Saturday 1st October

[BarraMatt]

Sounds like we've been shite today, I reckon we've been found out and providing that's the case we are easy to deal with.

 

[EricSabin]

Great fucking win

 

[hellogregory]

As predicted.

Could tell early on we were never going to score. This team has no where near enough quality to be winning 3-0 and 4-0 and be where carver says we should be. Zero creativity or any form of inventiveness in this team. The only way we score is from a set play or a defensive mistake. If a team is organised and doesn’t make mistakes, we won’t be scoring. Simple as that.

Crap performance without looking under pressure ourselves, but a point is a point.

 

[hellogregory]

I doubt a more dull and boring game of football will be played this season than the one between Carlisle and Crewe today.

I admire the fact we've been massively improved at the back and we're no pushovers anymore but by God we're boring.

This applies to us as well. Neither team were ever scoring today if they played till midnight.

 

[Carver]

As predicted.

Could tell early on we were never going to score. This team has no where near enough quality to be winning 3-0 and 4-0 and be where carver says we should be. Zero creativity or any form of inventiveness in this team. The only way we score is from a set play or a defensive mistake. If a team is organised and doesn’t make mistakes, we won’t be scoring. Simple as that.

Crap performance without looking under pressure ourselves, but a point is a point.

Yes today was disappointing, all we can do is plod on until January then hopefully sign a better midfield because the likes of Guy and Gibson aren't good enough and we need players with more pace and flair outwide. A better target man up front would do too than one who's always out injured.

 

[Gladders]

Didn't watch or hear any of the game, but we really need to stop conceding early and start learning how to score.

 

[Sestonpoolie]

Nor me, I can see why Dale are where they are but we are so shite it’s unreal.

That’s good to hear.

 

[Who Needs Mourinho]

Walsall were so bad but somehow we’ve only come away with a point after yet again conceding from a corner

We were very average but still far superior. Missed a couple of really good chances to get the second goal and were punished.

Their number three Gordon was beyond terrible and their only tactic was to hoof it up to a smallish striker who was constantly beaten by Horsfall.

Can’t see Flynn lasting long on that performance but it will be the same Challinor if we continue to throw away points when we’re the better side against the poorest teams in the league. We have claimed two points from Crawley, Harrogate and Walsall despite being the better side in all three games.

 

[The Terminator]

We was always going to lose eventually, overall performance was good I thought, we had enough shots on Newports goal and Townsend played well for Newport - saved everything and claimed all the crosses.

Vigs mistake for the penalty ultimately cost us the game. We failed to defend a corner after giving it away cheaply for the first, but those things will go against you from time to time - Good delivery I thought from Lewis for Newports first goal.

Second half was largely one way traffic, Newport managed the game well I thought and their defenders put themselves on the line for the cause, excellent block from Clarke I think it was at the start of the second half from Kelman.

Good to see Aaron Drinan get off the mark for the season, 1 yard tap in but they all count from a clever free kick from Tom James which caught everyone out. We piled on the pressure at the end but found Newports 5 at the back too tough to break down despite plenty of balls into the box and corners.

All 3 of the games goals were from set plays - fine margins sometimes.

Always going to lose at some point but we went down fighting, all about the reaction now.

 

[Brox]

2-1 win for us today at Crawley. Probably just about deserved on the balance of things.

First half we were the better team, went close on a couple of occasions before Roberts opened the scoring. Was a lovely little move, the ball was dinked over the top by Read, Jamie Reid cushioned a header down into the path of Roberts who smashed the ball home on the volley, in off the crossbar, was a great goal.

Reid really should have made it 2-0, really not sure how he missed, we had a couple of other half chances as the half grew to a close but the score remained at 1-0.

Second half Crawley levelled almost straight away, an effort from the edge of the box deflected into the path of their striker who nipped in ahead of Ashby-Hammond to poke home and make it 1-1. After that I thought Crawley were the better side, apart from Danny Rose going close we didn't create too much and whilst Crawley weren't really working our keeper I felt they were the more likely of the two sides to find a winner. 5 minutes from the end a goal bound effort struck the arm of a Crawley defender and the referee awarded the pen. Norris stepped up to make it 2-1 and we saw the game out fairly comfortably after that.

Not at our best this afternoon and for a long time was a frustrating watch but got the win and that's all that matters really.

 

[BogDaddyO]

We was always going to lose eventually, overall performance was good I thought, we had enough shots on Newports goal and Townsend played well for Newport - saved everything and claimed all the crosses.

Vigs mistake for the penalty ultimately cost us the game. We failed to defend a corner after giving it away cheaply for the first, but those things will go against you from time to time - Good delivery I thought from Lewis for Newports first goal.

Second half was largely one way traffic, Newport managed the game well I thought and their defenders put themselves on the line for the cause, excellent block from Clarke I think it was at the start of the second half from Kelman.

Good to see Aaron Drinan get off the mark for the season, 1 yard tap in but they all count from a clever free kick from Tom James which caught everyone out. We piled on the pressure at the end but found Newports 5 at the back too tough to break down despite plenty of balls into the box and corners.

All 3 of the games goals were from set plays - fine margins sometimes.

Always going to lose at some point but we went down fighting, all about the reaction now.

Good write up as always mate, but are you not going to mention that shambolic, biased refereeing display at all?

 

[pontoonlew]

We were really good today and well worth our point, if we had a good striker we’d have put 2-3 past Salford

 

[The Terminator]

Good write up as always mate, but are you not going to mention that shambolic, biased refereeing display at all?

His handling of their time wasting was poor, he's exactly the reason why we do it, most refs don't know how to deal with it properly. Should've been more than 5mins injury time.

Thought Kelman could've had a pen at the end but the rest were all too soft.

 

[hellogregory]

I still think a good team is going to absolutely take us to the cleaners sooner or later, despite our defence performing pretty well. That’s the feeling I got watching today, if crewe were better in the final third they could have done much more from our many mistakes in midfield. We constantly give the ball away, start halves really slow and on the back foot, and we don’t have any sort of creativity to hurt a competent team.

We’ve been fortunate to have mainly come up against teams in the bottom half so far who haven’t capitalised on on our frailties.

 

[Casey]

Got to agree with Brox about the game. Just a couple of things. If I asked on here 'how would an Evans' Stevenage side play'? I reckon nearly everyone on here would know the answer. It seemed to take our management team by surprise! Diagonal balls into the channels for players to challenge, pressing high if the opposition start playing across the back line. You know what will happen. Come half time and Betsy rejigged to cope with is we looked OK but in that first half we could have been 3 or 4 down.

Don't know about the penalty. Have to see it on TV or something.

I have also just listened to Betsy's after match interview. He moans about the pen but he then goes on to say how he has revamped the club. Changing things he shouldn't have needed to and how this has held them back this season. Basically putting some of the blame on Yems and the previous owners. Think what you like about Yems but he was working on a budget at least half of what Betsy has and he had his team in the top half of the table. I'm pretty sure some of the things he would have liked to be in place were not implemented due to budget constraints. Does that mean he is twice the manager you are Kev?

Disgraceful thing to say!

Casey

 

[AdamStag]

If it had not been for a last gasp tackle at the death it would have been 3 points.

It just goes to show our flaws.

No point in leathering a team but not putting the ball in the net, we should have had it won by half
time tbh.

We’ve got to be more clinical

 

[Boz]

Sounds like we've been shite today, I reckon we've been found out and providing that's the case we are easy to deal with.

It sounded like your keeper kept the score down in the second half after we edged the first but with an all important goal.

 

[LS Bantam]

Up to fourth but a bit of a moan - keep reading (and seeing) that we don’t get out of second gear, but do we actually have a third? This inability to play well once we go in front worries me that it’s going to catch up with us, we’ve gone 2-0 up just twice all season the rest we’ve conceded an equaliser having led.

 

[AR27]

Up to fourth but a bit of a moan - keep reading (and seeing) that we don’t get out of second gear, but do we actually have a third? This inability to play well once we go in front worries me that it’s going to catch up with us, we’ve gone 2-0 up just twice all season the rest we’ve conceded an equaliser having led.

I don't even think we need to go up a gear. It's more about maintaining our good spell for more than 10/15 minutes. If we'd have carried on our performance levels from the opening periods in the last couple of weeks, we would've had the last two games wrapped up by HT.

 

[Cas]

I don't even think we need to go up a gear. It's more about maintaining our good spell for more than 10/15 minutes. If we'd have carried on our performance levels from the opening periods in the last couple of weeks, we would've had the last two games wrapped up by HT.

These games would be infinitely more comfortable if we stopped giving up possession so easily. Harrogate, like some of the other teams we've played recently, only really looked threatening because we kept faffing about at the back and gifting the ball to them. Cut that out and some of the very basic mistakes we make and I think we'll look a lot better. Would be nice to properly put a game to bed though as you said.

 

[LeonTheGreen]

Fucking hell we went and scored a goal after over ten hours of football and from open play (our first one of those this season)!

Fully deserved after being the better side in the second half. Lovely.

How’s Ryan Law getting on?

 

[Koumas’Right-Boot]

Barrow looked very ordinary and not quite sure how they’re that position in the table. Similar situation to Harrogate last year where they got found out I suspect.

Our back four is simply ridiculous for this level and some of the players not even making it would get into most other teams in the league; but defence hasn’t really been an issue for us it’s been attack. With Kieron Morris back and fit now everything has clicked into place.

2nd half at Walsall and 2nd half today we could have scored a hatful, today in particular the scoreline flattered Barrow.

It’ll be curious to see how we do against the next genuine “top” side now we are full strength.

 

[THE LAST WALTZ]

How’s Ryan Law getting on?

Been in and out of the aide mate as Harris keeps changing things each game. To be fair, some have been enforced.
I thought he had a decent game today though.
Still a bit naive at times but you can see there is a player in there.
Personally I would give him a good run in the side now.

 

[Salvador]

Depressing game that. Up until about 70 mins i'd say we were good value for at least a point. Our subs just seemed to slow us down. Going 2-1 down and everyone, players, fans just deflated.
Result aside it was also depressing the amount of arseholes who were out supporting both sides yesterday. Since COVID there just seem to be more spotty yoof in shit clothes spoiling for a scrap. I can see why there's been a spike in banning orders and arrests on matchdays across the PL & EFL.

 

[shoddycollins]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/63017680

Don't think I've ever seen a BBC match report describe a match so bluntly as boring before. Usually even when games are boring they'll fluff it up with words like 'uneventful'.

 

[RiftHouseLad]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/63017680

Don't think I've ever seen a BBC match report describe a match so bluntly as boring before. Usually even when games are boring they'll fluff it up with words like 'uneventful'.

Youre saving yourselves for us, Aren,t you.

 

[shoddycollins]

Youre saving yourselves for us, Aren,t you.

We're working ourselves up to a state of boredom that the opposition players all fall asleep giving us the opportunity to break on the counter and put the ball over an open goal from two yards.

 

[Indian Dan]

Strange team, Northampton. Don’t appear to be anything special but look incredibly hard to break down. They outmuscled us all over the pitch. Orient, by comparison, looked an excellent side and should have beaten us.

I think most sides will find it difficult to beat the Cobblers and should be nailed on for a top 3 spot.

 

[Koumas’Right-Boot]

Strange team, Northampton. Don’t appear to be anything special but look incredibly hard to break down. They outmuscled us all over the pitch. Orient, by comparison, looked an excellent side and should have beaten us.

I think most sides will find it difficult to beat the Cobblers and should be nailed on for a top 3 spot.

They’re just carrying on from where they left off really. Very consistently at that level. Other sides have a higher ceiling but blow hot and cold.

 

[Agombar stool]

Strange team, Northampton. Don’t appear to be anything special but look incredibly hard to break down. They outmuscled us all over the pitch. Orient, by comparison, looked an excellent side and should have beaten us.

I think most sides will find it difficult to beat the Cobblers and should be nailed on for a top 3 spot.

I concur, I found it a strange game whereby I thought we played quite well but never really created tons of chances. The fact Jephcott never got anything like a sniff suggests they were very well organised. Our goal was down to absolute class by Jonny Williams. Sadly a needless free kick given away by us and a lovely header by Fox brought them level and at the time I would have been happy with a point. But more quality by Fox and a great finish by the ever impressive Pinnock gave the cobblers the 3 points. Clearly losing is disappointing but as you said Northampton are likely to be up there, the fact they were missing their talisman and still looked decent cements your thoughts also. I still think we'll be a play off side this season.