Thetownend.com

Morning TEFers. Haven't started one of these for a while.

I believe we can get the win today and with it secure our safety in League One this year.

Bright and sunny all day in Carlisle as well.

I'd be happy with a point. A win would be immense.

I concur with that. It'll be a tense match that's fo'sho' :)

Are you going Pullen? this is almost local for you isn't it?

It is REALLY easy to go to for me (I went last season). But work wouldn't let me take time off.

A point is OK not great though imo, 3 points would be MASSIVE. If we won today i wouldnt be surprised if we won the other two games as well

and good luck to thr Youth Team today, if they win at Plymouth they are league winners

COME ON TOWN

Avoiding a defeat is what it's about today.  That would then give us a shot of confirming our safety at home to the Gas...which would be great.

I think we need a win today. Can you imagine the nerves against Wovers if we don't.? (Not just the players the crowd too).
The way I see it we win today we're safe.
If we draw we stand a chance but need a draw against Wovers or Peterborough which we could do.
If we lose the pressure against Wovers will be massive unless other teams mess it up totally, we will need a win for sure.
I would fancy us to get a draw against Peterborough away rather than Wovers at home (should we lose & I don't think that would be enough

I'm really, really nervous about this one. We never do any good up there and if we lose I reckon we're right in the shit.

I can only see us getting 1 more point from our remaining 3 games. A point against the Gas.

Will that be enough? Lets hope Cobblers don't go on a good run.

This time in 3 hours we could be looking forwards to away trips to Charlton and Southampton next year.

More likely we will be using phrases like "here we go again", "its never easy with swindon", "fucking hell", "crap performance" etc.

Just as important today...up the Orient!!  A Northampton defeat today would be every bit as good as a win for us.

Team News?

Do you not remember the edwin murray finish and the 1-0 in the season we won the league! shay given was in goal that day to, had a blinder

I'll take a point today. Carlisle need it as much as we do and aren't likely to make it easy for us. As unlikely as it seems, there's every chance we'll get something out of the last 2 games. This is Swindon after all!

I've got a mate who is a Carlisle fan. Will feel a bit sorry for him if we get the win today, but at the end of the day 3 points would be huge for us!

im praying for a win...

carlisle is a place we generally dont get points from.

Easton in for Timlin, Smith starts and Vincent on the bench.

http://www.swindontownfc.co.uk/page/MatchReport/0,,10341~45160,00.html

Swindon Town: Phil Smith; Kevin Amankwaah, Jerel Ifil, Gordon Greer (Captain), Jack Smith; Hal Robson-Kanu, Craig Easton, Owain Tudur Jones, Anthony McNamee; Billy Paynter, Simon Cox

Substitutes: Peter Brezovan (GK), Lecsinel Jean-Francois, Jon-Paul McGovern, Jamie Vincent, Patrick Kanyuka

going for a 0-0 then.

thats a really shit bench

Who on earths Lecsinel Jean-Francois ?

French defender who arrived at the same time as flamdi Razak.

It is odd that there is no striker being named on the bench the last few games, surely Razak is on option even if he is not rated

Nice attacking line up today, Smith in for Vincent so they can get down the wings

Haha was it ardiles mate who was the mascot? Just got a mention

JPM most attacking option on the bench then?

Or Kanyuka as a surprise striker!

Crewe 1 up

crewe 1-0 up

nobody

haha ricky shakes slotted for Ebbsfleet

yeovil 1-0 hartlepool

Get in, Hartlepool losing

Ebbsfleet's goal has come from a certain R Shakes
 ;D

OK So while I was posting someone else got in before me.
Must try harder.

Yay-its in the bag!

...well that was coming

goooooooaaaaaalllllll

bugger

bloody Bridges-bout time he retired

We lasted long

We haven't really started the game yet

Is it wrong to be so down hearted that i dont think we'll get a result now

And Hartlepool are now level

yeovil 1-1 hartlepool

Picking up by the sound of it. Carlisle might start sitting back on that lead if we're lucky.

Live League table

Swindon  44 48 -5 63 0-1  v Carlisle
Hartlepool  44 48 -10 63 1-1  v Yeovil
Carlisle  44 48 -14 53 1-0  v Swindon
Northampton  42 43 -3 53 0-0  v Leyton Orient
Brighton  43 43 -19 47 0-0  v Oldham
Cheltenham  43 35 -37 48 0-1  v Crewe
Hereford  43 34 -33 39 0-0  v Colchester

I'd definitely take a draw looking at that, to keep Carlisle at arm's length

When are we gonna stop giving sloppy goals away?Not this season I spose

Don't we just love being town fans! :(

Nothing changes!!

this is going down to the last game of the season isn't it?!

:nod:

Just like recent games we've started slowly and need to get hold of the ball and keep it or we'll do what we did against Yeovil (fuck all).

After pook hitting the crossbar this morning I thought he might get a starting slot!















I'll get my coat!

 :stupid:

Orient 1-0 Northampton

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS ORIENT!

orient 1-0 up

northampton losing!

Fuck sake Town-this sounds horrible

Nothing new there

Scott Magleish as well!  That must hurt the cobblers!

Why are we SO inconsistent?  :(

Brighton winning

oh dear...

Peterborough winning, Millwall losing, MK drawing.

Clutching at straws, but if those results stayed they same it might mean Posh don't need a win against us on the last day

Millwall drawing now :S

Wanky and Jack Smith sound like they are having a mare today!

Millwall losing again!

now losing 2-1!

Wanky has a mare most weeks. he's dreadful

I hope we can hold on until half time and Wilson/Byrne rip into the players at half time.

Well no only recently. He was quality for that stint he was at RM.

You would thought of these players would be playing for there futures obviously not ???

id question your opinion of quality to be honest

I haven't heard Easton mentioned yet

Most of our players have lacked quality this season though, so why do we always single out certain players?

because its the clever thing to do...

I think we will realise how important Timlin can be for us today.

That wasnt me singling Wankbag out, im fully aware most of our squad has underperformed this season. I do just generally think wankbag is a poor footballer

brighton have 2

come on you benders!

Brighton 2-0 up now and rovers look though next weeks game they will be up for that :cry:

Brighton 2-0 up now. If ever there was an even greater importance of creating your own destiny now's the time.

seems like every 5 minutes an ex-Town player scores!

I tried my hardest to understand that and failed!

Have we got in their half yet?

He is. He's probably had his Bobby Howe run of form, and it back to his usual shitness.

that'll make him score!

I just pray that this is another Brighton.

Shit first half with a reaction for the 2nd!

hartlepool winning

I have a really horrible feeling that this is all going very wrong.

Monkey hangers winning

Sounds like Paynter should have scored. Meh.

Fucking hartlepool winning now :cry: :bye:

Paynter misses a sitter from a superb McNamee cross

Lambert with 2 as well...Cox will have to fire us a few to get top scorer now

Smith gets caught out of position as much as Amankwaah.

Jack Smith is doing his best to do himself out of a contract next season

I'm going to try the same trick as I did last week and go clean & tidy the kitchen and hope I come back to find us 2-1 up again!

Hartlepool    44    50    -9    
Crewe    44    49    -17    
Yeovil    43    49    -23    
Swindon    44    48    -5    
Carlisle    44    48    -14    
Brighton    43    45    -17    
Northampton    42    42    -4    
Cheltenham    43    35    -37    
Hereford    43    33    -35    

Not looking good!

 :cry:

Our goal difference could turn out to be sooooo important on the last day of the season!

Let's really go for it in the second half Town, hopefully they'll fold under the pressure like Brighton did.

Im going to play Carlisle vs Town on fifa and i'l let this settle our fate..

wilson needs to kick their fuccking ass

Jeff Stelling: 'Swindon back in the relegation dog fight.'

I never realised we were out of it.

Let's hope he makes the same impression on them as he obviously did at Brighton last week

We've started well

Bright start from the sound of it, let's make it count!

HRK went very close

Another chance-Kanu from a McNamee cross,great save

'Sup.

Have I missed much?

Result from the fifa game: Carlisle 0 - 2 Town

Cox and BP they also had a man sent off....here's praying!

Crap first half, 1-0 down. Kick up the arse at HT, better start to 2nd half

Another chance from another McNamee cross

Come on Town!

The worrying thing is we have fuck all we can change with the subs available!

Yeovil equalise

yeovil 2-2 hartlepool

Yeovil have equalised

Have Yeovil equalised?

Cheltenham 1-1- Crewe

Cheltenham have equalised

Come on Yeovil, Cheltenham and Orient!

Cheltnum equalise!

Oh, and Town Come on!

Cheltenham as well - Marlon Broomes gave the penno away! good lad

Crewe now drawing against Cheltenham.

....and come on Oldham

This is rubbish, here I am relying on the other teams fucking it up :(

We're not very good, are we?

fucking fryatt, beckford and lambert have all cunting scored, come on coxy.

desperate times, desperate measures

Indeed. I mean cheering on Cheltenham? WTF?

I don't care who fucking scores!



Mind you, I don't have money on it!

 :no:

Im not cheering for Cheltenham

Im cheering against Crewe!!

Let us Pray....

Simon Cox my Lord, Simon Cox...Simon Cox my Lord...

How lucky are Stockport that they had a decent first half to the season!

Plummeted!

Stating the obvious, but you really cannot state just how important an equaliser is for us now.

Yeovil           43 50 -22 38
Swindon        44 48 -5 63
Hartlepool      44 48 -10
Carlisle          44 48 -14 53
Crewe           44 47 -18 56
Brighton        43 45 -17 49
Northampton  42 42 -4 53
Cheltenham    43 36 -36 49
Hereford        43 33 -35 39

Come on lads.

What's the opposite of plummeted? We could try that.

It would indeed be massive, but im not holding my breath

FFS!  It's not gonna happen is it!

one back for Oldham

Oldham pull one back

Oldham get one back!

Nervy times hopefull at the running track!

But if you did hold your breath for the 20 odd minutes until the final whistle, I'm sure that would do it.

Come the fuck on!

gheys get a 3rd

bollocks brighton goal

Brighton get a third.  Bastards.

Brighton 3-1 up now argggggggghhhhhhhh

Fuck it!

Come on! We need a lucky break.

Carlisle play Cheltenham next weekend, Northampton play Hereford...we could be in real troubel

i don;t have the radio here, we had many chances this half??

harltpool 3-2 up now

northampton 1-1

More than the first, but still don't sound like hitting the net tbh

This is a fucking catastrophe.

Things go from bad to worse!

Shit. The. Bed.

Today's nightmare is slowly becoming a reality.

We are royally fucked if we don't get a point today.

Northampton in front

Nothampton winning now

Northampton take the lead.  We're fucked.

northampton winning worst 2 minutes of our season so far

Northampton winning FUCK OFF

Fucking hell.

For fuck sake town fucking score >:(

Anyone for Burton next year?

BRING ON ANOTHER STRIKER

We still have this game to finish and another two. It's not over until then!

We're fucked.

Oh i forgot we didnt bring one

we're bringing on a defender, yes!!

Makes sense

Hartlepool    44    50    -9    
Yeovil    43    49    -23    
Swindon    44    48    -5    
Carlisle    44    48    -14    
Crewe    44    47    -18    
Northampton    42    45    -2    
Brighton    43    45    -17    
Cheltenham    43    36    -36    
Hereford    43    33    -35    

Any chance of us distracting the referee and sneaking a twelve player on?

not sure it would help!

We're going to sneak him into their back four.
That way they will make a late mistake & let us score :)

Got 1-1 written all over it

come on blair!!

Them winning - Bring on their top scorer
Us Losing - Bring on a less than experienced defender

Great!

Its 3.30am here and why do I worry over these pricks....trouble is that the league position doesn't lie.
We are fucked... :cry:

Cleared off the line!  Not our day!

Such drama queens!

Take a deep breath and everything will turn out fine!

Agggghhhhhhhhhhh!

When is it? >:(

Whatever

Hate football.

OK Salisbury are losing.......  Back to the real shit

Yawn

Swindon bring on the goalscorer that is JPM!

Love foot ball, hate supporting STFC? - or do you actually hate football?

Wanky off!

Crewe losing

Cheltenham beating Crewe

Crewe losing now.. Interesting..

Well it looks like it's going to take someone else to Fuck it up, for us to survive.

Only problem is Crewe have Stockport (who couldn't beat an Egg) & Leicester who will already have won the league by then.

One last push come on town..

Looking like Crewe will be joining Cheltenham and Hereford, with the final place going to ourselves, Carlisle or Brighton.  I think Northampton's goals today (and their games in hand) will see them clear.

What a shit day!

Are Swindon really that bad...??? :cry:

Come on! Fucking come on! Please......

:nod:

pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease

Er..... yep!

Just how much pressure can Carlisle take?

Is Swindon really incapable of supporting a Div 3 football club?

This is just like Monday according to Ed. Typical. No fucking luck for us this season.

Cobblers 3-1 up

Fucking hell....I really had great hopes when Fitton took over...

I came to University and my flatmates didnt know who Swindon were...since ive been here (4 years now) we've been relegated, promoted and possibly relegated again!

Hartlepool have won

Right, now's the time to score.

This is it now. Last chance.

There it is, OTJ!

GET THE FUCKING FUCK IN!

It doesn't quite top 1992-96 (up, down, down, up in consecutive seasons), and it's been nothing like as exciting...but I get your point.

fucking mega woot

WOOOOT

Fucking get in!

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!

Is it over? Bollocks. Need something from rovers or peterboro'.  Not good.

I fell asleep we scored!!

get the fuck innnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn

About bloody time!!

Wow fucking yes!!!

yay town!

Good times.

keeps us above carlisle...

THANK FUCK FOR THAT

Thank fuck for that. Now hold on!

yessss!

Hold on what? Final Whistle went about 2mins ago.

Massive goal. Come on.

That could prove vital in 2 weeks time.

Is it fucking over yet?

I guess that's a yes then

full time, who'd have thought we'd actually score one in the 90th minute

Hartlepool    44    50    -9    
Swindon    44    49    -4    
Yeovil    43    49    -23
Carlisle    44    46    -15    
Crewe    44    46    -19    
Northampton    42    45    -1    
Brighton    43    45    -17    
Cheltenham    43    38    -35    
Hereford    43    33    -35    

Strangely I had my post with OTJ already typed up before the free kick was even given. Mystic Pie :)

Looks a lot healthier after that point. Get something next week and we might well be safe

Must say I did

Fucking get in there! Now, lets get about the pikeys next Saturday.

Massive goal for us!!

I think were due a slice of good fortune.  We're not safe by any means...but I'd say we've roughly doubled our chances of survival with that one strike.

Make no mistake - Carlisle fans will be feeling gutted right now.

Phew, better see if i can find the cat, it cleared a few fences.

Given our goal difference we are effectively four points above Crewe and Carlisle having played the same number of games

Bloody hell....hopefully they will be able to get a result next week... :)

This looks a lot better...

Hartlepool          44   50   -9   65
Swindon            44   49   -4   64
Yeovil               43   49   -23 38
Carlisle              44   46  -15  53
Crewe               44   46  -19  56
----------------------------------
Northampton      42   45  -1    56
Brighton            43   45  -17   50
Cheltenham       43   38  -35   50
Hereford           43   33  -35   39

Northampton played Scunthorpe Tuesday night.

Massive game for us.

Then they have Hereford which is almost a certain 3 points

Spot on. Against other teams that goal wouldn't have been so important, but as it was against Carlisle it could make a huge difference - that goal has left them in serious trouble what with Northampton's games in hand and Crewe picking up a fair amount of points recently

Crewe have hardly got a point last half a dozen games or so, they look doomed.

It's also worth noting that Carlisle go to Cheltenham next week and Cheltenham (believe it or not) are still not mathematically down.

Huge goal for us,well done OTJ.Pay back for Carlisle getting a last minute equaliser at the CG.

Elliott sent off for Rovers today,so will miss next saturday's game.

Brighton also had a player red carded today.

That'll save him getting sent off against us then!

Fuck ...Swindon must be bad if we are worrying about what happens at Cheltenham in mid week ...Surely we should be confident to get a result against the drovers. Especially as there is so much riding on it.

Rovers game next week will be my third of the season.  I'm up for this already now.  If I could skip the next 6 days I would.

Beg your pardon. You're quite right, their good run was a while back.

Crewe have Stockport and Leicester to play, whilst Carlisle have Cheltenham and Millwall. Northampton have a tough run in but their games in hand and their goal difference could well see them safe. If we can pick up just one more point I'd expect it to be Crewe or Carlisle who go down. If not, it could be us.

Wolves fans sounds fucking stupid even when they're singing.  That's not an accent, it's a curse.

I love you Tudur-Jones.

Rovers' last 10: WLWLLWLDWW (in reverse order, before DV picks me up on it). They're an alright side who score goals for fun. We'll need to get our shooting boots on for a change if we want to get anything from it

Rovers play Brighton in mid-week so they could do us a favour before they come here.

I predict 4-4

More likely gift them 3 points before turning us over on Saturday.

1. Cheltenham Town
Carlisle (H)
Scunthorpe (A)
Southend (A)

we really need them to get at least a point against Carlisle!!

2. Crewe
Stockport (A)
Leicester (H)

Two teams with nothing to play for. Stockport are almost a certain 3 points. Hope Leicester want to finish on a high

4. Brighton
Bristol Rovers (A)
Huddersfield (A)
Stockport (H)

All mid table teams. Rovers & Hudders seem to be finish strong. 3 points against Stockport.

6. Swindon Town
Bristol Rovers (H)
Peterborough (A)

fuck all

7. Northampton Town
Scunthorpe (H)
Hereford (H)
Franchise (H)
Leeds (A)

3 play off teams and Hereford. A minimum 3 points against Hereford.

8. Yeovil Town
Hereford (H)
Tranmere (A)
Colchester (H)

Another minimum 3 points from Hereford. 2 mid table teams

9. Carlisle United
Cheltenham (A)
Millwall (H)

Nothing from Millwall a huge match against Cheltenham. Mainly for us!!! If Carlisle dont win next weekend then we're as good as above them as well as Hereford and Cheltenham.

10. Hartlepool United
Leeds (H)
Bristol Rovers (A)

fuck all!!

Still need another result, just shows you how that cheating referee in the monkey hangars home game (awarding a penalty that should't have been) could have fucked up our season - been safe now.

That's just a another "what if" though. We've had games like MK and Orient at home which if we'd have won we'd be out of sight now. We didn't.

If we beat Rovers on Saturday, are we mathmatically safe whatever?

Pretty much. Unless Carlile and Crewe win 10-0.

If we match the better of crewe and carlisle results next weekend we are safe. That simple.

If it wasn't clear enough from what IOB said, as long as Crewe and Carlisle don't both win we'd be sorted. Depending on their results, a draw could see us safe too.

cool. i forgot about the game today and went fishing in Øyeren instead.

we'll stay up, i'm confident of it  8)

how was the fishing?

We wont know much about Saturday till after the games Tuesday

Brighton Vs Bristol Rovers
Northampton Vs Scunthorpe
Yeovil Vs Hereford

If Rovers win Brighton will be 4 points behind us with 6 left to play for
If Scunthorpe win Northampton will be 4 points behind us with 9 left to play for
If Hereford win (as if) Yeovil would be on the same points as us with the same games

That would leave - going into saturday Brightons maximum points as 51, Northamptons as 54, Crewes as 52, Carlisle as 52 and Yeovil as 55.

If we then win against Rovers we'll have 52 which means

Cheltenham, Hereford & Brighton couldnt catch us.

Crewe(-19) & Carlisle(-15) could only over take us (-3 minimum if we beat Rovers by one goal) on goal difference.

Then of course if they didnt win their games against Stockport and Cheltenham respectivly then we'd be safe.

Of course, this is all going on us beating Rovers (not very likely) it worries me that Stockport and Chelteham are pretty easy fixtures and I can easily see Crewe & Carlisle both winning.

Which would leave all 3 on the same points with 1 game to play. We have Peterborough, Crewe have Leicester and Carlisle have Millwall - 3 of the top 4!!!

So, basically it isnt even close to being decided

well...it's a game closer

Phew.

all i caught was a spinner(?!) and a vest.

so not good...

Poo. Although at the time I celebrated Tudur Jones' equaliser like some kind of possessed dervish, I really really didn't want to be going into these last two games needing anything. Squeaky bum time? I've got the 1812 overture coming out of mine

It'll add a little extra next Saturday that's for sure.

Doesn't look like Peterborough's fate will be settled before our fixture either. EEK.

Owain Tudur Pole's goal could prove quite crucial.

I'd put our chances at staying up at about 70%...about the same as before today's games.  That said, I'd rather have a 70% chance of staying up with two games to go than a 70% chance of staying up with three games to go.  So to that extent, it's been a reasonably good day's work.

Our chances have improved slightly today as a result of Tudur-Jones goal and Crewe getting beaten at home. If we'd lost our chances would have got slightly worse.

If we win on Saturday, we're safe. There is no way Crewe or Carlisle are going to make up 11+ goal difference in two games.

Even a draw against Rovers would leave Crewe and Carlisle needing to win both their remaining games to overhaul us, and Brighton would be in the same boat if they lose on Tuesday.

Its easy to look at fixtures and predict that teams will win against Hereford/Stockport/whoever, but we'd have expected Crewe to beat Cheltenham today and that didnt happen.

The way we got our draw today is significant too. That late goal was a crippling blow to Carlisle. If we'd been in front for most of the game and they'd equalised at the death it would be quite different, even though the points would be the same.

Completely agree about how the late goal will have affected Carlisle.  That was a massive (proverbial) kick in the bollocks for them.  I hope it stuns them all the way to League 2.

Rovers next week, what a massive game, we should have a full house!!

Lets hope Peterboro win next week and are in party mood when we go their on the final game.

We need two points really to be safe, three against Rovers would be mega ...

If you are a Swindon fan you MUST be at the County Ground 12 o'clock next Saturday, lets have 'um

Having looked around for some Carlisle fans reaction, they are of course doing the same type of calculations, but dont even mention us in the scenario any more.

Their rivals site is even quieter than the Trust forum is these days, but it has a very apt title which made me chuckle.

http://carlisleunited.rivals.net/forum/pgeThreads.aspx?boardId=105&clubId=20 (http://carlisleunited.rivals.net/forum/pgeThreads.aspx?boardId=105&clubId=20)

If my memory is still functioning, didnt they do the same against us at The County Ground, 90th minute equaliser?

Please, Sir, can I go to the pub?

After the game yes, dont be late for the game, thank you

Whatever the results of next weeks midweek games,we must go into the Rovers game with
a positive attitude.Whilst one point maybe enough,some of our players simply aren't mentally
tough enough to battle for a draw.DW seems to have realised this,hence the positve attitudes
from him,especially away from home.

Got home about half an hour ago. Went fucking ballistic when we scored, all I remember is seeing the ball hit the back of the net, jumping up, into the row in front and along to rub it in the faces of the Carlisle supporters. Knocked my own glasses off twice, thankfully caught them both times.

All in all, a beautiful day, coupled with a late equaliser and a mere 7 3/4 hour round trip makes today a good day. Oh, and meeting Steve Buscemi.

Back from Carlisle in four hours is tanking it ... well played.

Hertha drove :D We made it there in less than four!

Reasons to be cheerful/clutching at straws:
Leicester sealing the championship today may help us out as it removes the possibility of Posh needing a win for an outside shot at going up as champions on the last day.
Crewe and Carlisle both need a win and a draw and us to lose our last two to finish ahead of us
Brighton need two wins out of their last three (or a draw and something like a 20-1 win) to do the same
All three are running out of time, we may be safe already.

But I still hope to Christ we beat Rovers. Just anyway, quite apart from the League position. Although I will be cheering them on on Tuesday

The Rovers game should be a good'un now. A win would make it a fantastic day, if I can get out of bed in time for the match!

I just got home, but I may have stoppped at the pub. That whole 540 mile round journey was worth it for the 94th minute. Going mental is what it's all about.

Just got home (Stopped at the pub)

First half: They were shit, we were shitter.

second half: We fucking battered them! More than deserved our equaliser and how sweet that it came so late! As axs said, the journey was well worth it just for the celebration.

I can't be arsed to do in-depth player rankings, but Kanu-Robson was fucking dire and Macca spent most of the game AWOL. As DW plays a game that's pretty much reliant on decent wing play, it was not pretty.

Phil Smith had another good game. Anyone who still thinks Brez is a better keeper needs to actually go to games, not spout opinion based on radio commentary.

What an ace day out :)

Well worth it just for that equaliser.

Think Easton deserves a mention as well. Thought he did ok yesterday, certainly got stuck in. Was good to see him back, hopefully he'll build on that against Rovers as I'd still really like to see him here next season.

This is a post from a regular Carlisle fan and good poster on TFF.  It is in depth and may go on too long for a few of you, but I thought it was well worth the read.........

 

Well, where do you start eh, it’s always hard to explain a proper dogfight game to fans who aren’t usually involved in them but for the first time this season we seen a proper down to earth dogfight game, lacking quality, but full of passion, fight, battle, tension, nerves, worry and of course drama.

Going into the game of course it was moreso pressure on Carlisle with us sitting nearer the drop zone than Swindon and also Carlisle being on home, a draw would suit them well, it HAD to be a win for Carlisle.

To be fair to our side and manager they couldn’t have started off better, we needed to get the fans alert, passionate and behind the team and to do that they had to ‘come out the blocks’ as the old saying would be and Carlisle did just that, right out from start with a lot of energy and effort, it put Friday and Monday’s lax performances to shame, 4-4-2 but without the useless Graham finally dropped after 15 games from Hell and in goes Scott Dobie, local lad and moreso a master of the art’s in great escapes, he was involved in the Jimmy glass season survival, the one after that and the one after that, all which went to the wire…..who better to lead our line for this battle.

And dobie looked up for it, as did Bridges both working their socks off, midfield were scrapping aswell as we hussled and pressed, quality again lacking and could be seen in the lack of chances, infact the first chance I think was Swindon’s due to our usual defence way of backing off and letting the other guy have his shot without much worry.

Still we started to create chances, mostly shots from Bridges a lot of them either outside area or just inside but most going wide, we did though break through early and took advantage of this pressure, ball came in from the left and Swidnon left Bridges with time and space in the box, he turned and finished very well for 1-0.

With our confidence up Carlisle pressed like hell for that vital 2nd goal which never seems to come, all in the ground knew we usually couldn’t keep a clean sheet if we got £1 million for it, so it was 2nd goal or bust, Determined pressure from our right winger robbed their full back of ball and sent him away into the box, he laid ball across to bridges who hit ball ok, but with not enough pressure to get past keeper, we got afew corners, a lot of crosses in, Swindon had backs to wall, but our lack of quality in the final 3rd was costing us as I cannot tell you of many chances.

Infact as a good first half nearer end Swindon should have equalised, I don’t know how they didn’t, ball went into box and their player was there, right in front of goal, no challenged, nice simple header into net, somehow he messed up his header and it went over to the collective relief of the home crowd, half time 1-0, we were working extremely hard, we were playing well, Swindon were restricted, just that damned 2nd goal. Half time scores were a mix, Brighton was a worry, but all others were ok at the time.

The 2nd half started and now crept in nerves and worry, Swindon started very brightly and to be fair to them they never came to us for a draw, and just upped the ante as soon as 2nd half started, Wilson smartly blocking off our wingers to cut off our attacks, we now had to try through centre but you could tell very early that heavy, hectic first half had done a lot of damage as our players looked shattered……absolute shattered and it was clear it may well be a case of ‘pray and hope’ than think we could grab another goal.

After a couple of Swindon chances Carlisle got about their best chance to finish it, we broke from a Swindon corner with some pace, our left back got inside the box, he drilled ball across face of goal, but no one was near all expected a pull back, header just after from corner also went over, but that was about it for us.

Now fans were getting nervous, news also going around that Northampton were back in their game and it was getting tense, suddenly crowd although trying to back team had their grumbles, Swindon had a fantastic chance when our defence didn’t deal with a ball up field Swindon guy ran through on goal, our keeper saved it but it went out to one of their players for the rebound and yet he hit it wide, the sighs of relief were probably heard in Brighton.

Swindon pressed and pressed, it seemed we were panicking completely now, sitting deeper and deeper, one of our midfielders Lu8msden who has hardly player for a year, looked completely and utterly shattered to point where he could hardly move, plays a simple pass badly and they break into attack, the ‘Aaarrrrrrggggh, you bloody idiot!!!!’ being screamed from the stands, thankfully it led to nothing and shot went wide, our keeper then saved again from a shot, cross comes in he gets and we clear again.

You can hear in the crowd the frustration and news of Northampton winning wasn’t helping, Swindon getting corner….then another corner…..then a sodding other one, screams of ‘out….out, get it ****** OUT!!!!!’ from about 5,000 people around me, we subbed off a couple of our tired players but it still left about 4-5 on the pitch, somehow……….god knows how but somehow our Keeper pulled off a world class save to keep it 1-0 as we were hanging by a thread, from yet another nervy corner, a header went right into the top corner and just…on the line…he hooked the ball out, it looked a certain goal, people were now in panic mode all across the ground but were also trying to urge the side on..’united, united’ rang out as the team kept trying to give it one last effort.

We even got another chance, break on the left, cross to back post, player there but rubbish header over, alas that was our last chance of the game, Swindon chucked more and more forward, clearly they must have known Brighton and Northampton were winning and that defeat was going to be a disaster for them as they went goal or bust at times, but our side had no effort left to capitalise on this.

Ball went across box and a Swindon guy tried to handball the ball into the goal, spotted by the referee while some of the Carlisle fans were pretty much up for grabbing some rope, finding the nearest tree and lynching the guy for doing such an evil deed in such a vital game, again Swindon got a never ending stream of corners and crosses into the box, scrambled away with still cries of get the damn thing out coming from the stands.

Into injury time…………..4 bloody minutes, oh no!, we still holding on, amazingly people starting to leave early……..WHY??? The quality was dreadful but the sheer tension was at fever pitch, …..again hoofed clear and again to the Swindon player and knocked back, but again clearer out manager, coach and fans all trying to get the players to push further up the field, we get the ball going forward, rather than run to corner flag our right winger makes a right mess of it and back it comes again, scrambles all over place….foul….free-kick!!!! Right on the edge of the box, right at the front of goal, crap, crap, crap why can Carlisle never do it the easy way, silence in the ground just about as all know this is pretty much a do or die moment, will the wall hold this time unlike Oldham when they just allowed ball through them………….shot taken…..deflection……GOAL!!!

1-1 and ooooh the groans and desperation was everywhere, except the away end where they knew how big a goal it was, afew fans now streaming out, fans with head in hands, utterly, utterly downbeat. Final whistle goes and the players slump to the ground in despair as if that has just relegated them. Fans turn to each other pretty much confirming that they thing that is that as luck simple isn’t going our way at all, if Fate is deciding who goes down Carlisle has to be favourites because if we were destined to survive that free-kick goes wide. Ground a horrid place of murmurings and depressed silence, in ground and walking home.

Football is a cruel, cruel game at times, you see it work for you and be cruel to someone else and see if when it’s cruel to you, yesterday I think hit us hard, most last positive thoughts of survival ended once that free-kick went in, even them fans I speak to who re the most positive optimists I know were deadbeat and struggling to think of how we would survive this season, it was a real killer goal and will be hard for manager to pick players up after it, even hours later most people who you know are Carlisle fans are depressed, don’t want to watch football, don’t want to talk football, just about kicking their TV in once match of day comes on laugh.gif reminds me of the old Ripping Yarns episode when he comes home from the game and destroys his living room after a crushing defeat.

But would I want to change the situation……………nah, it’s this drama and passion which is why we follow lower league football where the quality is rubbish, sitting in that home end sensing the passions and reactions from many other people with similar thoughts is what makes the game good, to have one goal pretty much knock the stuffing out of you is them sportive reactions which make the game.

Aah well looks tough for us now, but a Carlisle relegation battle will go to the wire and we can still survive, gap closed but Brighton, Northampton and Crewe still need the points which they don’t get given on a plate so a lot of work yet.

And Carlisle go to Cheltenham, probably….hopefully with Cheltenham having to win to still have a chance (if they are down Saturday it means we’re also in bottom 4 as brighton, Northamton have won) isn’t that just your typical finish to have to go to a win or bust game for both sides to somehow claw out the win…….it’s them sort’ve games Carlisle do end up winning when your at your lowest point of no return, I would not bet against that win yet,

Fair play Swindon, you worked hard, never gave up and had a real go, got a deserved goal in end, should now see you safe I think.

Great post.

Not a bad write up for their side. The handball was Paynter at the far post I think, was a bit mad, not sure what he was trying to do. First half it was all them, in the second it was all us, 1-1 is a fair result.

Atmosphere was pretty much non-existent in the first half, I was surpised their terrace didn't make much noise, but then it was probably comparable to the TE on a bad day. Except they had a drum.

^^^

Stuart Hall is a Carlisle fan then?

When we lost 3-0 at Carlisle last season I was suprised with how quiet they were - especially as they were doing well at the time too.

At least we can stop all this bollocks about we would be in the play offs if games finnished on 80 minutes.

Highlights are up.

Cameraman could have showed our players celebrating??!!

That's great news-I also would like to see him here next season

Well done to all those went.

Important goal...i would of taken a point before kick off and was jumping around the garden when the goal went in...

Bring on Rovers.....so many things can change i get dizzy looking at the table.

Thought this was quite amusing, off of one of their forums:

 thought they'd over stepped the mark with double barelled names.

Jon-Paul McGovern
Lescinal Jean-Francois
Hal Robson-Kanu
Owain Tudur Jones

But apparently under UEFA rules you can have a maximum of four.

If Kasali Yinka Casal had been playing the game would have to have been re-played

Quote from local BBC news up here....

"Bad enough conceding a goal so late, it was made even worse by a player with a name like that"

:)