-0 or one side will click on the day & win convincingly , it will be a shit atmosphere as usual & given the opposition another shit following. Can't wait

 

[Scum.]

We have not been good to watch at all for a long time, franchise seem to shoot themselves in the foot quite often, it will be a dour 0-0 or one side will click on the day & win convincingly , it will be a shit atmosphere as usual & given the opposition another shit following. Can't wait

Does any club in this league have a good home atmosphere? I certainly haven't heard one yet...

 

[DearneValleyRover]

Does any club in this league have a good home atmosphere? I certainly haven't heard one yet...

No

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

Yep early start for us travellers too. Luckily hadn't booked the train or anything before it got moved. 8am train - into Cheltenham for 9.50, what pubs will be open at that time do you know? Not been for a few years, and that was to the races

Post game - The Airs & Graces

 

[leedsvaliant]

Would take a draw right now but can’t say there’s anyone we fear. I’d imagine Wimbledon will start as favourites but no doubt this will be a good challenge against one of the better sides away from home.

I thought Wimbledon were the best team we've played this season. Strong, physical but with a couple of decent footballers. We beat them but we were proper hanging on at the end. Would not surprise me one bit if they are top 3 at the end of the season.

 

[leedsvaliant]

Accrington at home. It's a fixture that I bet every team in the division looks at and thinks it's 3 points for the taking. They then turn up, some of your team are not quite on it and then before you know it they've got a point or 3. We've been stung by them a few times, particularly at their stadium.

After their result last week, and a decent point last night, they'll be fairly confident of an upset.

The key to these sorts of games is to try and kill them early but that's just not in the Darren Moore playbook.

I'm hoping our quality will be enough but we simply have to get 3 points in these sorts of games.

 

[gary]

Bradford at home Saturday. As a few Bradford supporters have said it will be a tight game. Our game's against them usually are anyway. Our home form is fairly good this season. Two narrow 1-0 defeats to Walsall and Grimsby and we could've got something out of both those game's. I'll go for a 1-0 win for us simply because we are at home. I won't be putting any money on it though !!!!

 

[JJ1990]

Harrogate away. It's about as close to a must win as you can get, but with 18 games to go it's not. However, after 4 shite performances, 1 win and just 2 goals scored in the last 4, the need for a positive display is the most important thing. I'm just not sure we have it in us at the moment given how lacking in confidence we are, both on and off the pitch.

Expecting another dull, low quality affair with not much between the 2 teams. A 1-0 either way or 0-0 is the most likely outcome. Feel if we lose, the fan base is going to fully meltdown and a scrappy 1-0 win isn't going to do much to lift things either. Can't call this one, although looking forward to my first visit to Wetherby Road. Another ground ticked off the list.

 

[Si Robin]

Post game - The Airs & Graces

What's it like - I haven't been in there since it was the Sudeley Arms.

Scratch that, I've not been in there since I was 17 and ended up in hospital due to drinking too much GL (a Weston's Cider).