Saturday 4th September

[Soup Ladle]

Burey might be out for 3 months. That is a big blow.

Time for Fela or Cullen to step up. The former isnt a poacher and the latter who is, is miles off it at the minute. if we only had Luke Armstrong. He'd have scored at least one or two out there today.

 

[hellogregory]

Just seen Zanzala’s goal.

Broken record here, biggest fuck up we made not pushing the boat out to make sure he signed. If he plays all season he can get 20 goals at this level.

Have a feeling Barrow will end up making some good money from him in a years time.

 

[FGR Stroud]

Terrific experience down at Exeter [apart from game].

Exeter v FGR has become both clubs most regular opponents in past few years which has created some wonderful friendships.

The Exeter stewards must be best in league: they are friendly and make the extra effort to say hi to opposition fans that they recognise. Undoubtedly a wonderful welcome to St James Park.

Then the first 50 away fans through turnstiles were given voucher for a free cup of tea/coffee. WOW.

The atmosphere within the stadium was fantastic: the home crowd kept up their vociferous vocal support throughout game. Their drummer did the business.

Please any Exeter supporter pass on the general FGR supporter’s high opinion to club on our visit today.



The game itself was a letdown. Neither goalkeeper was forced to make an outstanding save although both teams had good chances to put ball in back of net but instead shot high or wide.
FGR bossed the 1st half but Exeter came back into game 2nd half.

 

[Chief Rocka]

Burey might be out for 3 months. That is a big blow.

Time for Fela or Cullen to step up. The former isnt a poacher and the latter who is, is miles off it at the minute. if we only had Luke Armstrong. He'd have scored at least one or two out there today.

I'd start Fela before Cullen and I'd play either of them before Molyneux who I suspect DC might pick as Burey's replacement.

 

[Soup Ladle]

Yes, in terms of possession and efforts on target, and the statistics bear me out.

You had looked slightly the more threatening of the two sides when you got in behind our full backs, but you certainly were not 'by far the better team'.

Well if we wanna talk stats, the BBC has us on twice as many attempts on goal as you. You keep mentioning shots on target. Its not all about if the keeper makes a save, on your logic we could miss 6 open goals but because they all went high or wide it doesn't count. The chances we had did not hit the target but we had a lot more of them than you did but we shat ourselves when it mattered. Simple as. The better team lost but that's football.

 

[MadJohn]

We had better possession, in more dangerous positions, for most of the first 60-70 minutes. That doesn't do you a great deal of good when you have little to work with up front. If we still had Luke Armstrong we'd have probably won that game with something to spare, (or at least we would have scored during the first half and created a different match). But ifs win you nothing. In terms of wastefulness and pointless expended effort it reminded me of our Carabao Cup match against Crewe. Over the course of those two games we have had 33 efforts at goal, but only 5 on target. That's embarrassingly poor. We lost both games 1-0.

 

[Myblueheaven04]

Well I drove from Wukington eh marra
( Barra fans and Carlise fans may get that) to watch my Oldham team look like lost little boys.
Well done to Barra on a resounding win which may have been more if the fans hadn't interupted your game.
Anyway it may have been a quick pitch invasion but it got media coverage again, so well done to the fans young and old who hopefully ruind the owners day.

Rochdale away may be interesting.

 

[Soup Ladle]

I'd start Fela before Cullen and I'd play either of them before Molyneux who I suspect DC might pick as Burey's replacement.

Definitely I like what I've seen of Fela. Molyneux on the bench for me but suspect he'll pick him with Goodwin.

 

[RLC]

Well if we wanna talk stats, the BBC has us on twice as many attempts on goal as you. You keep mentioning shots on target. Its not all about if the keeper makes a save, on your logic we could miss 6 open goals but because they all went high or wide it doesn't count. The chances we had did not hit the target but we had a lot more of them than you did but we shat ourselves when it mattered. Simple as. The better team lost but that's football.

You finally found one stat in favour of your argument then ? An effort on goal can be a pathetic, pointless blocked shot from thirty yards, or grass cutter that hits the corner flag, so it does not prove a great deal.

We had equal amounts of the ball, and you got more shots away, none of which seriously tested the keeper. Which is why you lost.

 

[Soup Ladle]

Over the course of those two games we have had 33 efforts at goal, but only 5 on target. That's embarrassingly poor. We lost both games 1-0.

Yeah that's a concern and none of what we have up top are 6 yard box players. Goodwin had a good game but when it mattered the most he wasn't in the right positions or putting good chances wide. Cullen is that type of player but he hasn't scored properly for years and I might be proved wrong but don't think he will be the answer.

 

[shoddycollins]

Well I drove from Wukington eh marra
( Barra fans and Carlise fans may get that) to watch my Oldham team look like lost little boys.
Well done to Barra on a resounding win which may have been more if the fans hadn't interupted your game.
Anyway it may have been a quick pitch invasion but it got media coverage again, so well done to the fans young and old who hopefully ruind the owners day.

Rochdale away may be interesting.

Apparently also Mansfield fans

 

[Pablosammy]

Hartlepool deserved to lose purely for that farcical episode where they were trying to get Clarke sent off early in the second half. Real National League style gamesmanship.

But their fans were ace.

 

[MadJohn]

Hartlepool deserved to lose purely for that farcical episode where they were trying to get Clarke sent off early in the second half. Real National League style gamesmanship.

But their fans were ace.

I think it was Nevitt who was a lucky boy. It was him who swung his arm and caught Liddle in the head. The handbags between Byrne and Clarke were a reaction to that.

 

[RLC]

Anyway, I thought the two best players on the pitch today were the two right backs, Sterry and Cogley. I would be surprised if they are playing at this level for too long.

 

[shoddycollins]

Why is every match thread followed by about five pages of the Tranmere fans arguing with whoever they've just played?

 

[SaddlerJonny]

Spot on, Firthy.

Not sure what Walsall fans saw to think they deserved to go in at half time level. We deserved to be well in front after missing sitters. I said to my dad at half time we wouldn't come away with the win. Our attacking play is so predictable and Wallsall defended well when they weren't time wasting. It really feels like a defeat and it's one of the reasons this side won't be top 3 come the end of the season; We don't simply have the required quality to put poor sides like Walsall away. A big two points dropped. Needs to be better.

Who said we deserved to go in the half level?

 

[The Terminator]

Frustrated not to win that after leading twice, thought we played well enough overall to get the win but failed to kill the game off by missing some chances and allowed a spirited Newport side who didn't really lay a glove on us second half to nick a draw.

Both keepers pulled off good saves in the first half, which was a good watch in fairness, either side could've been leading before we eventually did.

Criminal mistake from Craig Clay to concede the penalty with the last kick of the first half by going through the back of the Newport player. I think had that not happened we'd have won the game.

Second half we took our first chance, but Aaron Drinan missed a golden chance and Craig Clay's deflected shot was a whisker away. Thought Jackett made his subs far too late, hot day and a few of our players were very, very leggy with 15 to go and Newport managed to find their way back in the game and score. Annoying to let one in from a long throw, but it will happen down here from time to time, we've scored from a few ourselves already.

Newport I thought were spirited, but didn't really lay a glove on us until after they got it back to 2-2.

Happy with the overall performance from ourselves - particularly as we had to change formation for the game to 3-5-2 to suit what we had avaliable to us after International call ups and various injuries.

 

[Sestonpoolie]

I'd start Fela before Cullen and I'd play either of them before Molyneux who I suspect DC might pick as Burey's replacement.

Fela looked useful on Tuesday night,Cullen wouldn’t look out of place on the Rec.
He wasn’t even in the squad today was he ?

 

[kieran_vale]

Fela looked useful on Tuesday night,Cullen wouldn’t look out of place on the Rec.
He wasn’t even in the squad today was he ?

It’s a shame with Cullen but he’s probably reached that point where injuries have taken too much of a toll on his body and doubt he will ever get back to being the decent player at this level he once was.

 

[Chief Rocka]

It’s a shame with Cullen but he’s probably reached that point where injuries have taken too much of a toll on his body and doubt he will ever get back to being the decent player at this level he once was.

Cullen has played half a pre season game then went off injured, had about 5 minutes in the league and 60 minutes of a pizza game, still deserves a proper go of it for me like.

 

[MadJohn]

We knew two things about Cullen when we signed him: that he has definitely been a good player in his time, and that the signing was a risk. He's played the equivalent of 30 games in four seasons, with only three complete 90 minutes in that time. If we can keep him fit then he should be an asset, but there has to be a significant doubt about that.

 

[Reginald Fodstain]

Come on, a deserved win though? You were on top after the Hawkes sub absolutely but offered nothing before then, it was because of our failings in front of your goal that you won, we've had quality balls roll along your 6 yard box that none of our lot had the ability or positional nous to get on the end of, we're playing a winger and a kid with 5 EFL games under his belt, an experienced poacher today would've had us out of sight and your goal would've been a consolation, it wasn't to be though, well done on the three points, a kick in the nuts for us and hopefully a lesson learned sooner rather than later.

Absolutely not a deserved win. Your problems up front were notable, in that a team with a competent striker would have stuck at least three away with the service provided down the flanks. We were torn to shreds down the right for most of the game. Up front for us, Maynard had a very uninspiring debut and barely touched the ball, and Elliott Nevitt had three men on him every time the ball was poked his way. We've scored two in six games for a reason - we move the ball really slowly and have shown zero creativity. The subs showed promising glimpses of potentially going someway to fix that.

We're shite/finding our feet (same thing), but based on what I've seen so far, Pools are a striker short of having a pretty decent season, as everything else seemed to be there.

 

[BlackCountrySaddler]

Disappointed to not make the game today, Bradford is a place we usually go and get battered so if you offered me a 1-1 draw at Bradford before kick off id of taken it, so it feels like a small victory after going down to 10 men in the first half.

Seems like we had to dig deep to get the point, Andy Cook apparently played the pantomime villain well & a abit of a shithouse celebration from him after Bradford went a goal up but you cant blame the guy.

Hopefully we're slowing turning the corner, last couple of seasons under Clarke we would of folded at 1-0, seems like Taylor is adding abit of grit and determination into the side.

Onto Mansfield on Saturday.

 

[Randolph Haggerty]

Great and deserved win for Rochdale.
Aside from 20 mins dominated the game.
5 simple feet passes and they were on the edge of our area.
We just launch it.
The way Rodney has fallen of is no surprise.
He scored , then dropped.
Then shoved left midfield (I think , who knows!) what’s he to think, poor lad.
Wilson is a decent footballer chasing’pope’ balls.
Proctor looks decent.
Pett is awful.
The defence, collectively is awful.
The matrix is failing.
The bloke is a absolute bullshitter, I really hope I’m wrong and it comes good.

 

[Reginald Fodstain]

Joss Liability.

Who's he eaten now?

 

[kieran_vale]

Great and deserved win for Rochdale.
Aside from 20 mins dominated the game.
5 simple feet passes and they were on the edge of our area.
We just launch it.
The way Rodney has fallen of is no surprise.
He scored , then dropped.
Then shoved left midfield (I think , who knows!) what’s he to think, poor lad.
Wilson is a decent footballer chasing’pope’ balls.
Proctor looks decent.
Pett is awful.
The defence, collectively is awful.
The matrix is failing.
The bloke is a absolute bullshitter, I really hope I’m wrong and it comes good.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion but I don’t recall you having much to say last week when we won at the team who were top of the table. The defence made some awful errors today granted, prior to that they’d conceded 2 goals in 5 league games so am sorry but to say that they are terrible overall is nonsense.

As far as Rodney goes how about he tries to stay on his feet for a start or not get nudged off the ball after the most delicate of touches. That’s nothing to do with what position he’s playing, it’s to do with him not performing. Neither for that matter was when he did get into the box second half and decided to pea-roll the ball to the keeper, still not sure if he meant that as a cross or shot. Either way it was shit.

 

[Boz]

Why is every match thread followed by about five pages of the Tranmere fans arguing with whoever they've just played?

Because Salford haven't got any fans for you to argue with?

 

[Gassy]

Not sure how it ended 1-0 today against Crawley, any other day and we’d have lost that 4-2.

Both teams missed some sitters and Crawley definitely deserved a point today, no doubt. They’re a hard working team who looked absolutely knackered by the end, I’m sure they’ll sort themselves out.

First half we were appalling, absolutely appalling. 2nd half Leon Clarke came on and scored with his first touch of the game and we looked a good team. It’s only 1 game in, but he looks an excellent addition as he just oozes class, I wasn’t excited about his signing but it looks like I might have got that completely wrong!

Also, really nice to get a good referee today. Missed a couple of fouls here and there but overall a top performance and let the game flow completely.

 

[Moomin]

Terrific experience down at Exeter [apart from game].

Exeter v FGR has become both clubs most regular opponents in past few years which has created some wonderful friendships.

The Exeter stewards must be best in league: they are friendly and make the extra effort to say hi to opposition fans that they recognise. Undoubtedly a wonderful welcome to St James Park.

Then the first 50 away fans through turnstiles were given voucher for a free cup of tea/coffee. WOW.

The atmosphere within the stadium was fantastic: the home crowd kept up their vociferous vocal support throughout game. Their drummer did the business.

Please any Exeter supporter pass on the general FGR supporter’s high opinion to club on our visit today.



The game itself was a letdown. Neither goalkeeper was forced to make an outstanding save although both teams had good chances to put ball in back of net but instead shot high or wide.
FGR bossed the 1st half but Exeter came back into game 2nd half.

Good to hear. It’s not often stewards get much praise as many can be complete fuckwits, so nice we’re doing something right in that department! And I agree, it was a good atmosphere today despite the lack of any real clear cut chances.

I thought FGR were excellent in the first half. Matt and Stevens were a handful and Kane Wilson looked a threat down the right. Wilson should’ve scored early on but it was a good save from Dawson. I can see FGR going the distance this season as they’re hard to break down and have guaranteed goals up top. Good team.

Second half we got going. Nombe had a good chance which went just the wrong side of the post and Owura Edwards came close when his goal bound shot was blocked by the defender. FGR still looked dangerous and nearly snatched it with a volley just wide of the post.

We missed Jevani Brown today as we struggled to keep the ball in the front third. Overall though, we look to have a good squad but we just need to fine tune a few bits to see where we can really get to. Decent point overall.

 

[saddler78]

I don’t really know how to even analyse our game other than it’s a game with basic defending we’d have won, the three goals were absolute howlers to concede and so unlike us this season, Leggey playing we don’t concede the two headers that’s for sure.

First 20 minutes we carried on from the FGR and midweek performance and absolutely took Rochdale apart and should have had 3 or 4, Proctor missing an open goal summed it up.

They score out of nothing and we just stop playing. The superb football from the first twenty turned into a hot potato and we couldn’t keep the ball.

Second half we change it with two subs and go 4-4-2, not sure why, not sure why Jones goes off or Garrity but Rodney comes on has a stinker, we look comfortable though but another cross that’s travelled 40 yards and another howler with a free header from a few yards out.

Push on score the equaliser a few minutes later and think let’s go for it now but DC makes an immediate change and takes Wilson off for a midfielder!

Then we concede arguably the worst of the three simple long ball and their lad is in acres for score.

Hugely disappointing, had a superb service pre game for those who died during the pandemic, raucous atmosphere with a great start and absolutely threw it away, as I say score twice at home you should win, defend like a half decent pub side and you win that.

Not sure changing systems multiple times in the game was ideal with the overhaul this summer and a couple were really off it today, Martin and Rodney especially.

Radio after was a huge inquest into it and can’t argue with much that was said, money spent we expect to be better than that but maybe this is the transition but it’s hard to understand the chalk and cheese performance from last week or even the superb first twenty minutes to the rest.

Only positive is that Proctor at least looks the real deal this season.

DC will do things like that that puzzle you ask Rovers fans sure they will say the same mate.