Tuesday 24th January 2023

[Greenacres]

You’ve brought in virtually a new team since that though haven’t you?

That is true...only problem is that I'm not too sure that any of them are better than those who played in that game!

 

[stevowanderer]

That is true...only problem is that I'm not too sure that any of them are better than those who played in that game!

Surprised he’s taken off Peart-Harris. One of the few that actually looked decent

 

[stevowanderer]

We need some fresh legs now. You are starting to create overloads and cut us open

 

[Chris FGR]

Surprised he’s taken off Peart-Harris. One of the few that actually looked decent

He always likes to take our better performing players off. It’s a constant problem.

 

[Super_horns]

Great late turn around by Derby !

And Shrewsbury win it late at MK Dons.

 

[Laker]

Get in there Shrewsbury, I’ve almost forgiven you for maulling us on Saturday for that late goal

 

[valefan16]

Tough to take that, especially with the injury crisis but didn’t take our chances to make it 2 and dropped deeper.

 

[stevowanderer]

That’s the most nervous I’ve been for ages during a game. Was like the Alamo second half. Can’t believe FGR didn’t score. Opened us up a few times as we got tired. The stats must be ridiculous. Ref had a shocker for both sides really. Was guessing at the end.

 

[Laker]

Perfect night for us. Forest Green, Dons, Morecambe and Fleetwood all losing, plus Accrington going to extra time in the cup. Couldn’t have asked for much more without playing.

 

[Chris FGR]

That’s the most nervous I’ve been for ages during a game. Was like the Alamo second half. Can’t believe FGR didn’t score. Opened us up a few times as we got tired. The stats must be ridiculous. Ref had a shocker for both sides really. Was guessing at the end.

Thought you defended well tbf. We gave it a real go but just don’t have the quality.

 

[YEO YEO YEO]

Good night for those at the bottom who didn't play. MK, FGR, Fleetwood & Morecambe all lose. FGR deserve to be automatically relegated after not scoring at Bolton, who played 60ish minutes with 10 men.

 

[Floreat Salopia]

I bloody love Tom Bayliss!!! Three wins on the bounce and that play off places are in sight once again…

Onto FGR we go!

 

[leedsvaliant]

Harsh to lose in the end. Our heads went after the equaliser. Thought we deserved a draw and Derby were terrible for 70 minutes but then upped it. If Wilson or Harrison play that game, we probably win it but we're just well short at the moment. At least we showed a bit more but Derby are on one of those runs at the moment where everything is dropping for them.

Bit galling that a team in financial trouble last year is allowed the quality of players they can draw upon. Doesn't seem to be much punishment going on to me.

We just need to beat the teams in and around us, get safe and then build for next season.

 

[stevowanderer]

Thought you defended well tbf. We gave it a real go but just don’t have the quality.

Between the boxes you look a half decent team especially in possession but decision making in both boxes was shocking. No real quality like you say. The final ball was really poor. I think if we’d had 11 for 90 mins we’d have scored a few tonight. Defence was all over the place before the red.

 

[stevowanderer]

Thought you defended well tbf. We gave it a real go but just don’t have the quality.

Also thought you were unlucky not to get a pen for handball towards the end by Bradley as well. Nearly forgot about that. Ref had a mare all round. Cooper should have had a second yellow.

 

[UppaTowen_ITFC]

Unsurprisingly very happy with that. Eased off completely second half after having missed 10 chances but taking 4 first half. Not exaggerating when I say 4-0 flattered Morecambe at half time.

Plenty of changes, fresh legs and no injuries after that. As cold a night at the football as I can remember but job done.

Credit to the 102 Morecambe fans. Horrific journey and given nothing to cheer by their side. 1-0 down in 51 seconds, 4-0 down at half time, no shots on target and their first corner with 15 minutes to go. The absolute hardcore support and rightfully given a round of applause by all four stands.

 

[Bar Carousel]

John Mousinho football genius.

 

[Chris FGR]

Between the boxes you look a half decent team especially in possession but decision making in both boxes was shocking. No real quality like you say. The final ball was really poor. I think if we’d had 11 for 90 mins we’d have scored a few tonight. Defence was all over the place before the red.

We can at times play some decent passing stuff, which was originally the main reason behind getting Burchnall in as manager, but we are as you say shite at everything else. Our defending isn’t helped by us constantly changing personnel and jumping between a back 3 and 4. We haven’t even kept the same keeper, absolute mess.

Definitely looked a hand ball to me, think the ref was probably worried he’d get lynched if he’d given that. He certainly wasn’t popular with your fans tonight, thought he was pretty poor for both teams although it was the lino that mistook Kachunga for Charles.

 

[Soz]

one of them that derby deserved to win, created loads and it looked like our goal was charmed at times, but at the same time we didn't deserve to lose and especially heartbreaking like that.

shows how far we've come though, over 6k home fans and 10k in total for a tuesday night game and gutting to narrowly lose to derby.

 

[thewwfc]

Pleasing win v Oxford, they started the better of the two sides, but we defended solidly.

Both our goals were down to Anis Mehmeti, the first an assist, the second a long-range belter.

Teams that can shut him down and cut him out of the game (eg Plymouth, Sheff Wed) are the ones that do well against us - we can often look like a one-man team going forward, but Oxford couldn’t, and paid the price.

They never really looked like scoring in the second half either, and a combination of dogged defending from us and comedy finishing from them meant that we sealed the victory.

Long way to go yet, but it’s encouraging to be beating the teams around you and keeps us broadly in touch with the chasing pack for the arse end of the playoff spots.

 

[Stroud]

 

[codaplenty]

Easily the worst performance at home from Fleetwood this season. Take nothing away from Pompey who dominated the first half and even after going down to 10 men in the second managed a second goal. Concerning times for Fleetwood as they lose 3 on the bounce and look to exit the FA Cup this weekend. We simply cannot defend, giving away poor goals and being the architect of our own downfall
Trust Pompey fans all get home safe and sound on a shitty journey back in mid week
There's a lot to be said for a Division 3 North and Division 3 South but it will never happen

 

[valefan16]

one of them that derby deserved to win, created loads and it looked like our goal was charmed at times, but at the same time we didn't deserve to lose and especially heartbreaking like that.

shows how far we've come though, over 6k home fans and 10k in total for a tuesday night game and gutting to narrowly lose to derby.

They were bang average for 70 minutes then we just got deeper and deeper, partly due to lack of striker options to hold it up and part of it mentality.

Another game against one of the so called big clubs where we’ve battled well but just come up slightly short, like Wednesday, Ipswich, Pompey at home.

 

[leedsvaliant]

They were bang average for 70 minutes then we just got deeper and deeper, partly due to lack of striker options to hold it up and part of it mentality.

Another game against one of the so called big clubs where we’ve battled well but just come up slightly short, like Wednesday, Ipswich, Pompey at home.

I'll say it again, the quality of this league is pretty poor. We're playing a severely weakened team and took a team with 5 x our budget to the wire. The difference was who they could bring on compared to us. The same with Wednesday, Ipswich etc. We're close but it will take us 3 or 4 years to achieve the level of player that some of these teams can acquire in 1 transfer window.

It won't take too much to be competing at the right end. Most squads in this league are padded with average players, but the bigger boys can supplement a few game changers to win tight games.

I'll be glad to get rid of your Wednesdays and your Derbys. Not because I particularly dislike them but because it will actually make this league a more level playing field. Money is king unfortunately.

 

[valefan16]

I'll say it again, the quality of this league is pretty poor. We're playing a severely weakened team and took a team with 5 x our budget to the wire. The difference was who they could bring on compared to us. The same with Wednesday, Ipswich etc. We're close but it will take us 3 or 4 years to achieve the level of player that some of these teams can acquire in 1 transfer window.

It won't take too much to be competing at the right end. Most squads in this league are padded with average players, but the bigger boys can supplement a few game changers to win tight games.

I'll be glad to get rid of your Wednesdays and your Derbys. Not because I particularly dislike them but because it will actually make this league a more level playing field. Money is king unfortunately.

It’s a challenge but I guess to be frustrated not to take 6 points of Derby compared to a year ago losing to Salford at home shows progress.

Do worry about us not getting those 15 points needed though, we often tend to fall off around now.

 

[leedsvaliant]

It’s a challenge but I guess to be frustrated not to take 6 points of Derby compared to a year ago losing to Salford at home shows progress.

Do worry about us not getting those 15 points needed though, we often tend to fall off around now.

We've had a fairly tough run of fixtures to be honest with Wednesday, Peterborough and Derby making up 3 of the last 4 games.....and we didn't have our 2 best players and main strikers for some of those games, yet didn't disgrace ourselves.

We'll pick up enough points and there's at least 6 or 7 sides worse than us. I don't know what it is about January that makes us have a terrible run...we seem to do it every time.

Summer is going to be huge. We've got some big decisions to make on players like Wilson, who whilst talented is injured for 2/3 of the season. If we stand still, we could get relegated next time.

 

[valefan16]

We've had a fairly tough run of fixtures to be honest with Wednesday, Peterborough and Derby making up 3 of the last 4 games.....and we didn't have our 2 best players and main strikers for some of those games, yet didn't disgrace ourselves.

We'll pick up enough points and there's at least 6 or 7 sides worse than us. I don't know what it is about January that makes us have a terrible run...we seem to do it every time.

Summer is going to be huge. We've got some big decisions to make on players like Wilson, who whilst talented is injured for 2/3 of the season. If we stand still, we could get relegated next time.

To be fair Wilson has been unlucky with his injuries, the Wycombe lad should of walked for the tackle from behind which put him out and then a poor challenge at Wednesday went through the back of him on the same ankle but it is something we need to look at. We have pretty much written off both August and January with our injuries and transfer policy so considering we've done remarkable to have as many points as we have.

We've played 4 teams twice and three of them are so called big guns I guess, just need a win to settle the nerves back down and some joy on the injury front, if we had striker options last night we certainly don't lose that but you can't get away in league one with two wingers up front or shoe horning Garrity in there or more bizarrely a youth team midfielder up front like at Exeter and Fleetwood!

Hopefully Proctor can get fit now though and stay fit until the end of the season as we could have three solid strikers if we can and at least less of the problems.

As I said at home we've come close to a good result against Ipswich, Sheff Weds, Pompey and Derby but ultimately just come up short so we learn and if we want to push on need to find that little bit extra to put the performance into a result.

 

[K-Win]

Two wins on the bounce. An impressive start for Mousinho given the dispirited team he inherited.

I actually enjoyed watching us last night, which I haven't in quite a while. We looked much more fluid going forward. Mousinho has quickly made us less rigid. Players seem to have more flexibility and freedom to try things than they did under the Cowleys. We are looking to actually occasionally play through the middle rather than always looking to go wide, which makes us less predictable.

Encouraging stuff, although I don't want to get too carried away. The Cowleys won their first five games after all. We'll know a lot more after the next three tough games (Peterborough & Plymouth away, Barnsley at home).

 

[mozzavale]

Vale were so close to a perfect performance last night. Did everything right without our 2 best players. People moaning about us sitting back after going 1 up watched a different game to me. After our goal we carved them open 2 or 3 times, Smith header, Garrity tackled just as he was about to score, and a good move for Benning to cross. In the end we were always going to try to protect the 1 - 0 when the 2nd didn't come after those chances.

Just frustrating that we'd ridden the storm and looked like seeing the game out, then naively started playing the ball across the back when we didn't have to. Benning did well win the ball back in the middle and instead of going up the line, played it to Jones who overhit it slightly to Smith. Well closed down by Derby and then Smith loses McGoldrick in the box. Sloppy from Smith just drifting in and losing his man, bit you could say it was clever from McGoldrick to hold back and allow the space to develop.

Once that went in it was so predictable they'd go on to win it. Sickener for us to watch, but those scenes behind the goal are what every football fan dreams of being a part of.

We still should have equalised when Jones missed a sitter at the end, and then the ref went ball watching and missed the most blatant penalty on Benning you're ever likely to see. It was about as stonewall as it gets. I could see the ref watch the ball after Benning headed it and completely missed him get pollaxed. Just a shocking level of incompetence from a ref who was way out of his depth.

Derby fans were the best I've seen down Vale for a long long time. Made an unreal amount of noise all game. Only slightly quieter after we scored but still kept singing right to the end.

Gutted, but still proud of where we are as a club to have nights like last night after where we've come from.

 

[GeneralLee]

Pleasing win v Oxford, they started the better of the two sides, but we defended solidly.

Both our goals were down to Anis Mehmeti, the first an assist, the second a long-range belter.

Teams that can shut him down and cut him out of the game (eg Plymouth, Sheff Wed) are the ones that do well against us - we can often look like a one-man team going forward, but Oxford couldn’t, and paid the price.

They never really looked like scoring in the second half either, and a combination of dogged defending from us and comedy finishing from them meant that we sealed the victory.

Long way to go yet, but it’s encouraging to be beating the teams around you and keeps us broadly in touch with the chasing pack for the arse end of the playoff spots.

We had a bigger win earlier in the day with the approval from councillors to enter into negotiations relating to a piece of land for a new stadium. A huge milestone.

Not that we were ever going to follow it up at Wycombe. This season was done months ago. Our Manager wants out and we don’t want him. The only thing keeping him here is that he can’t get a job anywhere else! Our Head of Recruitment is off to Derby, Mous has gone to Portsmouth and our Head of Youth left without a job to go to last year.

Our recruitment has been shambolic due to our present Manager and his summer of fun.

Wins we pick up right now aren’t down to the flowing football, teams are simply better or we scrap for it. Hard to believe given how much money we spent on crap footballers last year.

Wycombe didn’t look good and yet didn’t get out of first gear. Mehmeti runs the show. Impressed by him. Otherwise a comfortable evening of football!