The play-off thread

[B2TF]

Let's have no cry babies now, please.

 

[jacobncfc]

True, but our defending in both playoff games has been farcical tbh.

Couldn’t have seen us getting past Stockport or Hartlepool really, and just a shed load of work to be done on the squad in the next couple of months.

We’ve defended badly, but we’ve also been absurdly unlucky.

 

[LongEatonPie]

oh well, we tried. Things went against us again but the lads did well.

 

[Droo]

oh well, we tried. Things went against us again but the lads did well.

We lost. That doesn’t constitute ‘doing well’.

 

[AdamStag]

Genuinely hard luck notts, thought was a really enjoyable game and could have really gone either way, great resilience from the team in both games to come from behind, just on this occasion a bit too much.

I’d imagine with a summer of training and a few additions notts will be right up there next season.

 

[jacobncfc]

We lost. That doesn’t constitute ‘doing well’.

We played alright, dodgy at the back but we knew that already. You need a bit of luck on your side in a game that tight and sadly it all went in the other direction today. C’est la vie.

 

[LongEatonPie]

We lost. That doesn’t constitute ‘doing well’.

Maybe doing well was the wrong term. I meant we took the game to Torquay and actually were the better team after their goals. The penalty decision killed us. But we kept going and still could have pulled 1 or 2 back at 4-2.

Had we have lost like when were playing like end of NA era and the start of IB era i would be f ing and jeffing.

 

[EnglishRed]

Hard luck Notts. See you next season.

 

[LongEatonPie]

Besides the league made Torquay win otherwise why else would they have the final in Bristol!

 

[Wooderson]

No

Genuinely hard luck notts, thought was a really enjoyable game and could have really gone either way, great resilience from the team in both games to come from behind, just on this occasion a bit too much.

I’d imagine with a summer of training and a few additions notts will be right up there next season.

Agree with this. Very little between the teams, Torquay took their chances when they came and the ref then ended it as a contest with a horror decision. Expect us to be challenging again next season.

Anyway, congrats to the Gulls, it was a good contest, enjoy the final. I do fancy Pools or Stockport to nick it now tho.

 

[jacobncfc]

No


Agree with this. Very little between the teams, Torquay took their chances when they came and the ref then ended it as a contest with a horror decision. Expect us to be challenging again next season.

Anyway, congrats to the Gulls, it was a good contest, enjoy the final. I do fancy Pools or Stockport to nick it now tho.

Without going all bitter, it’s worth mentioning that the first goal was pretty comfortably offside as well. Feel pretty much exactly as I did after Coventry 2018 rather than Harrogate 2020.

The plus side is that I’m pretty up for watching us play this way for an entire season.

 

[Chief Rocka]

Congratulations Torquay and commiserations Notts, was a great game to watch as a neutral.

 

[LongEatonPie]

Without going all bitter, it’s worth mentioning that the first goal was pretty comfortably offside as well. Feel pretty much exactly as I did after Coventry 2018 rather than Harrogate 2020.

The plus side is that I’m pretty up for watching us play this way for an entire season.

I agree, the side plays like we did in a way under Moniz, crazy attacking football but it does seem IB doesnt really want the "we will score more than you" plan.

Getting Miller and Ellis signed up will be a big step towards next season. I think we may well offload Enzio and after a decent start im not fussed that Knowles is going back to Stags.

The defence isnt actually that bad they just need to learn not to switch off and be more confident.

 

[ForzaCounty]

“There will be 2,500 inside the ground, there won’t be any Pools fans inside but I imagine there could be quite a lot outside the ground,” Challinor added.

Challinor on Stockport fans and why Pools are ‘second favourites’ going into play-off semi-final

Hartlepool United travel to Stockport County this Sunday (12pm kick-off) with a place in the National League play-off final at stake.

www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk

I hope he gets landed with any bill the GMP give us for Sunday's game, the great fucking wazzock.

 

[John Still]

Pretty football and nice teams don’t get promoted, horrible bastard teams get promoted. Notts manager needs an evil streak about him for next season, principals are spot on but you need that other side and I don’t see it at present.

 

[Chief Rocka]

Challinor on Stockport fans and why Pools are ‘second favourites’ going into play-off semi-final

Hartlepool United travel to Stockport County this Sunday (12pm kick-off) with a place in the National League play-off final at stake.

www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk

I hope he gets landed with any bill the GMP give us for Sunday's game, the great fucking wazzock.

Was this misquoted or printed incorrectly? Did he not mean there will be 2,500 Stockport in the ground and the 'quite a lot outside' bit being Stockport supporters outside, there is zero chance any Pools fans, drive close to 2 and a half hours to stand outside a ground.

 

[jacobncfc]

Pretty football and nice teams don’t get promoted, horrible bastard teams get promoted. Notts manager needs an evil streak about him for next season, principals are spot on but you need that other side and I don’t see it at present.

Our team is supposed to have an evil streak about it with Doyle, Ellis, O’Brien, Turner etc through the heart but as a group they’ve lost two cup semi-finals and two play-off campaigns in twelve months. If anything I imagine we’ll now go even further in the other direction.

 

[jacobncfc]

I agree, the side plays like we did in a way under Moniz, crazy attacking football but it does seem IB doesnt really want the "we will score more than you" plan.

Getting Miller and Ellis signed up will be a big step towards next season. I think we may well offload Enzio and after a decent start im not fussed that Knowles is going back to Stags.

The defence isnt actually that bad they just need to learn not to switch off and be more confident.

Miller yes. Ellis, controversially, I can take or leave.

 

[Soup Ladle]

Congrats Torquay but commiserations to Notts, only one brother could win.

I didn't mind who won that, more concerned about beating Stockport. I don't think we will like but a close game has got Richie Bennett scoring the winner written all over it.

We might have Cass back tomorrow and possibly even Killip although the latter I wouldn't risk. If Cass is back that'd be massive.

 

[Soup Ladle]

Was this misquoted or printed incorrectly? Did he not mean there will be 2,500 Stockport in the ground and the 'quite a lot outside' bit being Stockport supporters outside, there is zero chance any Pools fans, drive close to 2 and a half hours to stand outside a ground.

I wouldn't bet against it.

 

[CaliforniaGull]

Great game of football, got me right awake after a ridiculously early start. I do agree that Notts played better football in the majority of the game, and scored two fantastic goals. Plus the penalty, Mark Ellis didn't deserve that. However, I think we looked sharper from the 75th minute, seemed to have more energy levels, so I guess the oft-asked question during the match was answered that it's better to have a week's break. (That said, some of our lads might be knackered for the final.)

I think we will have a good go against whoever wins tomorrow. Whatever one might say about our quality, we have spirit throughout the squad, threats from all over the pitch and we are defensively very solid. Not much could be done against Notts' goals today.

Notts County looked a very good team, playing with tremendous ambition. Good mix of grit and flair. Yes, it's a bit too gung-ho, I reckon Burchnall is just working with what he has defensively and will look to recruit in that area, but I don't think there is much to do for them to be title challengers next season.

PS: I've never seen someone so unlucky as Kyle Wootton against us. Didn't he do the exact same thing in the regular home league match?

 

[Droo]

C’mon Stockport/Hartlepool.

Torquay have used up all their luck now - I hope you smash them in the final.

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

Poor defending, crap reffing decisions, fuck all on the bench in that order was why we lost that game.
The good news is that IB can do something about 2 of those 3 things for next season, as I’m sure he’s aware.

 

[Optipez]

Congratulations Torquay, you scored four, can't argue with that.
We defended poorly, a terrible decision for the penalty and didn't test their keeper nearly enough.
We play good football but are a bit lightweight, we were under Ardley but he hid it by packing the middle and making us hard to beat. Burchnall has gone the opposite way, playing to our attacking strengths but it's come at a cost.
We have missed Lacey in defence a lot and we've got a fair old rebuild to do to get out this division next season.
I've always thought the other half of the draw was stronger and still fancy Hartlepool to go up.

 

[#Beebot]

Pretty football and nice teams don’t get promoted, horrible bastard teams get promoted. Notts manager needs an evil streak about him for next season, principals are spot on but you need that other side and I don’t see it at present.

Torquay played some neat stuff though. Not an ugly side by any means.

 

[Wooderson]

Pretty football and nice teams don’t get promoted, horrible bastard teams get promoted. Notts manager needs an evil streak about him for next season, principals are spot on but you need that other side and I don’t see it at present.

To be honest I’m not sure Gary Johnson or Simon Rusk have an ‘evil streak’, and I don’t know too much about Matt Gray but he’s never struck me as a nasty bastard.

 

[Master D]

John Askey too. Despicable human and played awful football.

 

[John Still]

Torquay played some neat stuff though. Not an ugly side by any means.

They play Hoofball a very effective tactic at this level. All of Johnson’s teams have been good at this game. Looks pretty on the eye when it’s effective but crap when not but find the right blend of player and it’s a simple way to play, much simpler than trying to play tippy tappy stuff with shite players.

 

[Hollywood Red]

Pleased for Danny Wright still going strong at his age. Best team won on the day

 

[TheShayWay]

Well good for our bank balance assuming away fans will be allowed back in with Chesterfield and Notts already in this league and hartlepool and Stockport to follow