Toosdee night games

[leedsvaliant]

We played well first half and should have gone in ahead but for a shocking decision. Even from a Bradford perspective you would be furious if that was given against you.

That changed the context of the game and we inevitably came under a bit of pressure second half. Bradford never really fashioned a gilt edged chance but there were a couple of scrambles. To call it a smash and grab does not do justice to our first half performance. The ref also gave pretty much every decision to Bradford every time their players went down, which didn't help.

A really well worked winner and then 10 minutes of added time when only 5 were indicated! Need to back it up against Oldham on Saturday now.

 

[Boletus Edulis]

Live from the other end it looked like something funny had happened with that goal, but we were too far away to tell what. On that replay it is fairly obvious that he tried to punch the ball, and the ref should really have seen it. But at least he was only assaulting the ball, eh.

 

[darren gregory]

It would seem we’ve got a gem in George Cooper. We’ve got the option to buy in Jan too. Make it permanent Lowey.

Fucking hell I didn't realise that little diving Ponce is at Plymouth.
Wanker

 

[valefan16]

We played well first half and should have gone in ahead but for a shocking decision. Even from a Bradford perspective you would be furious if that was given against you.

That changed the context of the game and we inevitably came under a bit of pressure second half. Bradford never really fashioned a gilt edged chance but there were a couple of scrambles. To call it a smash and grab does not do justice to our first half performance. The ref also gave pretty much every decision to Bradford every time their players went down, which didn't help.

A really well worked winner and then 10 minutes of added time when only 5 were indicated! Need to back it up against Oldham on Saturday now.

We let them have loads or possession second half around the half way line but kept forcing them back and they relied on corners or long throws to try and create. Browny made one good save but didn’t really have that much to worry him. Most of the scrambles were caused by bad errors rather than them creating! The slice by Leggey was a hairy one!

Vaughan is an odd one, easily the most lethal hitman at this level but spent more time falling down like a sack of shit. Not sure if that’s something asked of him as don’t recall him doing that against us for Bury all the time. He couldn’t really cause us problems falling over 40 yards from goal!

Watching our winner again it was a great flick by Jake Taylor to put it on a plate for Atkinson (who did well to head it back in and follow it up). Jake is going to be a very very good player let’s hope Forest let us keep him in January.

Leggey was a beast again tonight! His post match tweet made me chuckle... safe to say he’s not a fan of Bradfords antics tonight!

 

[GTFCfish]

Grimsby come for a point alright. Absolutely shocking. If I were a mariner I would want my money back watching those tactics.

I’m already starting to think twice about going to games at the minute, so far this season I’ve been to every home game where I’ve been off shift and also the Bradford game where I was working after but still went, I’ve now got the next four Saturday’s off but Cheltenham at home on Saturday is seriously gonna test me as it’s starting to feel like Russell Slade mk2 all over again.
Probably get to Friday and I’ll get the buzz again and go get a ticket but right now the thought of watching pure horse shit every week is not very appealing.

 

[TimeyWimey]

I'm still not sure what went on at the end of our game. Complete farce, the ref should be sacked.

Won't be many teams as tough to break down as Colchester. Decent enough point but considering the possession we had, really should have caused more trouble for them.

 

[The Terminator]

Hard done by for the first goal tonight, huge error from the ref, but we just fell to pieces afterwards and made it far too easy for Plymouth. Too slow to close down crosses and both our centre halfs were poor.

Most disappointing thing is that we failed to lay a glove on Plymouth in the first half, we had enough possession but didn’t use it at all and we got taught a lesson on how to punish teams.

Second half was a no show from both sides ultimately. We’re gonna have to be a lot better against the leagues stronger sides because we’ve now been steamrollered by Plymouth twice and Swindon who’ve showed us no mercy.

But we still have that non league element about us which could take a window or two to shift.

 

[The Alex]

Again VF16 you’re off on a tangent, bored of you now.

Our game was sloppy, boring and little happened, until the last minute. Colchester came to a do a job and they did it well. Have no words for what happened at the end, truly baffling. But what a save by Jaaskelainen. Finland’s number 1.

 

[Boletus Edulis]

I thought Orient were reasonable coming forward, it was just your defence that was a bit suspect. Which is pretty much the description of us for most of the season. I am not convinced we played that brilliantly in the first half, but the luck went with us a bit. Lowe has tweaked our play, and we look for a few more longer balls down the channels. We are not having as much possession but we are looking more dangerous because we are being more direct. After we have gone four nil up the second half was a bit anti-climatic.

 

[dedwardp]

Would have happily taken a point and a clean sheet tonight, particularly after the last two results. That said, it just continues to show that we're solid at the back without looking particularly clinical in front of goal - even from twelve yards.

 

[Laker]

I’ve not seen a team play so negatively at the Abbey since we had Man U up there. It was truly amazing to watch. I don’t know whether I should be impressed or depressed by Grimsby’s performance tonight...

 

[valefan16]

What’s happened to Grimsby? They were banging the goals in early season?

Got to say Cheltenham are looking the real surprise package this season, not many saw them up there. I don’t recall them being particularly on form last season like Crewe for example who’ve followed that up?

 

[The Jovial Forester]

What’s happened to Grimsby? They were banging the goals in early season?

Got to say Cheltenham are looking the real surprise package this season, not many saw them up there. I don’t recall them being particularly on form last season like Crewe for example who’ve followed that up?

They ended last term on a pretty good run as I recall and you could see Duffy was finding his feet, though wasn't expecting our first meeting to be quite such a top end affair

 

[LeonTheGreen]

I really wouldn’t if I was you

Clearly got quality, and is able to express him in Lowe’s system

 

[Laker]

What’s happened to Grimsby? They were banging the goals in early season?

Got to say Cheltenham are looking the real surprise package this season, not many saw them up there. I don’t recall them being particularly on form last season like Crewe for example who’ve followed that up?

I’m not one for stats tbh, especially possession stats as they are largely meaningless in League 2 in my opinion, but us having 71% v Grimsby tonight is amazing. There was next to no pressure on us when we had the ball, they literally defended the edge of their box for the majority of the game and hoofed it clear. They had good shape defensively and we couldn’t break them down.

 

[dedwardp]

What’s happened to Grimsby? They were banging the goals in early season?

Got to say Cheltenham are looking the real surprise package this season, not many saw them up there. I don’t recall them being particularly on form last season like Crewe for example who’ve followed that up?

Cheltenham's home form was excellent after Christmas last year, so I guess they must have just found a way to replicate that away from home as well at the moment.

 

[AmberRich]

Bloody typical tonight, I swear we're cursed whenever there is a ticket initiative. The club decided to give free tickets to tonight's game to students in a bid to get more students coming down to the Abbey, which is a good idea given Cambridge has two universities. The problem is that whenever we have these initiatives to get new people to games we invite them to the most boring and depressing games of football you could imagine. They've all probably been put off from seeing Cambridge or any lower league football for life.

Jolley did say he wanted to nullify our strengths and in fairness he did that by parking the bus. Any team who sets up like that against us is guaranteed points because we're hopeless at breaking teams down.

The Grimsby number 6 did a good job, pretty much every ball went towards him and he dealt with it each time.

 

[Simpo]

Under 2500 to watch Oldham beat Walsall. Dino Maamria making his point to the recruitment team that despite a huge squad, he's chosen to play 3 different youth team players from the bench in the last two games, including a lad Emmerson who only turned 15 in August. Youngest, or second youngest player ever in English football.

 

[Dan Phillips]

Hahahahaha.

Cheats never prosper. Eventually.

 

[GTFCfish]

Crewe’s keeper saving an injury time penalty brings back some painful memories for me.

 

[The_Viking_Magpie]

Because your trying to make your hatred of the Vale a 2 way one when barely a single Vale fan gives a toss. Our interest is Sjoke (only need to see the hatred in the paint pot last year), so suggesting a comment had an underlying dig at Crewe when it’s nothing do with Crewe is pretty funny.

We’ve helped keep you top tonight, enjoy.

Are you sure you can have a rivalry with someone not in your division?

 

[TimeyWimey]

Lol. Valefan pretending not to care about us is proper funny. Can’t go a week without a rant about our fans. Probably in the top 3 most bitter fans on here towards us. Just behind that nutjob who creamed himself when we lost our first game and couldn’t wait to tell us we wouldn’t be promotion challengers. Forgotten his name.

Great result last night tbf tho. Did us a big favour in their semi-final.

 

[darren gregory]

Lol. Valefan pretending not to care about us is proper funny. Can’t go a week without a rant about our fans. Probably in the top 3 most bitter fans on here towards us. Just behind that nutjob who creamed himself when we lost our first game and couldn’t wait to tell us we wouldn’t be promotion challengers. Forgotten his name.

Great result last night tbf tho. Did us a big favour in their semi-final.

Fair play to you, top on merit and good to see the Cheshire public coming out in droves last night to watch your team.

 

[EricSabin]

Just noticed we’re 9th and 3 points off the playoffs. Considering we’ve won 2 in 6 (albeit the last 2) that’s quite surprising. Cambridge and Oldham next so a good chance to make it 4 on the bounce.

 

[Conker]

After sleeping on it I feel like the players deserve a lot of criticism for the lack of quality in the final third on both ends of the pitch, we should have won last night comfortably but the problem was the lack of response from the management team after we went 1-0 down too.

Saying that, Dempster cannot put the ball in the net for them, nor can he help those two ridiculous mistakes that led to the goals.

He’s gotta get a win against Walsall.

 

[Si Robin]

What’s happened to Grimsby? They were banging the goals in early season?

Got to say Cheltenham are looking the real surprise package this season, not many saw them up there. I don’t recall them being particularly on form last season like Crewe for example who’ve followed that up?

Our form from our first win under Duff in November was just below playoff form last season. We have been amazing at home since then, with our only league defeat being to Tranmere on January 12th. We started this season looking toothless away, if a little more robust at the back. We lost to Orient on the opening day due to an absolutely farcical red card, then drew 0-0 at Morecambe before losing 1-0 away at Crawley to a last minute goal having not really laid a glove on them. That was the turning point away from home though and we've now not lost in 8 league games and we're getting stronger if anything.

Last night's second half was absolutely fantastic, we absolutely tore Macc apart and 3-0 flattered them.

Duff has managed to combine the skill of Yates's 11/12 team and combined it with the camaraderie of John Ward's 05-07 team and the extra 10% that Cotterill used to get out of his 98-02 team.

I refuse to get carried away, we could just as easily hit a bad run starting at Grimsby on Saturday, but these really do appear to be some exciting times. The last couple of years it felt a bit of a chore going to Whaddon Road, I only went for the social side and the shite football got in the way - we now go looking forward to games (although FGR next week may be a struggle with all the shit that comes with it....)

 

[valefan16]

Lol. Valefan pretending not to care about us is proper funny. Can’t go a week without a rant about our fans. Probably in the top 3 most bitter fans on here towards us. Just behind that nutjob who creamed himself when we lost our first game and couldn’t wait to tell us we wouldn’t be promotion challengers. Forgotten his name.

Great result last night tbf tho. Did us a big favour in their semi-final.

Only it was a Crewe fan that had a moan because I suggested Bradford may be the best team in the league... barely mention Crewe or their fans but feel free to carry on if it makes you feel relevant.

 

[valefan16]

Just noticed we’re 9th and 3 points off the playoffs. Considering we’ve won 2 in 6 (albeit the last 2) that’s quite surprising. Cambridge and Oldham next so a good chance to make it 4 on the bounce.

Same here, its so open this year, our fans were slitting their wrists the past fortnight, now right back in the mix with Oldham at home up next (although that's a typical banana skin for Vale!)

Hopefully last night really kick starts our season away from home, hardest place you could go with their squad, their huge fan base and the pressure they put on the officials Cowley style. Scenes at the end of the social media account looked like they were really pumped and should breed confidence, we'd been playing well enough away (Macc aside). IF we can put the levels of performance in that we did last night win, lose or draw I can't really fault them, our levels had dropped a good 20% since beating Argyle last month so need to keep at the levels of high press and battle going forward.

Fans were beasting them after Macc but 4 losses in 15, scored more the half the amount we managed in the whole of last season and on course if we can keep the current trajectory of around 64 points which so far shows a large improvement on the past two years.

I read we've thrown away 14 points from winning positions though so if we can address that the potential is there to challenge the top 7.

 

[Moss Rose Silkmen]

I watched the game last night on iFollow and it should of been 5/6-0- complete domination from Cheltenham. Conceding that goal late first half killed us and the second half was an embarrassment. Cheltenham played some fantastic football second half.

 

[Agombar stool]

I watched our game on Ifollow and we were far from good. Very good finish from Doyle basically the difference but we really laboured to the points against a very limited Stevenage side.

Hopefully this is a turning point in our season now. Onto Crawley away, another tough fixture.