Thetownend.com

this afternoon

Amankwaah is playing -

currently 1-0 atfter 25 mins - Matt Ritchie with a goal

Corr playing for Exeter

1-1 now .. almnost half time

What has Sir Mark Marshall done to be back in the Reserves, a mere week after getting an emotional standing ovation at Southampton?

I wonder if Barry Corr will be moaning to the referee about "having his f*****g shirt pulled" like those glorious days at Hardenhuish Park?

Good to see Ritchie on the scoresheet, he just needs to RELAX!  Up the Reserves!

2-1 to Exeter now from the spot - Thompson giving it away

3-1 to Exeter now.

Big Bazza has got 2 of them.

4-2 now - Corr got a hat trick and Ritchie got a 2nd from a free kick

4-3. Ritchie Hat Trick

FT 4-3 to Exeter - promising from Ritchie tho

Ritchie deserves a game at Hartlepool. If only for 20 mins.

which loanee makes way

Sheehan, Ferry, Nouble, Darby or Ward?

Kevin Amankwaah played 90 minutes for the reserves today which suggests he'll be fully fit for Saturday, if a little tired. So it would be Stephen Darby to drop out for me. Sheehan, Ferry and Ward have to play and I like the option Nouble gave us up front with Billy Paynter missing.

It would be harsh on Darby who's improved game on game since a rocky debut against Kazenga Lua Lua at Brighton but that's life.

Wilson seems to be indicating he wants another loanee in before the weekend as well.

3 games, two wins and a drawn, 2 clean sheets.

I certainly wouldnt be busting a gut to change the defence.

I wouldnt either. No need to rush Amankwaaah back when his replacement is doing well.

on saturday darby looked like a rabbit caught in the headlights at times i thought.unless the simple pass was on he didn't look like he could make things happen.

if amankwaa is fit i'd play him

You have to play Ward, Sheehan and Ferry.

I'd stick Ritchie on the left and play Ward up front with Austin. I reckon Wardy would cause all sorts of trouble.

Put Nouble on the bench.

It's about competition for places if the injured players regained their place straight away what message does that send to those that make way ?

Although with Rithie getting a hat trick does it not merrit at least a place on the bench ?

I thought he looked like the rabbit when he went forward, other than that he had a decent game and was quality at Southampton.

I thought Darby looked alright on Saturday tbh. Wouldn't want to see Manks rushed back either.

darby looked more than capable at right back i dont think he will be dropped for the hartlepool match, and rushing manky back doesnt seem like a good idea.

The word when we signed Darby seemed to be that we were trying to negotiate some kind of parent club agreement with Liverpool, whereby they give us some decent youngsters on loan and they get first refusal on any promising kids who we are willing to sell.

I would imagine DW would therefore think twice before leaving a guy who is clearly highly thought of (how often do you see Liverpool play an English youngster in key league and champs league games?) out of our matchday squad, especially as he has been playing well.

I like Amankwaah, he is a competent defender and gives us an extra attacking dimension, but I feel he could be the loser in this scenario for the next few weeks.

Ritchie has caused a problem by getting this hattrick, albeit an excellent one to have. My suspicion is still that he will be the one to miss out on Saturday, rightly or wrongly.

I really can't see why we would want to sign any more midfielders now. It seems to me that we have adequate cover across the squad with most of the injured lot returning, and I would guess that anyone coming in would be unlikely to even feature in any squads barring a crisis.

To be fair on the back off 2 wins and a draw with Norwich not a lot should be changed anyway.If anything what sort of message would it send out if Hartlepool look at our bench and it consists of Paynter,Cuthbert,Lucas,AmankwahRitchie, etc good bench tbh.Only one i would bring back is Ferry

On the subject of the reserves a mate of mine watches whenever he can and swears blind if the polish keeper plays in goal we will concede 10 and he will top himself(not the keeper) if he is ever in goal for us(

I would stick with Darby for another game but think they might want Manky back for the Leeds game, Sheehan won't be able to play so DW may want extra options if Cuthbert doesn't make it and Manky gives us a bit more height.

I have got a feeling that Big Vince might be given a start with Charlie on Saturday if DW feels he wants someone robust up front and hold the ball up a bit more. Nouble would give us a pace option towards the end of the game if it's getting stretched.

Saturday is a big one for us, if we can get the 3 points and finish March on 70 points that would be a fanastic achievement given the games we had. In the last 5 games we have put on 7 out of 15 but if beforehand most would predicted said Rovers 3pts, MK 1 pt, Brighton 1pt, Southampton 1pt, Norwich 1pt. We have put on the points just in a different way and the Southampton/Norwich games are real confidence boosters.

78/9 points might be needed to guarantee the playoffs given the rate at which the teams are accumulating points and 87 for auto. 6 wins and 2 (1 defeat) draws can we do that?

Whoever plays, isn't it nice to have such options all over the park? Haven't been able to say that for a long long time.

We appear to have some sort of strength in depth now which is pleasing.

It's conceivable that we could have Paynter, Cuthbert, Amankwaah and Ferry all on the bench, and still have a pretty strong side lining up.

The rate at which teams are getting points is bound to slow down soon, since the top 6 or 7 all have 2 or 3 games left to play against each other.

We're currently 6th in the recent (8 game) form. More reassuring though is that our last 3 games have been against teams above us in the recent form table and we've taken 7 points from them.

That's because recent form takes into account our recent massive blip in which we conceded a whopping 3 goals over the space of just 2 games.

3 goals?

We've done ok so far I would say with Amankwaah at RB so I'd put him straight back in.

Arguably, if Manky was going to start on Saturday he would have been subbed at half time or soon after, expect Darby to start.