Tuesday 20th Feb Fixtures

[GeneralLee]

A completely unnecessary performance. We have ultimately thrown away a straight forward three points, twice.

Calamitous defending twice when presented with no pressure all night. Northampton will be wondering what the hell they've done to deserve that tonight. Had it not been for our bonkers defending, they wouldn't have had a single shot all night.

Completely one-way traffic and somehow it's 2-2. Me thinks Des Buckingham will be furious tonight...

 

[masi51]

Much better second half Started brightly scruffy equaliser own goal credited to Maghoma then a second goal of quality set up by Sheehan for Gomes to put us in front. Cambridge then changed and started to at least try and play/ mix it.
Lyle Taylor sent off with less than ten to go for a punch on Iredale.......Not the brightest thing to do to a 6"4 Mad Aussie
All in all much better from both teams second half and we deserved it
Blackpool away then Wigan away coming up.........Santos and Thomason back Saturday Big two weeks coming up

 

[AmberRich]

Had a feeling it would be a disappointing night. Taylor is an absolute twat for getting himself sent off before the county derby. Tosser.

 

[valefan16]

Decent performance and something to build on but a great hit and lost our way a bit late on.

Feel much more positive than after Saturday ironically.

Leaves a bit of a bitter taste though as we were totally screwed over with the whole affair.

 

[kieran_vale]

Well we definitely know Conor Grant can’t play left back after tonight. Azeez had his way with him, made Jones look better in retrospect.

It was an improved performance though from us until the last twenty in any case. Mighten looked lively and Weir and I will give credit where its due (as I've criticised him often) Loft really put in a shift.

Key has always been the home games for me. No ifs or buts we have Lincoln and Fleetwood at VP in the next week and really need to be targeting to win both of them.

 

[valefan16]

Well we definitely know Conor Grant can’t play left back after tonight. Azeez had his way with him, made Jones look better in retrospect.

It was an improved performance though from us until the last twenty in any case. Mighten looked lively and Weir and I will give credit where its due (as I've criticised him often) Loft really put in a shift.

Key has always been the home games for me. No ifs or buts we have Lincoln and Fleetwood at VP in the next week and really need to be targeting to win both of them.

Lincoln is must win now for me, we could still be out the drop if we win that.

Just a frustrating one, DJ going off injured changed the game but one of those what ifs with Loft and that chance at 0-0.

Need to put in a big performance Saturday now and try and get out of this.

 

[masi51]

Had a feeling it would be a disappointing night. Taylor is an absolute twat for getting himself sent off before the county derby. Tosser.

Dont like the way you play if i am honest, you have regressed since Bonner went

 

[White horse]

Awful style of play for me, Toal mistake should have been punished, be lucky to go up, won't stay up when playing great for 20 minutes a game and dire for the other 70 plus.

 

[masi51]

Awful style of play for me, Toal mistake should have been punished, be lucky to go up, won't stay up when playing great for 20 minutes a game and dire for the other 70 plus.

Said it all season we are not ready for the Championship, but for me Toal would not get in the team next season if George Johnston recovers the same form he had before his Injury.

Tonights starters maybe 2/3 would start first game in the Championship if we go up.

 

[AmberRich]

Dont like the way you play if i am honest, you have regressed since Bonner went

Hmm I dunno the regression started under him tbh. The last year and a half with Bonner was mainly utter crap, I guess with tonight being the last game we've played you since last season you missed most of that turgidness.

Harris isn't known for his pretty football but then Bonner’s football wasn't particularly pretty at times either. Overall I feel a bit safer with Harris. I loved Mark but his time with us deservedly ended in November.

The second goal tonight was coming. Failed to deal with the superior quality in passing. Work still to do if we want to confirm safety.

 

[EricSabin]

Burgled a point at Oxford tonight. Didn’t deserve it but one thing this team has in spades is character and we fashioned a chance at the death and nicked it.

Great noise from the away end all night but I think that was the quietest I’ve heard the Kassam on my 5+ visits. Why so quiet Oxford fans, Buckingham’s style not getting the crowd going?

 

[Laker]

Thought we did well first half, pressed at the right times and caused panic in the defence/midfield which ultimately led to an attack and the goal.

Disappointing opening to the second half, we sat far too deep and invited them on. The goal from the corner was appalling defending. Thought there was a foul on our attack in the build up to the second but no complaints as we had about 30 seconds to prevent the goal after that and failed dismally.

We created next to nothing second half and Bolton deservedly saw out the win. If we’d grabbed a second when on top first half then I think we’d have gone on to win but failing to capitalise when on top was our downfall.

Stupid from Taylor late on, the less said about him the better.

 

[leedsvaliant]

I actually feel a bit more positive after tonight. We've finally ditched 3 at the back and looked a lot more progressive with it.

We were always up against it against a team that has now won 10 of their last 11 at home and have a huge budget in comparison to us (how on earth they were allowed to do that when they don't pay wages is beyond me...another cheat). I won't go into the fact that they got the first game postponed, which we had a better chance of winning given our respective form at the time. Cheats, like I said.

Our huge issue at the moment is that our focal point is Ryan Loft. Bless him, he tries but he's never a footballer while I've got a hole in my arse. He puts in lots of effort but he's nowhere near league standard to the point where it's embarrassing. We also look devoid of confidence generally in front of goal (as you would be if you were one of the lowest scorers in the entire football league).

The 'lack of concentration' keeps cropping up too. All our defenders have a brain fart in them and it often leads to a goal.

I think Moore has recognised this after listening to what he said after the game. I think one scrappy win could change the whole mindset and we could go on a bit of a run but it might be too late. I don't think our squad is as bad as the one that got relegated last time we were in this league.....we've just got into a rut that has spiralled. Remains to be seen whether we can get out of it.

 

[SVH]

Disappointing not to take a point last night, which I think we deserved. Bolton were very poor first half and we should have been more aggressive on the front foot but once we scored we backed off. Bolton were definitely there for the taking in the first half.

Bolton were much better second half and we should have had a free kick in the build up to their second goal but take nothing away from that goal, it was a beauty.

Lankester should have levelled up at 2-2 but somehow missed the target and open goal from 10 yards out.

Taylor - no complaints from me on the sending off. What an idiot getting drawn into that with Iredale who has grown 2-3 inches to 6'4 since he left the Abbey.

 

[valefan16]

I actually feel a bit more positive after tonight. We've finally ditched 3 at the back and looked a lot more progressive with it.

We were always up against it against a team that has now won 10 of their last 11 at home and have a huge budget in comparison to us (how on earth they were allowed to do that when they don't pay wages is beyond me...another cheat). I won't go into the fact that they got the first game postponed, which we had a better chance of winning given our respective form at the time. Cheats, like I said.

Our huge issue at the moment is that our focal point is Ryan Loft. Bless him, he tries but he's never a footballer while I've got a hole in my arse. He puts in lots of effort but he's nowhere near league standard to the point where it's embarrassing. We also look devoid of confidence generally in front of goal (as you would be if you were one of the lowest scorers in the entire football league).

The 'lack of concentration' keeps cropping up too. All our defenders have a brain fart in them and it often leads to a goal.

I think Moore has recognised this after listening to what he said after the game. I think one scrappy win could change the whole mindset and we could go on a bit of a run but it might be too late. I don't think our squad is as bad as the one that got relegated last time we were in this league.....we've just got into a rut that has spiralled. Remains to be seen whether we can get out of it.

To be fair I would cry out for Big Reggie Cicilla right now! He scored a few goals at least! (And has a Champions League Hatrick since!) Even Kiko to play LB would be an upgrade!

 

[nelsonpfc]

Cambridge was mostly the same against us last tuesday. Started quite well, then faded badly. Bolton to be fair to them kept going and moved the ball around well. Ogbeta saw tons of the ball but his end product not so great. Collins doesn't look at the same pace as others at all. One thing I would say is if Cambridge had taken their chances it would have been a home win. Bolton seem very open at the back

 

[masi51]

Disappointing not to take a point last night, which I think we deserved. Bolton were very poor first half and we should have been more aggressive on the front foot but once we scored we backed off. Bolton were definitely there for the taking in the first half.

Bolton were much better second half and we should have had a free kick in the build up to their second goal but take nothing away from that goal, it was a beauty.

Lankester should have levelled up at 2-2 but somehow missed the target and open goal from 10 yards out.

Taylor - no complaints from me on the sending off. What an idiot getting drawn into that with Iredale who has grown 2-3 inches to 6'4 since he left the Abbey.

must be the protective dressing on his head......Still you cannot blame him if someone cracks him on the side of the head three days after having plastic surgery on a ripped ear

 

[masi51]

Cambridge was mostly the same against us last tuesday. Started quite well, then faded badly. Bolton to be fair to them kept going and moved the ball around well. Ogbeta saw tons of the ball but his end product not so great. Collins doesn't look at the same pace as others at all. One thing I would say is if Cambridge had taken their chances it would have been a home win. Bolton seem very open at the back

Agreed we missed Ashworth wide left last night. He delivers a much better ball than ogbeta. Collins seems a little lost and so far has played only Cameo roles.
We are very open at the back it is how Evatt sets us up.........We invite the press and that creates gaps to exploit.

Cannot fault Coleman but he is not as calm as Baxter playing this way and Santos is a big, big loss
Looks like Taylor is out for a month with ankle ligament damage, but the right time to give the returning Forrester a run added to Santos should be back Saturday.

 

[Arbury]

must be the protective dressing on his head......Still you cannot blame him if someone cracks him on the side of the head three days after having plastic surgery on a ripped ear

That you can’t, still can’t believe a 33 year old behaved that way, he really should know better and has screwed us for Saturday, iredale still held with high esteem down this way, loved him when he was with us.

KTF.

 

[HutchECFC]

Ah yes, the FA Cup game where we were robbed. I remember that one well, unfortunately.

We don't talk about being robbed in FA Cup games involving Cambridge

 

[SVH]

We don't talk about being robbed in FA Cup games involving Cambridge

Haha yes that was a robbery. Was that the season we got Newcastle?

 

[HutchECFC]

Haha yes that was a robbery. Was that the season we got Newcastle?

It was indeed - the round before, so would have been us.

 

[SVH]

It was indeed - the round before, so would have been us.

The officials had a shocker and did feel for you. I would have been fuming if it was the other way around.

 

[BRFC_Gas]

Agreed we missed Ashworth wide left last night. He delivers a much better ball than ogbeta. Collins seems a little lost and so far has played only Cameo roles.
We are very open at the back it is how Evatt sets us up.........We invite the press and that creates gaps to exploit.

Cannot fault Coleman but he is not as calm as Baxter playing this way and Santos is a big, big loss
Looks like Taylor is out for a month with ankle ligament damage, but the right time to give the returning Forrester a run added to Santos should be back Saturday.

Collins has looked lost for the past year, others here though might say lazy or disinterested. I personally think we got the better end of the deal, you are likely to go up and he is nowhere near a Championship level player (although id love him to do well and earn us some ££ for a sell on).

 

[stevowanderer]

Collins has looked lost for the past year, others here though might say lazy or disinterested. I personally think we got the better end of the deal, you are likely to go up and he is nowhere near a Championship level player (although id love him to do well and earn us some ££ for a sell on).

Tbh the majority of players we have brought in under Evatt in January windows have had fairly slow starts but looked like completely different players the following season once they’d had a full pre season with us. Dempsey, Randell Williams and Adeboyejo amongst some of them. I’d even say we didn’t see the best of Trafford until after that summer break. He was decent before that but he really kicked on playing from the back etc.

We are playing every midweek atm so there’s no time to really coach him to do exactly what we need him to do. Think he’ll be a different player next season whatever league we are in. There aren’t many players since Evatt came in that he hasn’t improved over time.

 

[stevowanderer]

That you can’t, still can’t believe a 33 year old behaved that way, he really should know better and has screwed us for Saturday, iredale still held with high esteem down this way, loved him when he was with us.

KTF.

Cambridge have actually appealed it too…??

 

[Arbury]

Cambridge have actually appealed it too…??

I’m guessing they’ve appealed so he can play Saturday? As there’s no chance it’ll get overturned.

KTF.

 

[SVH]

The only logic I can see from the club is the angle of the camera not fully showing a swing of the arm towards Iredale's head. Iredale was hanging off Taylor's arm as he'd got wrong side as the ball was played over. We may suggest Taylor was originally being fouled and he was trying to free his arm from being held back.

The referee didn't actually see the incident so if the fourth official has put something in the report that cannot be seen on camera then we may see an opportunity to get it overturned.

 

[AmberRich]

A desperate attempt to get him available for the Pish game.

 

[coronakopite]

I'm not sure why the majority think there's NO chance it 'll be overturned - other than refs don't get overturned often. Did someone see a clear punch or kick? Incidentally, the appeal will be heard and decided on Friday.

From the Habbin, I didn't see the initial incident, only the aftermath. Heated but no red card for that push away.

On the Highlights, feet tangled on the ground but no clear deliberate violent conduct for me. So that leaves the initial contact when they were running together with arms raised and contact with the shoulder, head and ear. Barry says he didn't feel it was a deliberate swinging arm or hand-off but that's what it seems to have been interpreted as. The ref didn't see it so the call was from the 4th official and the assistant ref - who had the opposite view to the Habbin and the cameras.

Whatever the outcome, I'm sure we'll use it to add to the "all for one and one for all" message and get stuck in on Saturday.