Saturday 27th Jan Fixtures

[SVH]

 

[denzel ecfc]

Be nice to put one over the Tykes given they nicked a win at SJP, but doesn't look like we have anyone coming in and with Barnsley's form I can only see a defeat.

 

[valefan16]

Tough test for us but with Pompey's form its certainly one we should be looking to get something from, and arguably need to with Reading's midweek win despite our games in hand to keep pressure off.

We obviously haven't played apart from 16 minutes in 3 weeks so should be well rested and some injuries should have cleared up, hopefully finally having chance to train and work on things should improve us.

Expect Dan Gore to come in from the start which should be a boost and Rhys Williams will add the height at the back we've desperately needed, could be 3 debuts, maybe more if any more movement in time so hard to tell how we will look with so many changes.

Need to carry on the relatively decent form since mid December and hopeful of at least a point with their recent form, seem to be scoring for fun at home in recent matches (3 in 4 of the last 5, 2 in the other) but will need to tighten up at the back. Hopefully Williams can aid that.

1-1 Bishop, Wilson.

 

[Don Tonberry]

Tough test at Vale Park considering they'll be fresh and despite a 1-0 win at Fleetwood, I don't consider our poor run of form to be over as it wasn't convincing over 90 minutes.

I think Myles Peart-Harris will come in for his debut but I really hope Morrell is fit as without him our midfield seems to lose its control over games. I'm hoping this also might be the game Bishop rediscovers his scoring touch as he hasn't been the same player in 2024 and we've got nobody to take his place at the moment.

We've dropped too many points to poor sides in this division already this season so can't afford to be dropping any more, but I'm not convinced we'll win convincingly if at all.

 

[folletto]

Will be interesting to see how we play under the interim managers but can't see anything other than a Blackpool win

 

[codaplenty]

Good news with Wiredu and Quitirna, 2 of our better players signing extended deals
Expect nothing at Wickum on Saturday 2-0 to the home side and a 5th consecutive
defeat

 

[Moomin]

No pressure on us whatsoever this weekend. Yes, we need to keep away from the bottom four, but Tuesday’s result has taken the sting out of things a bit.

Plus, it could be one of those occasions where the inform team takes us too lightly and we cause an upset. As Caldwell said today, we need to play at our absolute best to get anything but stranger things have happened.

1-1

 

[Bartonyellow]

Cambridge away. I have some belief finally. Confidence is coming back after a good week. I think we could get a point here, but that depends on our defence as usual. 2 new faces in this week, 3 out.
Hopefully they can gel and we put in a good performance.
Prediction- 2-2

 

[The Terminator]

First visit to Reading in 23 years and first visit there in the league in 30 years for us.

Sold just over 2000 tickets, the Elizabeth line will likely be rammed for those brave enough to ride the whole thing along for the full 90mins of the journey. I'll be getting the quick train though!!

We'll start with the same side which won last week at Bolton unless there are injuries, have to hope Dan Agyei can continue his excellent form so far this month. New Signing Ollie O'Neil will be on the bench.

Readings home form is better than you would think, its better than ours is - Their away form is the worst in the league though I think. They also beat Derby on Tuesday which should not be ignored and have lost one in the last seven, so this will be a very tight game as neither side score or concede too many.

 

[thewwfc]

Good news with Wiredu and Quitirna, 2 of our better players signing extended deals
Expect nothing at Wickum on Saturday 2-0 to the home side and a 5th consecutive
defeat

blimey, us to score an entire 2 goals, are you sure?

The phrase “must-win” is woefully overused, but we really are fucked if we fail to get anything here, with a hideous run of February fixtures in which we may barely scrape 2 points.

 

[leedsvaliant]

Tough test at Vale Park considering they'll be fresh and despite a 1-0 win at Fleetwood, I don't consider our poor run of form to be over as it wasn't convincing over 90 minutes.

I think Myles Peart-Harris will come in for his debut but I really hope Morrell is fit as without him our midfield seems to lose its control over games. I'm hoping this also might be the game Bishop rediscovers his scoring touch as he hasn't been the same player in 2024 and we've got nobody to take his place at the moment.

We've dropped too many points to poor sides in this division already this season so can't afford to be dropping any more, but I'm not convinced we'll win convincingly if at all.

Woah woah woah. We're by no means great but we're not a poor side. We're in a bit of a false position at the moment most likely, having played 3 games less than some teams.

When we played Pompey at their place, we were the better team first half. Pompey came back into it second half and aided by a soft penalty they ground out the win. They've got a talented forward line but in spite of the fact that they're top, there are weaknesses to exploit.

I hope we don't do our usual thing of allowing a well supported 'bigger' team dictate the first half and then by the time we realise they're actually not all that, it's too late.

Our record is pretty poor against the top sides, particularly at home, so it's got to change some time. We might be a bit rusty having not played for 3 weeks but hopefully the rest and working on some better than Sunday league defending will have done us good.

Think we'll lose but then go on a bit of a run.

 

[Sydney Posse]

Expecting us to lose at Barnsley, but I expected us to lose to Rovers in the week and we got a thoroughly deserved win. We can go from horror show to pretty damn good overnight at the moment UTC

 

[Si Robin]

Oddly confident ahead of our trip to Derby on Saturday. Probably because it's mine and my boy's first away trip since Reading in August.

He still hasn't seen us win away yet and this will be his 5th game. Previously he's seen draws at Crewe and Cambridge, a penalty shootout defeat at Plymouth then the dour defeat at Reading. However, we're playing well, and with confidence. Derby are coming off a bit of a shock defeat themselves, so if we give it a go, you never know.

 

[E10rifle]

Absolutely flying, big away support, ailing relegation-haunted clown show in opposition. All set for Reading 3-0 Orient.

 

[EricSabin]

We’re flying at the minute so ordinarily Shrewsbury at home looks another good chance to pick up 3 points. However Paul Hurst back in the dug out, 9 players out, I can see us getting turned over.

Quite nice to have the feeling that if we do lose we can just write it off and move on.

 

[Floreat Salopia]

Northampton away.

First time in a long time that we travel away from home in more hope rather than fear. We’ve scored four away goals all season under Taylor, I’d like to think we can score atleast one tomorrow.

Hurst didn’t do any media duties ahead of the game yesterday and has asked for no media down at the training ground as he wants 48 hours with his new players with nobody distracting them and doesn’t want to give Northampton any insight into formation/tactics and injuries. Nice to have a manager with a bit of common sense again.

Obviously two days on the training isn’t going to turn us into Brazil 1970’s but I think Hurst and Doig will galvanise the players this weekend and we’ll come away with something. The new manager appointment has added an extra couple of hundred atleast onto the away attendance and the feel good factor around the club should drive the players on the pitch. 16/5 with Sky Bet is incredible value tomorrow.

Northampton 0-2 Salop

 

[Luke Imp]

On paper, this game sees the end of our horrendous 6 or 7 week run, which has been further compounded by injuries and a new manager trying to get his ideas across.

Not sure we'll pick anything up tomorrow, and we have a stinking recent record against Posh anyway, but it should be a decent, open game if nothing else because we're now starting to see some green shoots of what Skubala wants from his side and I think Draper and Taylor can cause them some problems. The trick is obviously stopping their front four...!

 

[LordJord]

At home to Shrewsbury who may benefit from the classic new manager bounce. That being said im not sure how much input Hurst can give their players tactically in that time, perhaps more so some confidence and a slightly less handbrake on approach.

We suffered a few additional injuries at Charlton on Saturday which means we are getting extremely light at CB and CM, but confidence must be high after another late winner. Not expecting a goal fest, going to go with a 1-1 draw but we have every chance of winning this and continuing to mount an extremely unlikely playoff run.

 

[Muzzle]

Would be nice to get a win again but, we just aren't clicking as a team at the moment, not as fluid or as tenacious as earlier, so going for a draw just to keep ticking over until the form comes back

 

[kieran_vale]

Be nice if we could have a completed game for the first time in a while. Two ways of looking at it either we are fresh and will come flying out the traps or as happened after the international breaks we'll look very rusty and lethargic. Hopefully it's the former. At least we will have a full selection of defenders to choose from for this game so Crosby needs to decide his best three and stick to it. Nice gauge for Gore straight away against an experienced player like Pack to see how he can stack up in L1, we just need to be patient with him. It took time for Devine to really start to do well at this level and despite some Man Utd fans acting like he is already the best player to ever play in this league he's on a first loan and will take time.

 

[valefan16]

Be nice if we could have a completed game for the first time in a while. Two ways of looking at it either we are fresh and will come flying out the traps or as happened after the international breaks we'll look very rusty and lethargic. Hopefully it's the former. At least we will have a full selection of defenders to choose from for this game so Crosby needs to decide his best three and stick to it. Nice gauge for Gore straight away against an experienced player like Pack to see how he can stack up in L1, we just need to be patient with him. It took time for Devine to really start to do well at this level and despite some Man Utd fans acting like he is already the best player to ever play in this league he's on a first loan and will take time.

Be interesting to see how we set up, we obviously battered Charlton in terms of chances/shots with 29 so would assume you want to stick with Uche bullying and Wilson with him, but will Uche play after last weekend?

As said above we just have to hope Crosby doesn't do his over -respect of bigger club opponents at Vale Park and sit in go 1-0 down sloppily and then decide at half time that they are just another league one club and not Brazil and we end up battering on the door but can't find the equaliser like Bolton for example, they've had poorer form that us in recent weeks so get out at them fast, i'd rather lose having a good go at them than go back to the boring Bolton/Derby efforts.

My main worry with Gore isn't his ability, he has played Premier League football this season and don't think that's the issue but he does like to get stuck in and a tackle and needs to not be too pumped up and do something silly and get sent off with inexperience, as I am sure he will be keen to make his debut.

Should be a good game though and no reason why we can't get a result if we can avoid gifting away silly goals like we have against Charlton, Carlisle and Wigan for example

 

[E10rifle]

Quite nice to have the feeling that if we do lose we can just write it off and move on.

Odd feeling, isn’t it? You literally have to be about 19th or 20th in League Two at this time of the season to have nothing overmuch to play for. Being 9th & 10th and realistically nowhere near to the action at either end is bizarre.

 

[EricSabin]

Odd feeling, isn’t it? You literally have to be about 19th or 20th in League Two at this time of the season to have nothing overmuch to play for. Being 9th & 10th and realistically nowhere near to the action at either end is bizarre.

Very much so. Can’t remember our last mid table nothing to play for finish. We’ve obviously both adapted pretty nicely, let’s hope for more of the same next season!

 

[Guernica]

Posh at home - I really don't like them - owner, manager and fans are well suited to each other. Sadly we don't really get much out of them. Nil points.

 

[stevowanderer]

Don’t fancy it today to be honest. Already lost to Carlisle once this season… it’s going to be windy which doesn’t suit us … we’ve been pretty dire in the last couple of games and now we have mounting injury issues plus Thomason is suspended. Don’t think a draw would be the worst result

 

[valefan16]

Rumours of a famous face at Vale Park today after becoming a club president at VP last night, may add a few to the crowd possibly! Assume he’d be there after the meal last night!

 

[Carver]

Don’t fancy it today to be honest. Already lost to Carlisle once this season… it’s going to be windy which doesn’t suit us … we’ve been pretty dire in the last couple of games and now we have mounting injury issues plus Thomason is suspended. Don’t think a draw would be the worst result

I feel that someone is due a thrashing off us after how front foot we've been in our last couple of games and our new signings are very hungry to get going, we should have hammered Barnsley but they were very fortunate not to lose, so you may feel the brunt of our response today.

 

[hellogregory]

Bolton at home.

We simply have to win. Not draw, WIN.

This is why I think we’re 100% down, because we’re in such a bad position that draws particularly at home are not good enough. To pull off the miracle we have to win every remaining home game to stand a chance then hope for some bonuses on the road. So not happening.

Although last time we played Bolton a miracle did happen, we actually won. Can I see lightning striking twice? Probably not.
A routine away win.
Carlisle 0-2 Bolton

Speaking of wind not suiting Bolton, the last time they played here under Evatt. Boxing Day a few years back in league 2, the wind actually helped rescue them a point from 3-0 down. That day was seriously windy. It won’t be as bad today hopefully.

 

[Carver]

This is why I think we’re 100% down

Yes you've said that already for the last 5 matches at least, we hear you loud and clear you don't have to remind everyone everytime we play.

 

[stevowanderer]

Bolton at home.

We simply have to win. Not draw, WIN.

This is why I think we’re 100% down, because we’re in such a bad position that draws particularly at home are not good enough. To pull off the miracle we have to win every remaining home game to stand a chance then hope for some bonuses on the road. So not happening.

Although last time we played Bolton a miracle did happen, we actually won. Can I see lightning striking twice? Probably not.
A routine away win.
Carlisle 0-2 Bolton

Speaking of wind not suiting Bolton, the last time they played here under Evatt. Boxing Day a few years back in league 2, the wind actually helped rescue them a point from 3-0 down. That day was seriously windy. It won’t be as bad today hopefully.

Yep. You absolutely battered us that day and we got a 3-3. It was that comeback where our performances started to change and and in Jan we shot up the table from 21st to promotion.