EFL Trophy Fixtures 31st August

[SVH]

 

[stevowanderer]

We’ve made 8 changes from the weekend and of the starters only Santos and Doyle are starting in the league regularly at the moment. Baptiste, Gilks, Delfouneso are all pretty much back ups/rotation this season. No idea if Vales lineup is strong or not? But they did paste us last time they were here

 

[valefan16]

We’ve made 8 changes from the weekend and of the starters only Santos and Doyle are starting in the league regularly at the moment. Baptiste, Gilks, Delfouneso are all pretty much back ups/rotation this season. No idea if Vales lineup is strong or not? But they did paste us last time they were here

Made a few changes but two big players back from injury in Conlon and Gibbons, Amoo and Rodney in and a couple of changes in defence. It’s stronger than I expected.

 

[stevowanderer]

Played pretty well until we conceded then we just stopped playing. Pretty sure there was a foul on kachunga for the first but shocking defending and goalkeeping for the second. We’ve just gone to sleep. Vale should have scored a third there. Despite 8 changes our lot are gonna get an absolute bollocking at halftime.

 

[YEO YEO YEO]

Beat Bradford 3-0. We changed as much as we could. No idea how strong Bradford were.

 

[Marked Ox]

A mad 2 minutes at the end of the 1st and some awful defending at corners cost us at Cambridge.

Some good experience for a lot of Academy players today though.

 

[huddsmoose]

Didn't watch the game but a very satisfactory night's work versus Oxford. Made ten changes and won 4-1. Teenagers Jobe, Worman and Bennett apparently very impressive and I believe Kai Yearn became our youngest competitive goal scorer at 16 years 102 days.

Much needed minutes for Smith (who netted twice) and Lankester who also impressed.

Most importantly no injuries.

 

[SMH]

Lost to Wolves kiddies on penalties. Safe to say the small number of senior players who featured won't be anywhere near the first team come the next league game!

 

[Bartonyellow]

We lost tonight to mk dons and genuinely I could not care less. It’s a pointless trophy unless you win it. It’s a distraction that most teams don’t need. It hurts to lose a game but I have no emotion in this competition at all.
More interesting was to see who we signed at the 11th hour before the window shut.

 

[WhiteRussian]

We lost tonight to mk dons and genuinely I could not care less. It’s a pointless trophy unless you win it. It’s a distraction that most teams don’t need. It hurts to lose a game but I have no emotion in this competition at all.
More interesting was to see who we signed at the 11th hour before the window shut.

We beat you and I can say I absolutely don't give a fcuk either!!! Training game as far as I'm concerned.

 

[eric read]

Didn't watch the game but a very satisfactory night's work versus Oxford. Made ten changes and won 4-1. Teenagers Jobe, Worman and Bennett apparently very impressive and I believe Kai Yearn became our youngest competitive goal scorer at 16 years 102 days.

Much needed minutes for Smith (who netted twice) and Lankester who also impressed.

Most importantly no injuries.

11 changes for us, including 9 teenagers getting minutes, so nothing to really read into the game.

I did watch it and thought we were the better team until the mad two minute period at the end of the first half, which included a sending off and two goals from corners that our kids didn't defend well. The game was pretty much over at that point.

Interesting that the referee was from Swindon, had a cousin who played for Swindon, and was very card happy toward us. It's his first season in the league and I hope we don't see him again.

 

[SVH]

11 changes for us, including 9 teenagers getting minutes, so nothing to really read into the game.

I did watch it and thought we were the better team until the mad two minute period at the end of the first half, which included a sending off and two goals from corners that our kids didn't defend well. The game was pretty much over at that point.

Interesting that the referee was from Swindon, had a cousin who played for Swindon, and was very card happy toward us. It's his first season in the league and I hope we don't see him again.

He was a bit card happy but with the red card he didn't really have much choice.

 

[Marked Ox]

He was a bit card happy but with the red card he didn't really have much choice.

Agreed on the Red, correct decision. He was awful otherwise.

 

[Millerbri]

A comfortable and historic 0 - 6 win at the Keepmoat acheived with 8 changes from the last game (ironically also Donny)

Debut goals for Grigg and youth team player Hull capped some good performances from some players who must now be knocking on the first team door.

We did get lucky with a cross that eluded their goalkeeper (Jones), and goal 3 was a fantastic strike from Odafin that hit the bar and went into the net off Jones and Doncaster could have had a couple in the first half, but poor finishing and a good save from Vickers denied them.

In the second half though they were dreadful, compounded when Wellens took off Dodoo and Hiwula who had at least posed some sort of threat, presumably to save them for Saturday.

Wellens clearly has a big job on his hands to turn things around.
Last years losing streak is carrying on and the players looked devoid of any confidence in the second half.

They do play some good passing football but too often it's in their own half, they need a gift to get them up and running.

 

[Indian Dan]

Wellens will be off. ‘I don’t want another relegation on my CV’

 

[DearneValleyRover]

A comfortable and historic 0 - 6 win at the Keepmoat acheived with 8 changes from the last game (ironically also Donny)

Debut goals for Grigg and youth team player Hull capped some good performances from some players who must now be knocking on the first team door.

We did get lucky with a cross that eluded their goalkeeper (Jones), and goal 3 was a fantastic strike from Odafin that hit the bar and went into the net off Jones and Doncaster could have had a couple in the first half, but poor finishing and a good save from Vickers denied them.

In the second half though they were dreadful, compounded when Wellens took off Dodoo and Hiwula who had at least posed some sort of threat, presumably to save them for Saturday.

Wellens clearly has a big job on his hands to turn things around.
Last years losing streak is carrying on and the players looked devoid of any confidence in the second half.

They do play some good passing football but too often it's in their own half, they need a gift to get them up and running.

Can’t argue you were one if not two yards quicker all over the pitch, I could talk about our keeper and the fact we had a left back at centre half plus the amount of injuries we still have and it was the front 3’s first game of the season but that would be hiding how shite we were and how good you was ( ooh that hurt) the front 3 came off because it’s basically pre season for them but to be honest after halftime there was only one team on the pitch

 

[K-Win]

Crazy 5-3 defeat at Wimbledon on Tuesday. 2-0 down after 43 mins, then 3-2 up with 12 minutes to go, then 5-3 down at the end.

11 changes to the last league team, but still an OK team on paper. A timely "I'm still here!" hattrick for Ellis Harrison, who we were trying to get out the door all summer. Will be interesting to see if the Cowleys consider him in the league now, what with our lack of goals this season.

 

[iWomble]

Crazy 5-3 defeat at Wimbledon on Tuesday. 2-0 down after 43 mins, then 3-2 up with 12 minutes to go, then 5-3 down at the end.

11 changes to the last league team, but still an OK team on paper. A timely "I'm still here!" hattrick for Ellis Harrison, who we were trying to get out the door all summer. Will be interesting to see if the Cowleys consider him in the league now, what with our lack of goals this season.

Great entertainment. But we made 7 changes too, including a novelty circus act in goal, and our average age was under 22. I saw some comments on Pompey forums about it being your B Team v a strong team from us, which is actually true but not in the way intended. One of the reasons we've started so well is that we don't have a 'B' Team - all of the squad have shown they can slot into the starting lineup and we still play in the same way and to the same standard. So this wasn't a test of league starting lineups, but as a test of strength in depth it bodes really well for us keeping our start going.