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Post by Del on Mar 24, 2018 18:23:28 GMT
That was a nervous watch.Comfortable in the first half,Chester came at us in the 2nd. Pegged back to 2-1 after giving away an unnecessary free kick then Ross scores a wonderful 3rd only for us to give away a penalty.
7 more matches like that and i'll be a nervous wreck !
On to Maidenhead on Friday where are record is none too good.
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Post by timall on Mar 24, 2018 18:28:59 GMT
That was a nervous watch.Comfortable in the first half,Chester came at us in the 2nd. Pegged back to 2-1 after giving away an unnecessary free kick then Ross scores a wonderful 3rd only for us to give away a penalty. 7 more matches like that and i'll be a nervous wreck ! Yes we don't make it easy for ourselves turning from comfortable into nervous, but never quite into a panic.
7 games to go and what do we prefer, 21 points from a series of scrappy wins, or a feast of entertaining football, with lots of goals, but maybe only 15 points?
It's all hypothetical and to be taken each game as it comes, but no doubt there will be plenty of heart stopping moments to come before the season is out. At least the other club(s) will be "suffering" in the same way.
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Post by garethl on Mar 24, 2018 19:08:48 GMT
That was a nervous watch.Comfortable in the first half,Chester came at us in the 2nd. Pegged back to 2-1 after giving away an unnecessary free kick then Ross scores a wonderful 3rd only for us to give away a penalty. 7 more matches like that and i'll be a nervous wreck ! Yes we don't make it easy for ourselves turning from comfortable into nervous, but never quite into a panic.
7 games to go and what do we prefer, 21 points from a series of scrappy wins, or a feast of entertaining football, with lots of goals, but maybe only 15 points?
It's all hypothetical and to be taken each game as it comes, but no doubt there will be plenty of heart stopping moments to come before the season is out. At least the other club(s) will be "suffering" in the same way.
Think I’d take 15 points from here if offered now! That will be first or second barring something exceptional from teams placed 3-5. Would also leave Macclesfield 15, probably16, to get from final 8 games. Not easy under pressure (likewise for us).* * yes one game at a time etc. |
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Post by stu1974 on Mar 24, 2018 19:20:48 GMT
I'm off to my nail bar again,,,!! They can't take much more. Any chance of an comfortable win v Maidenhead...?!!?
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Post by ryooon1999 on Mar 24, 2018 19:27:23 GMT
I'm off to my nail bar again,,,!! They can't take much more. Any chance of an comfortable win v Maidenhead...?!!? I don’t think any win will be comfortable for the rest of the season somehow... |
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Post by brisfitboy on Mar 24, 2018 19:56:22 GMT
I'm off to my nail bar again,,,!! They can't take much more. Any chance of an comfortable win v Maidenhead...?!!? A nailed on chance if we give them a clout perhaps? |
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Post by pinewalker on Mar 24, 2018 20:13:03 GMT
The Curse of Collingwood was in evidence thorough much of this match. First victim was the electric scoreboard that never made it to KO. Wrong kind of snow maybe earlier in the week? Apparently match commentary on SUFCTV had the gremlins too.
Then on the pitch three goals in a row had balls a couple of yards from that goal which seemed an easy take for the keeper, only for an error to creep in, much like the ball. It will be interesting to see on the video if either Sutton scorer, at that end, was actually looking at the goal when he scored. Chester’s effort was a least a smart piece of poaching to nick the ball right in front of Butler.
At the other end we were treated to a Ross Stearn special as a match-winner, a right footed curler from left of goal right into the top right corner. – last seen at Dartford?
At 3-1 Sutton went into that 11-men-behind-the-ball mode. Which they do so badly that St Johns Ambulance volunteers looking after the crowd should make their own substitution at this point. Taking off a first-aider and bringing on a coroner.
‘If there aren’t two players up-field when you hoof the ball out of defence it will come straight back again.‘ Hasn’t the message got through yet? When it is backs to the wall - stick Louis John up front, Craig did his job defending and got his head to the ball. Louis was lost at the back and might as well try Craig’s job up front.
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Post by jamesmichaelcooper on Mar 24, 2018 20:53:40 GMT
The Curse of Collingwood was in evidence thorough much of this match. First victim was the electric scoreboard that never made it to KO. Wrong kind of snow maybe earlier in the week? Apparently match commentary on SUFCTV had the gremlins too. Then on the pitch three goals in a row had balls a couple of yards from that goal which seemed an easy take for the keeper, only for an error to creep in, much like the ball. It will be interesting to see on the video if either Sutton scorer, at that end, was actually looking at the goal when he scored. Chester’s effort was a least a smart piece of poaching to nick the ball right in front of Butler. At the other end we were treated to a Ross Stearn special as a match-winner, a right footed curler from left of goal right into the top right corner. – last seen at Dartford? At 3-1 Sutton went into that 11-men-behind-the-ball mode. Which they do so badly that St Johns Ambulance volunteers looking after the crowd should make their own substitution at this point. Taking off a first-aider and bringing on a coroner. ‘If there aren’t two players up-field when you hoof the ball out of defence it will come straight back again.‘ Hasn’t the message got through yet? When it is backs to the wall - stick Louis John up front, Craig did his job defending and got his head to the ball. Louis was lost at the back and might as well try Craig’s job up front. Good analysis. Today was one of those disjointed days, both on and off the pitch, but invariably, for all of that, its one we came through with all 3 points. I don't think its too disrespectful to say, but I think in the first half today, Chester were about the worst team I've seen visit us this season, and as fortunate as our 2 goals were, they were about the minimum we deserved from that first half. It didn't bode well for them when they felt they needed a team huddle after conceding the first. They had to improve in the second, and they did, and that improvement coupled with what I'm putting down as a bit of nervousness maybe from the U's got Chester back into it and made a game of it. Invariably, courtesy of that dodgy late penalty, Ross's sublime curler into the top corner (reminiscent of one I saw Tony Currie score for Leeds in a 4-0 win over Southampton back in 1978 (sorry Dos if you read this for bringing that up)) proved to be the winner, and it was a goal worthy of winning any game, and a great reward for his tireless effort after coming on. I think every game now is going to be as hard fought as this one ended up being (literally with that brawl in the 92nd minute). |
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Post by Amber Aleman on Mar 24, 2018 21:41:42 GMT
Another 3-2 home victory against a side we probably should have beaten more comfortably. (See also Barrow, Halifax.) Letting the opposition back into the game seems to be a weakness at GGL, but we again went on to win. That was our fourth double of the season (following D&R, Guiseley, Solihull). Let's not under-estimate the spirit in the camp. And, the important prize, we're back on top of the league.  It all looked so easy at half-time. Harry B had put us ahead with a deflected shot, before being taken off with (I understand) a broken nose, and being replaced by Ross Stearn (who, being an established winger, gave the team a more obvious balance). Then Byron, having earlier been denied by an offside flag, scrambled home a second following a corner. Chester improved after half-time (they could hardly have got worse!) and pulled a goal back from a (needlessly conceded?) free kick. Ross's curler into the top corner restored our two-goal advantage, before a late (and soft?) penalty to the visitors set up a nervy final eight minutes. We're now above Macclesfield on goal difference, but they'd restore their three-point advantage by beating Gateshead at Moss Rose on Tuesday (which is now their game in hand over us). If they do go back on top, they'd still be very aware that we're on their tail.  |
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markf
Top Performer
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Post by markf on Mar 25, 2018 16:50:38 GMT
Our third 3-2 home victory this season and a similar pattern to the first two, that being seeming to have won the match twice only for a late goal to give the home crowd a bit of anxiety.
At h-t, the chances of any of the above happening looked about remote as the chances of Chester staying up (they still look remote). For a side needing points they were devoid of ambition, sitting back with their defence marshalled by Astles, happy to try and hold the 18 yard line. That it was breached pretty early on just showed what confidence they lacked as U's dominated possession. HB's goal via a slight deflection had been coming from minute one and the only surprise when the second arrived, possibly a bit fortuitously, it took so long.
Second half, Sutton started where the left off in the first but couldn't force the third that may have seen the visitors collapse. From nowhere they got back in the game. The returning Dean B (good to see him back) caught their fella and got booked. The free-kick was right on the money and forced in; game on. Chester's confidence so lacking in the first half grew and they took the game to Sutton.
U's broke a few times as the match became more stretched with Tom B a good outlet but Sutton's third came from the other winger. Ross Stearn had already forced a save from Firth (I thought he should have squared it) when he cut in and curled one of his specials off the post. Like his similar efforts at Bath and Dartford, it was an absolute peach and from my position was in as soon as it left his boot such was the curl.
Game over? You'd have hoped so but to their credit Chester kept going and three minutes from the end broke into the box, there fella going down under LJ's challenge. I have no idea how much LJ got of what but Mr Allison (who likes a penalty decision) pointed to the spot. Jamie B had to make one fine stop after the spot-kick conversion and the three points were safe.
Plain sailing? It should have been; it certainly wasn't from my vantage point. Still, at this stage of the season that cat I referred to after the Solihull match can be skinned as many different ways as is possible as long as U's get to keep the fur (sorry moggy).
Performance wise not at our best. Loads of energy, positive movement but maybe down on the quality the squad has shown in the past. Shame for HB as he was enjoying a fine start to the match but Stearny did pretty well. Motm for me either Tom B for a dynamic display or Craig E for his industry. Either way, it was certainly a step up from The Gallagher.
As for Chester, well they now look doomed. Reading their forum one of their guys dis'd our ground and our support. Got a laugh at that seeing's how at the Diva in August the home crowd spent most of it moaning and would have had even more to have moaned about had Nick B's goal stood as it should. Still, the dissenter won't have to worry about coming here next season, will he?
The ref? A step up - just - from his awful performance at Torquay but still not good enough for this level. Eight yellows. What was that about? Not his fault that he has been promoted this far and I just can't see how he can enjoy it that much.
Top of the league, probably until just after 9.30 pm on Tuesday, with seven games left. Can somebody please assure me that I have woken up in a parallel universe?
Easter looms with our bogey side Maidenhead and a no doubt cock-a-hoop Bromley - congrats to them, Wembley for the first time in 69 years - to offer more sterner tests, on paper, anyway.
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Post by Andy K on Mar 25, 2018 19:29:04 GMT
Although not mathematically certain yet and as Dos said in his interview, we're in the play offs bar the shouting. Fylde need to make up 13 points in 7 games to catch us and we'd pretty much have to lose every game for that to happen. (For those who like mathematical certainty I work it out as we can't finish lower than 12th and our next opponents Maidenhead can only get a maximum of 70 points).
Our remaining 7 games will determine where in the top 7 we will finish. But there's a very good chance our season will extend beyond April 28th and it it doesn't then we'll be celebrating our first ever entry into the football league. Now there's a thought..
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Post by Del on Mar 25, 2018 19:49:59 GMT
Hoping to get to all the remaining games and just booked my train tickets to Fylde.
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billy
1st team skipper
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Post by billy on Mar 25, 2018 20:15:27 GMT
I keep looking at the league table - absolutely incredible ! While being delighted for Sutton i do feel sad at seeing clubs that were always "bona fide" league clubs through the decades , now struggling.Leyton Orient especially.
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Post by baboonfish on Mar 25, 2018 21:29:22 GMT
From the corner terrace I was certain at the time stearnys shot took a big deflection. Impossible to tell from the highlights. Certain that pen looks like a total shocker though. Chester offered imo less than Guiseley and we really should have crushed them by a similar score such was the disparity between the sides. Wins a win hopefully the boys saving their best for the bank holiday double header which will be massive. Maidenhead nothing to play for and Bromley players might have thoughts elsewhere, we have a great chance to bag maximum points but will need a better 90 than the last few.
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Post by davef on Mar 25, 2018 21:39:17 GMT
We were right behind Ross's shot in the stand, certainly no deflection and a goal from the minute it left his food. Wonderful strike !
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