Tuesday 22nd October

[Son of Cod]

As long as we keep our negative goal difference - promotion could be possible with a GD of about minus 17 at the current rate of ppg and a thrashing every 3 games, surely would be a record

It's like Artell always says "a thrashing every other home day keeps the draws at bay."

 

[DippyDon]

A win while playing poorly is a relief. Especially as it builds momentum when we are in the middle of a run of what we should be seeing as winnable games

 

[codaplenty]

Not quite sure how we're doing this with at best half a team. Even without our influential player and captain in Demetriou tonight, and we still win and keep another clean sheet. 1 loss in 10 with the injuries we had is crazy. As said above an average age of just over 21 tonight, including 7 starting players 21 or younger.

Those are pretty good stats for you mate
While we dominated the first half the 2nd saw a much improved performance from you and afraid there was only going to be one team who scored, and it certainly wasn't us. 2 defeats on the bounce, good test for Charlie Adam's managerial skills and an even bigger one for how the players respond

 

[Ainsty]

We were beaten by the better team but we didn't play like mugs. I just can't understand why we sat back so deep and gave them the space to play through us. We were more positive once the subs were made with Stephen Duke-Mckenna doing well taking them on.

Had we played like this against Swindon and Carlisle we would have come away with all the points.

 

[gary]

Dominated the shrimps start to finish. They are a poor side and we should have won by more. I stick by I've seen no one better than us so far in the league.

I agree I haven't seen a team that is better than us. On paper our away form looks poor but the performances have been decent. We basically haven't put our chances away which has obviously cost us.

 

[leedsvaliant]

We were beaten by the better team but we didn't play like mugs. I just can't understand why we sat back so deep and gave them the space to play through us. We were more positive once the subs were made with Stephen Duke-Mckenna doing well taking them on.

Had we played like this against Swindon and Carlisle we would have come away with all the points.

Thought you defended your box excellently and it took a great free kick to break the deadlock.

I think it was part of the plan for you to frustrate us and then have a go towards the end. Obviously conceding a goal was not in the script.

I think you'll be fine. Our squad has been assembled at great cost, so we were always going to have more of the play, but the last 10 minutes were a bit nervy as you started to bring your winger into play.

You'll beat a few sides at your place.

 

[Optipez]

Another game that wasn't pretty to watch but very happy with a point up at Barrow.
October looked a very tough month of fixtures but if we can beat Harrogate on Saturday, overall we'll have done well.

 

[GTFCfish]

Wait a second, Grimsby Town are in the play-offs!?!

View attachment 20920

We did tell you at the time that it was a one off hammering, well that one and the other one offs against Donny and Walsall.

 

[leedsvaliant]

I agree I haven't seen a team that is better than us. On paper our away form looks poor but the performances have been decent. We basically haven't put our chances away which has obviously cost us.

It'll be an intriguing game on Saturday. I feel like we have only just started coming to the boil, after a few unconvincing performances early in the season. We played really well against Fleetwood last time out at home and obviously 4 wins in a row and 10 undefeated, we should be full of confidence. Tonight, there was a clear gulf in class between the two teams but it felt like we got a bit too cocky at times. Need to make sure we maintain the effort we have been putting in.

Seems like you guys are strolling through most of your home games but struggling a bit more away from home.

We can't stay undefeated forever and it wouldn't be a disaster if we lost but another win could potentially open up a 5 or 6 point gap on 4th place, which would be significant at this early stage.

 

[Optipez]

Kick in the teeth to draw that late on with a penalty given what looked like our own stone waller turned down in the first couple of minutes (Notts could've have one earlier on the second half as well to be fair).

Much improved from us, especially without the ball. The main positive of the night was getting Canavan back on the pitch and Mahoney on the bench.

Notts pass the ball round nicely and have some great looking players but it looked overcomplicated at times where they should've been getting crosses in to Jatta and McGoldrick.

We're getting by because we have some classy players for the level, not because the teams playing well. It's not much fun watching us atm.

 

[Meadow]

First half we dominated but couldn't score. Second half was amazing with a wonder goal scored by James Tilley. Five home league matches, five won. Fifteen goals scored, two conceded. In fact we haven't conceded since the ninth minute of the opening match of the season.

Now we need to sort out away form out.

 

[Reginald Fodstain]

Everyone seems convinced that was a pen for Tranmere at the end but I don't think it was that easy to tell from the camera angle? Regardless though, that ref definitely had it in for Tranmere, so can understand their frustration. It played into our hands really though, a classic case of them losing their heads on and off the pitch. Khouri and Hume both fantastic but a real team effort all round. McJannett and Rose both with super bits of defending to keep us in the match at various points. I don't think Obikwu's header in the first half is the sitter it was made out to be. Certainly not one that anyone's nan could tap in. Thankfully, that will get forgotten as the goal was all him. Chased a lost cause, won it and then a very good finish from a tight angle. Tranmere came at us then but we're adept at holding onto these leads now and I felt pretty comfortable for most of that, we even ventured forwards more than we did at Gillingham and Salford.


I obviously had my eye on this on the live table after we'd taken the lead and was wondering when was the last time we'd been in the L2 playoff spots was and then Crewe scored at Fleetwood it knocked us back down to 8th and it was actually your equaliser than put us back into the top 7 so cheers for that!

I'm thinking last time we were in the top 7 would have been just before Hursty v1.0 went to Shrewsbury in late 2016 too? Not sure if any Town fans can confirm that or not?

We've scored two goals at home all season, so coming back was always going to be a challenge. Quite enjoyed the game, both teams were out there trying to win and both wasted some great chances. Referee completely lost his mind in the second half with some of his decisions, culminating in not just turning down what looked a clear pen at the end, but booking Hendry for diving when the defender's stood on his foot. Fair play to your lot, you created plenty going forward and although we had you under pressure in the second half, your keeper had very little to do for the most part.

 

[GTFCfish]

Our last 6 games have been:
Away (W)
Away (W)
Home (L)
Away (W)
Home (L)
Away (W)

Please somebody make it all make sense.

 

[gary]

It'll be an intriguing game on Saturday. I feel like we have only just started coming to the boil, after a few unconvincing performances early in the season. We played really well against Fleetwood last time out at home and obviously 4 wins in a row and 10 undefeated, we should be full of confidence. Tonight, there was a clear gulf in class between the two teams but it felt like we got a bit too cocky at times. Need to make sure we maintain the effort we have been putting in.

Seems like you guys are strolling through most of your home games but struggling a bit more away from home.

We can't stay undefeated forever and it wouldn't be a disaster if we lost but another win could potentially open up a 5 or 6 point gap on 4th place, which would be significant at this early stage.

Yeah 23 home wins should see us comfortably into the play offs !!! I'm not sure Port vale is the place where we are going to ressurrect our away form but we've got to start somewhere I suppose.

 

[Meadow]

Yeah 23 home wins should see us comfortably into the play offs !!! I'm not sure Port vale is the place where we are going to ressurrect our away form but we've got to start somewhere I suppose.

23 home wins would be wonderful but it isn't going to happen. This isn't 2002/2004. We still hold the unbeaten record as Leatherhead beat Fareham on Saturday.

 

[JJ1990]

Our last 6 games have been:
Away (W)
Away (W)
Home (L)
Away (W)
Home (L)
Away (W)

Please somebody make it all make sense.

It's who Artell is. He's a very boom or bust manager with very little in the middle. In his first 2 full seasons with us, we drew a total of 13 games. That's not each season, that's combined. The man just doesn't do draws.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

The average age of our starting line up was 21.5 tonight. It's so pleasing that we stood up and fought so well.

Isn't that pretty much always the average age of your squad.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

We're getting by because we have some classy players for the level, not because the teams playing well. It's not much fun watching us atm.

Rumours are we were desperate to lose the league's entertainers tag after last season's sterling efforts. After the 4-1 thrashing of Grimsby and 4-2 win at Bromley the club panicked and demanded we create little and concede less.

 

[lordofthepies]

Isn't that pretty much always the average age of your squad.

It's not far off, think we're usually 23-24. Demetriou being injured last night made a big difference...

 

[DearneValleyRover]

We were not good enough, had zero imagination to break Bromley down, we created enough chances to win but Bromley were excellent in defence, the keeper had a blinder and they pressed us all game. No arguments on the loss and it exposes the limitations in the squad

 

[Si Robin]

Undoubtedly our best performance of the season last night, especially in the first half.

A goal disallowed in the first couple of minutes, probably rightly so for offside but it's such a tight call. I do think the lino gets it right though. Then we concede from yet another set-piece. It's bordering on the ridiculous how many we've conceded from set-pieces.

After conceding though, rather than go into our shells we actually went at Bradford. Then we got back level with a howitzer from Young (though the keeper should have done better with it) and continued to dominated until the last 5 mins or so of the half - when Bradford realised that their left sided player had Lewis Payne beaten all ends up. I didn't see the penalty shout from where I was, personally I don't buy into unnatural positions and all that bollocks. If the balls whacked at you from a yard away I don't think it's handball - the rules argue differently, but I'm not going to cry over it.

Second half we simply couldn't get a foothold and Bradford basically camped on the edge of our box. Somehow they only forced one real save from Joe Day and smacked the bar once, but otherwise they were pretty toothless. The last 20 mins or so we finally managed to get back into the game, but the play was mainly in our half and any winner we would have scored would have been a sucker-punch.

Good game of football though, the best I've seen all season and we finally look like we have a game plan.

 

[Si Robin]

The offside call:

 

[Gladders]

Our last 6 games have been:
Away (W)
Away (W)
Home (L)
Away (W)
Home (L)
Away (W)

Please somebody make it all make sense.

Artell saying our pitch is terrible last night, did think Tranmere's pitch looked amazing on TV at least.

Ours not good enough for Artell ball.

 

[Grimsby Road]

Artell saying our pitch is terrible last night, did think Tranmere's pitch looked amazing on TV at least.

Ours not good enough for Artell ball.

Heard that , didn't we spend a lot on the pitch ?
Seems like it might need relaying and I imagine that doesn't come cheap .

 

[valefan16]

Simon Weaver reckons we are the strongest team they've faced since promotion to the EFL which is high praise indeed! Got to keep our feet on the ground but nice after 18 dire months to be enjoying the football again and having that winning feeling.

the Free Kick from Ruari looks even better on the camera from in front of the goal.

What was really pleasing was we have shown we can win in multiple ways recently, the solid defensive performances at MK and Notts and then the 72% possession footballing performance we saw last night and to a degree at the weekend.

 

[Cloudy]

Everyone seems convinced that was a pen for Tranmere at the end but I don't think it was that easy to tell from the camera angle? Regardless though, that ref definitely had it in for Tranmere, so can understand their frustration. It played into our hands really though, a classic case of them losing their heads on and off the pitch. Khouri and Hume both fantastic but a real team effort all round. McJannett and Rose both with super bits of defending to keep us in the match at various points. I don't think Obikwu's header in the first half is the sitter it was made out to be. Certainly not one that anyone's nan could tap in. Thankfully, that will get forgotten as the goal was all him. Chased a lost cause, won it and then a very good finish from a tight angle. Tranmere came at us then but we're adept at holding onto these leads now and I felt pretty comfortable for most of that, we even ventured forwards more than we did at Gillingham and Salford.


I obviously had my eye on this on the live table after we'd taken the lead and was wondering when was the last time we'd been in the L2 playoff spots was and then Crewe scored at Fleetwood it knocked us back down to 8th and it was actually your equaliser than put us back into the top 7 so cheers for that!

I'm thinking last time we were in the top 7 would have been just before Hursty v1.0 went to Shrewsbury in late 2016 too? Not sure if any Town fans can confirm that or not?

Tranmere fans and players certainly lost their shit with the ref, but from very early on the players were ‘in his face’ at every decision ( even clear throw ins around half way). It looked like they had set out to try and intimidate him.Couple of their defenders were chief protagonists. This can’t have helped them, and once the fans started throwing missiles at our keeper the ref stepped in.

As for the late penalty appeal it looked a clear dive but we were at the other end of the ground. Not seen it back but it certainly looked like the forward instigated any contact and went down like a sniper had got him.

Overall I think we deserved the points. Tranmere huffed and puffed but had little threat. Patrick looked the most likely but Adkins substituted him! Grimsby clearly had the better , clearer opportunities but the goal came from great individual effort from Obikwu who capitalised on a dreadful mix up and finished from a very tight angle.

Still think Grimsby are well short of a play off team, but maybe the injured will eventually get back and we can push on. Wouldn’t be putting any money on it mind.

The much maligned Denver Hume had his best defensive performance in a Town shirt, ( normally better going forward) and Evan Khouri, for the umpteenth time this season, was the best player on the pitch.

 

[AlanPep]

It wasn’t pretty, but pretty isn’t important when you’re hovering close to the bottom 2, so a dogged out 1-0 away win was just what we needed. Much better defending and top drawer display by Grant Smith was enough last night for the 3 points, onwards to Saturday

 

[GTFCfish]

It definitely should have been a pen Warren stood on his foot although the lad made a proper meal of it which is probably why it wasn’t given.

 

[Pilot_Phonic]

 

[ShrimpsMeltdown]

Yeah we're done, Derek deserves a knighthood if he keeps this side up. This squad isn't anywhere near league 2 level and Chesterfield could enjoy a cricket score at the weekend if we play like that again.

It was nice knowing league 2 but without getting rid of our owner, I can't see us coming back anytime soon.