Thetownend.com

OK, so today we are entertaining those delightfully cheeky Cockney con men from south of the river. It's going be a tough one, no doubt but we are starting to hit some form it would appear.

I think this is the third of these I've started this season and I have a 100% record from the other two (Crewe and Colchester away) so let's hope it continues...

2-0 Ajika ::) Ajose, Obika

Miiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiillllllllllion love songs later.

2-1 to them.

Son is home for a few days so we have decided to come down for this.

We need some good news, so it would be great to see us win

2-1 Doughty,thompson.....more in hope than expectation.  6/1  Doughty anytime,7/1 Thompson L

2-0 to continue the run, Ajose and JSW

Bit of a mixed bag vs 'Wall of late.

Since 1980 at the CG we have won 6 times, drawn 3 times and lost 5 times.

We havent beaten them home or away in the last 6 attempts with them winning 4 of those games, our last win coming nearly 8 years ago in May 2008 when we beat them 2-1 at the CG.

They are riding high in the table at 5th place.

Millwall have had only 1 defeat in their last 11 games and have won 8 of those matches, 4 of those wins being away from The Den.

Millwall are the 3rd best away team in the league with 9 away wins, 4 draws with only 4 defeats on the road they are also the highest away scorers in this division with 31 goals on their travels and only let in 20 in those 17 games.

Its going to be a tough gamee, a draw would be a good result but always hope for a win.

I think they will be too strong for us today.

0-2

That said I'm in a different country and we often win when that happens so hopefully today will be another occasion.

Great weather for a game - how nice to beat these and for England to smash the Welsh - if everyone could keep quiet about what`s happening in the rugby as I will be watching after the game that would be most appreciated. Going to keep the faith today very close game 1-1

Depending on how you look at it, this is a six pointer where all that matters is the result or it is a real test of where we have reached and the performance will be the more interesting. 2-2, Doughty and Ajose

1-1 for me also, they aren't that good, just solid.

Good man. Here's hoping for a great game , three points and a little bit of light for you.

I've never liked Millwall.  But for what ever reason, they just don't seem to care.  Scoundrels.

Nice day, load of beer and a loss.

Wall too strong.

Quite relaxed as our recent run will mean we can stagger over the line all nonchalant waiting to see who will be playing us next season.

I've missed the last couple of home games so not sure how well we've been playing, or how bad the opposition have been.

Today could be one of those narrow defeats that suggest we can be competitive with those in or around the play-offs, but not quite good enough to beat them.

1-2

2-0 down at half time, with the usual suspects claiming certain relegation. Only for us to win it 3-2 with a late strike from Obika, making us promotion candidates again.

They've only lost won in the last 11, however we've won our last 4, will be a tight game.
1-1.

2-1 win. Last min Obika winner following a set piece situation.

Thank you, David Pleat.

going for a sneaky 1-0 win, ajose goal from a mistake from their player of the month goalkeeper

I would be delighted with a draw

This game is huge if we are to look to keep our season alive for a while longer, we have to win it!

I think we will with one each from the Dynamic Duo, Ajose and Obika with the winner, its going to be 2-1

Best we can hope for is a 0 0 score draw.

Good luck with those expecting an atmosphere.

I'm going to go wild and say 3-2 to the town. Lots of goalscoring potential in this game from both sides.

Will be an atmosphere in the away end which we won't come anywhere near matching

Power is a Millwall fan so will no doubt have us lose.

How does a 0-0 score draw work exactly?

Town starting XI: Vigouroux, Branco, Thompson N (C), Turnbull, Barry, Thompson L, Doughty, Robert, Ormonde-Ottewill, Ajose, Obika #STFC

Subs: Henry, Sendles-White, Brophy, Rodgers, Traore, Iandolo, Hylton

Henry?  :hmmm:

Thierry maybe

Why do we persist with 3-5-2 when 4-4-2 diamond has been so much more effective?

0-1.

Great start.

on the plus side it could be 3.

Don't know why Williams has messed around with the defence to accommodate Branco.  We've won 4 on the trot without him and now we're a shambles.

0-2.

Branco shouldn't be in there. but Millwall are good and know how to expose our back 3.

midfield being outdone by Millwalls, and they send to have one less in there

Not going well so far

Little threat going forward & looking like conceding a shed load of goals.

Williams is going to need a good half time team talk today

Player shit again for anyone else?

we've sort of grown into it but Millwall aren't exactly shitting themselves

Their keeper has made 1 really good save from an Ajose header, but other than that we haven't threatened them much.
Mall too easy for them, the ball over the top has exposed us several times

Nath Thompson going to end up being sent off

Why have we put Branco back in? Millwall look like scoring every time they attack. Mainly because our defence is guff. Did anyone else see that person in the townend who threw a chair at the millwall players?! We keep trying to chip the ball into the middle. The one time we went wide on the right and crossed it in we were v unlucky not to score!

Branco back to being a Sunday league player . That was men against boys for 25minutes they seem to be content on soaking up and hitting us on the break and they are pretty good at it. May need to go 4 4 2 second half

Yes, we're getting caught nearly every time.  They're defending in numbers and we can't get through.  Midfield is poor today and Obika is off the pace, he's been in a couple of good positions and faffed around before losing it.

Disappointing in terms of this probably being our strongest team on paper.    I don't see us scoring and wouldn't be surprised if we concede again from a set play or Branco or Thompson get sent off.

It's ok, our saviour is on at half time

Only cos his old man in the crowd again  :hmmm:

Vigoroux has been limping since coming back out from half time.

1-2 Pen by Ajose

Chalkie absolutely slaughtering the ref.brilliant!

2-2!

GET THE FUCK IN!!!!!!!!

MILLWALL CUNTS!

Decent result. If only we can start playing from the whistle.

yeeeerererrs. fucking yes

 :beers: Back of the net!

So did Rodgers make a difference then?  Sounds like we were shite first half and turned it around in the second when Rodgers came on..

Great point there!

Rodgers was Rodgers

Brilliant game, good atmosphere, deserved point.

Most I've enjoyed a Town game since the play off semi's.

Well, what can I say. First 20 minutes were awful. Branco was a fish out of water, the back three got torn a new one every time they attacked, the midfield was slow and weak and Milwall canter.

But we started to adapt to them an started to compete, at least compete closer than in the first part of the half. But it still felt they largely has us at arms length, one smartish save aside.

Would like to see their second again as I looked a fraction of a second after the ball was played and the Millwall player was offside, but he may have timed it to perfection - not that the lino was up with play.

Then, after Robert was replaced by Rodgers, we started to make progress. Sure we were a bit too slow at times and I can't say it was Rodgers changed the game. But the game definitely changed. We seemed to realise that Millwall are a good team but still a division 3 team. We got a lifeline back after the Mlilwall defender was megged, put his arm up and down went Doughty (?). Bit soft, but we'll take it.

And from then on it was us trying and largely failing to make a chance and Millwall holding on, until the last 30 seconds when we got what we probably just about deserved. It felt like a winner.

In fact we could have got a winner had a last kick clearance that we charged down fell nicer for us.

Thought we showed a lot of determination and kept calm given the first 20. Excellent.

Did anyone see what was going on down manny road? Didnt look nice.

Couldn't argue with that, our customary slow start fucked us really, Millwall looked a good team at that point breaking forward with speed and putting us under real pressure.  Second half we realy got to grips with them but guilty of overdoing it a lot of the time, and the high ball into Beaks and Ajose was gobbled up everytime.  2-0 and you fucked it up rang right around the ground at the final whistle and we deserved a point for our endeavour but make no mistake - we got out of jail!!

Every time we go behind I keep saying surely we won't come back but another brilliant comeback again!

It's a shame that we start games so slowly, we're not able to cope with teams tempo as we usually stick with same tempo throughout so the game almost adjusts to our need after about 20 minutes. Don't know why Branco started, the game after we kept a home clean sheet for the first time in the season and it was without him.

Actually think Rodgers changed the game, he was a player willing to get the ball and then move it on. Helped us keep it a lot better and kept them chasing. Think they were knackered at the end due to this and we always keep going right to the end, brilliant character within the squad.

For all the possession we had, we didn't really create that much but were probably worthy of a point. COYR

Branco wins the pen and Rodgers changes the game. Well I never

How the fuck did Morrison not get a yellow for that tackle?

Wallace was a fucking prick too, would have been happy for L Thompson to have chinned him in that melee

Luck was on our side today it seems.

The video of the Town fans bench pressing as a Millwall bus went past is fairly amusing!

Deserved a point today. Started slow but grew into the game as Millwall stupidly let us have the ball. They are a decent side to be fair, very organised and powerful so a point really isn't a bad result at all.

Bench pressing a corner flag though... first time I've seen that celebration!

Link us this video Tails!

Stuck in the traffic a few behind the police dogs van.

Seemed to be a lot of people shouting 'come on you cahnt', 'let fucking have it you toilet', that sort of thing. 

To be honest some of the Milwall attitude on the pitch was on display on the Manny road as well.

There front 2 are niggly horrible tossers arent they.  And their manager spent most of the game playing the same sort of shit.

Pretty out of order for Morrison to be pushing players over after the final whistle.

Not a big surprise though is it, it's expected of the players and management to play and act that way.

I was surprised we started without a hard tackling holding midfielder like Traore, who I think has been excellent in that role, so was not surprised that our defence was exposed so badly early on. We could have conceded a couple more. Was Traore injured, or is he not considered as good as I think he is?

When that Millwall fan through the ball back onto the pitch and they all booed him, we said "Wouldn't want to be him if we score from this now". Hey ho, 30 seconds later and we're going mental and he's the loneliest man in the away end :D Love it - draw that feels like a win!

Well done to Nicky Ajose for reaching 20 league goals for the season, so entering into the stellar pantheon of Town strikers/goalscorers joining the other 16 players who've achieved this feat in my time, going back to 1960 and Bronco Layne. Of these, 5 achieved it in Div 2, namely Iffy Onuora, Craig Maskell, Deadly Duncan Shearer....three times, Chalkie White and Jimmy Quinn. Paul Rideout is the only player to achieve it in Div 4.

So Nicky joins these, Ernie Hunt, Don Rogers...three times, Peter Eastoe, Andy Rowland, SSP...three times, Simon Cox with 29 the most for a season, Charlie Austin, Billy Paynter and last but not least Andy Williams  :)

Well that was a pleasant way for the game to end.

Was moved to join in with the 2-0 & you fucked it up chants echoing round the ground :D

Is there some doubt about our 2nd goalscorer cos bet365 don't want to settle my bet Doughty to score anytime

Nope...

Some proper naughty stuff today what I witnessed took me back to the 1980's, Millwall have always been bottlers.

What went on after the game today? I was going to have a gander but with the euros coming up i though better of it.

Keeper tipped it into the corner but he will be awarded the goal

Hopefully Morison will get a ban with his actions...but I somehow think the ref will not mention it in his report.

Nice celeb by Vigs to annoy to Wall fans.

Amazed we got a point today.

Shite start, goal down, get out of jail and with a chance they should of scored and then seconds later the second goes in.

Great second half.

Would of liked Traore to come on but standing on the TE steps and scoring in the final seconds was sublime.

Fun and games outside too....

Hahaha, just saw that appear on my facebook timeline (shared it).

http://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/competitions/league-one/10203281/swindon-2-2-millwall

That benchpressing mick-take is gold. To be fair I thought the celebration was quite funny too.

Someone seriously link these videos!

I thought the atmosphere and songs were good - the Town End rendition of "Forever Blowing Bubbles" seemed to do the trick. Slightly disappointed we didn't do a "You only sing when you're docking" chant, but we can't have it all, eh?

In a Michael Jackson voice?

Will somebody link this benchpressing video please?

No idea how to link videos off facebook

Loved that today, what a match. Indeed, a draw that felt so much like a win, particularly after all of the Millwall celebrations by the Town End. Cunts.

Fucked it up indeed. Well done STFC  :pint:

Hope this works  https://www.facebook.com/paul.rocker.14/videos/1307371502611824/

Wow, that really is something. What's the significance of the bench pressing? Traore's celebration?

It's great to have a manager with a plan B.

Against Peterborough, he could see where we were lacking, made changes to the players/style and we came from behind to win.

Today, switched the full backs in the 2nd half, Rodgers (amazingly) made a big difference and came back from 2-0 down to get a point.

Long may it continue. Either that or we take the lead and keep it :)

Watch the highlights posted above. Millwall player did the bench press thing using the corner flag in the Town End/DRS corner. No idea why. Over did it a fair bit IMO.

Giving it back a bit is what they deserved.

Brilliant work. That is now winging its way round south London :)

Spot on. Massive over celebrations in front of the home support for no apparent reason (particularly Morison) If you dish it out....

Seen the highlights and the penalty looks harsh but from the TE the defender was at 45 degrees leaning into Branco...looked a certain from that angle.

Just been reading Neil Harris in South London News - what a total twat.  Moaning about the referee who gave them nothing and their forwards were manhandled all game, forgot about the sending-off that should have been and the fighting instigated by their men!!  Sour grapes!!!!!

I read those reports last night. Hilariously one-eyed!

Every manager does it, you cant really turn round and call your players useless bastards for not holding on, so you blame everything else. Cant be upsetting the poor dears now can we.

Having BOO on the right and Barry on the left didn't work as both were inclined to come inside to a congested central area. Neither were willing/able to get down to the by-line to get crosses in. It took Branco and Turnbull to run with the ball to try and create some panic in and around their box. BOO and Barry eventually switched again to their more conventional positions.

Rodgers still frustrates as he is so reluctant to move after he has passed the ball - he just stays where he is instead of advancing to either receive the ball further up the pitch or to at least get the oppo defenders to track his run. Still, he did try to create chances with clever, if over-hit, balls into the box, and his long-range shot was a fine effort. He's not shy of getting involved, but could be more effective.

It is always sweet to score in injury time caused in the main by opposition taking every opportunity to waste time and disrupt the flow of a game. Millwall are probably good enough to win the play-offs. I'd be more than happy if they fucked it up.

Not just the Harris bit, the journo's brief 'report' of the game:

http://www.southlondonpress.co.uk/article.cfm?id=116667&headline=Referee%20has%20decisive%20say%20as%20Millwall%20cannot%20put%20Swindon%20to%20the%20sword&sectionIs=sport&searchyear=2016

This. So very very much this.

Wow.  Thats some of the least objective reporting of a match Ive ever seen.  Not to mention inaccurate.  Doughty and Branco are not the same person.

"The penalty was a pour decision. "

oh my

Handsome is as handsome does in pic 4

http://www.swindon24.co.uk/2016/03/arrests-made-as-millwall-fans-clash-with-football-police/

Pic 2 is the best one, the bloke with the big tits has knuckles that are way too close to the ground.

he's in pic 4 aswel.

i thought that was who rory bellows was :)

And this is the reason I don't bet!

I've not yet got my head round the fact that we now have a manager who changes things when required and a team who can't ever be written off when 2 goals down.

As others have said, it felt like we'd won the game.  Absolutely brilliant.  Usual moronic behaviour from the Millwall fans, several hoardings ripped off in the Stratton Bank and a a couple of seats came flying over in the Arkells.  Surely the sensible thing would have been to keep the Millwall supporters in the ground for a bit instead of placing barriers up outside the ground to try and segregate the two sets of supporters.  Fairly pointless when there was a mix of both coming from the Arkells.

But we don't do sensible Jo!!

His teeth look like a fucking row of bombed out houses!!
Neanderthal twats.

Is being out of shape and ugly a crime now?  ???

When taking the piss out of millwall fans, no not a crime, just fun.

Phew  :)

Millwall must be quite worried about future income, as most of their fans look as if they'll croak if they run 20 yards.

There really were some evolutionary mistakes about. I don't like to denigrate people who are obviously already a bit broken, but they literally were just grunting and making aggressive gestures. Sod Neanderthals, they were Austrolopithecene.
I heard one group of twonks say if Miiiiiill didn't win there'd be no window left intact in Swindon. How 'ard.
One guy even made comments at me that basically meant he wanted to assault me sexually, but I think I have more boobs than he did teeth (and I have the standard boobage).

They'll all be laughing about these stories down the job centre this morning.

Watched the highlights - seems like we got away with a poor first half, they could have had another couple by the looks of things. Pen looked soft but nice last-minute goal from Doughty, who's really impressing. Another assist for Barry too...

Happy with a point, keeps the unbeaten run going and will no doubt ensure a good atmosphere next Saturday even if we are realistically going to struggle to make the playoffs.

What do we reckon, 9 wins required out of the remaining 11?

Overall I thought Millwall were the better side and were comfortable for large patches of the game, they looked well organised and exploited our lack of pace\organisation at the back. Could and should of been 4-0 by HT. I felt we lacked leadership throughout, could do with a couple of battlers to take the game by the scruff of the neck. One at the back and one in the middle.

Credit to our boys though, another comeback when we looked well beaten. I for one didn't see it coming.
I was disappointed to see JSW dropped for Branco who looked shaky on his return.

Atmosphere was superb, would be lovely if it was like it for every home game.
Although singing 'Forever blowing bubbles' was by far the most embarrassing moment of the season.  :no:

Onto Coventry, looking forward to a decent day out.

 

Pretty much agree with all that Chrystovski. Though I thought we did control the second half, the (soft) penalty gave us the extra we needed to really start threatening. Up to then I thought we were in control but not going to score.

First half though, no, we should have been buried. Millwall took their foot off and we grew into it.

Even so, we have come a long way now. Can't see us making the playoffs without a miracle, but to come back against a team of the calibre of Millwall is validation enough ! Williams is impressing at the moment with his tactical knowledge and ability to change it about - though we still look clueless at throw ins, corners and dubious passing too much at the back :)

So frustrating, because I think had we not had the injury crisis early on, we'd have 3 or 4 more points. And then we would be knocking on the PO door and in good form - ah well, given the disaster this season looked not so long ago, I'm happy.

The Adver stats say Swindon committed 4 fouls, Millwall 17.  Was that correct?  Harris claimed it was the other way around!!  On reflection we almost gave as good as we got, but why, of why, do we fall into the trap of such a slow, pedestrian start to the game thereby giving our opponents a huge early advantage - happens most games these days!

BBC stats say

Possession -  Home 61%    Away 39%

Shots - Home 9    Away 6

Shots on Target - Home 4 Away 3

Corners - Home 5  Away 5

Fouls - Home 4 Away 17

Had we got the extra few points Cooper would have kept the job...if has has been postulated Cooper and Williams fell out, maybe Williams would have gone etc.

We've very nearly got the magic 52, so the remit til the end of the season should be, take each game as it comes, get the players to enjoy themselves, which is what they seem to be doing, give some of the potential youth teamers a run out, and see where we end up.

Yes...and we picked up 3 bookings, to their 2 !!

Standard boobage...

(http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/degrassi/images/2/24/Mmm_-_Homer_Simpson.gif/revision/latest?cb=20140127212049)

I think Harris said that the ref was one-sided....pointing out that the foul count of 17 to 4 highlighted this.

Or maybe Millwall just committed more fouls?

I for one will be relieved if we do not make the play offs. Keep the core of this squad. Have a good summer. Big push next season for automatics.

Would have been well pissed off if Branco's penalty claim had been given against us so Neil Harris probably had a point but since he manages Millwall and they deserve any shit going then tough luck. The fact that Rodgers came on and looked the pick of our midfielders probably sums up that Louis T, Doughty and Robert all had a bit of an off day. I thought he was pretty much dead on his legs towards the end but as long as Doughty keeps chipping in with point winning goals even when he is not having the best of games then fair play to him. The fact that all 4 of our loanees celebrated like that goal really meant a lot to them says a lot I think about their commitment to the cause.

if other clubs come calling players will move. That's how the club operates nowadays

(http://i1268.photobucket.com/albums/jj571/frenchreds/f637dc1b-7381-491a-8b54-d5746f0d0c31.png) (http://s1268.photobucket.com/user/frenchreds/media/f637dc1b-7381-491a-8b54-d5746f0d0c31.png.html)

I said on Saturday, this season reminds me of 13/14. A decent enoungh start, a rubbish middle and a very good end. I reckon a lot of our success last season was down to carrying over the form from 13/14, and as long as we don't shit the bed in the summer or the last 10-so games I'm very confident about next year

i think the six game unbeaten run has gone to your head Reg, we can definitely still get relegated, so let's not get carried away just yet.

Had an old boy sat behind us who was a millwall fan, he explained that he hated sitting with the millwall fans at away games because of their behaviour & also the fact the the police & stewards treated them so badly (probably fairly) because of their reputation.

To be fair to him he seemed to be a decent enough bloke & talked a lot of sense.
Probably sums up their support when one of their own would rather sit with the home fans and keep relatively quiet than sit with them.

As for the game, I think that Millwall let us off the hook a bit by trying (in the second half) to see the game out. That played into our hands and gave us an opportunity to get something from the game. It's to our credit that the players did so

We have had a run this season of 11 games where we picked up 4 points...if we repeated that we'd still get to 53, you can go down with that as we did in 81/82. So yes, perhaps too soon to get carried away.

Bloody hell Branco has put on some lumber since he has been out of the starting 11!

I think last time we played them I met a father and son who just wanted to go and watch the football. I felt so sorry for them, having to get escorted everywhere and treated like criminals. But then you can't have it both ways, I suppose.

Apparently there were only 3 arrests, which whilst obviously 3 too many isn't indicative of a hoard of people causing carnage. It's not man v man, pre-orchestrated violence. It's just a bunch of drunken idiots intimidating people and swearing at police dogs until they're told to fuck off on to the next train.

I see Wolves have recalled Wallace from Milwall and Coventry top scorer Armstrong has been called up for 2 Eng U20 games over easter so will miss the league games,

Hopefully this can disrupt them and will help us with our very late push and extreme outside chance for the play-off's

Had a customer come in today who was in the tap on manny road after the game and said that when their lot were escorted down after the game some 10 swindon fans set upon some of theirs which ended being 10 of ours kicking the shit out of 1 millwall, anyone see this? I'd be shocked to hear of a 10 on 1 scrap. All i saw on the day was one swindon 'fan' (never seen him before) try to take on their mob on his own on county road which ended up being handbags until police moved him on.

Was that the oldish skinny looking guy shouting "fuck off Millwall?"

I read about this somewhere else. Can't remember where though.

No, This was a black guy that was build like a brick sh*thouse! im guessing he just wanted a scrap as i can say i have never seen him before. Even though he was on his own im not shocked the Millwall didn't wanna go as people have pointed out, many old fat men. just ended up spitting at each other and him getting coins chucked at him. He sort of walked in circles like in a boxing ring for two mins before police turned up. and told them all to fuck off. maybe he went down manny road to pursue a scrap?

No idea who he was officer.

 
 :D

We've been fined 15k, 5k fine for Millwall

https://t.co/o88C4dPUZL

Was that when Louis had the ball kicked in his face?

The audacity...

How the fuck is that fair then? The more i think about it Thompson should have put one on the cunt, would have been worth it then

Justice and STFC have never been the best of bedfellows when it comes to the foootball authorities, especially when in direct comparison to a virtuous club like Millwall.

What about their players kicking off at the end? Nothing for that I assume?

Quote from Seamus Brady on BBC says 'we have had a couple of instances before'. I suspect we have picked up the bigger fine for the repeat incident having been warned previously.

It was a stupid reaction as we'd won the free kick and Louis got booked for the reaction. Bit of Thompson Bros passion going too far!

Really though? I know we'd got the foul, but I'd be pissed off if someone kicked a football at my face while I was on the ground. And we're supposed to be repeat offenders, but Millwall aren't? Seems a stretch.