Thetownend.com

 Not sure about HMS Piss The League but sure seems we're not boarding the SS Season Over By February this year.

Drinan for me, scored and made an assist playing at wing back.

Has to be Drinan doesn’t it? Scoring, assisting, threatening and defending.

Monroe had a good game as did Mabete. Oldaker looks a class above at times. Ripley’s save too!

Munroe for me, didnt really put a foot wrong all game and bombed down the wing, followed by Oldaker and Mabete.

Scored one, made one got to be Drinan.  Like many others a totally different player to last season. 

Went with Drinan; Monroe also very good, particularly first half. Impressed with Mabete again too.

Totally agree.

Oldaker first half. Overall though,Drinan and another impressive Mabete performance . And a mention for Glatzel who is now showing what we all knew he was capable of

also agree

Voted for Drinan but Munroe was superb in the first half and Oldaker was excellent. His passing accuracy is fantastic and reminds me of Micky Hazard sliding inch perfect balls to Deadly Dunc back in the day. I definitely would not have taken him off...

Mabete for me.  First time seeing Oldaker as well, who impressed also.  But Mabete edged it.  Seemed assured, & good distribution.

I should have mentioned Mabete as well. I'll admit I was far too quick to judge him when he conceded a pen and was sent off at East!sigh in pre season. I thought we had a bit of a loose cannon and liability on our hands but nothing can be further from the truth. He's been calm, assured and generally rock solid in every game. POTY contender on his current trajectory...(There are several others you could say that about of course)

Oldaker because we all got told that he can only pass sideways, but his passing and movement has been inch perfect in his advanced role. We all used to go on about Doughty and how great he was, how about we start going on about Oldaker in the same vein. We’re getting creativity out of a player none of us thought could be creative, so he has exceeded expectations

Just adding my vote to the mix - how nice is it to be talking about so many players in the same positive tone. Drinan MotM for me, but Oldaker, Munroe and Mabete comments all perfectly valid.

I just hope we can stamp out some of that collective anxiety that comes in the second half every time we're ahead. We know teams are going to push harder to try and get something from the game, but dropping further back makes us vulnerable. Either that, or it's just my own anxiety after watching the last few seasons of dross!

I think the anxiety on the part of the fans is largely due as you suggest, to all the blown leads we've had to endure over the years. In hindsight, I don't think we were ever in too much danger although Ripley's save at 0-2 certainly helped keep the anxiety levels down. The Barrow lad hit it like an Exocet and had it gone in I'm sure they would have thrown the kitchen sink at us so it was game defining and our keeper deserves special mention for that...

I agree, we were all on edge at 2-1 but we are a different kettle of fish this season and it actually was a far easier win that it felt during the game.

That’s how nervy our fanbase is conditioned to be due to all the games we’ve thrown away…

Saturdays game was never 2-1 at any point…

That was my point about the blinding Ripley save...he stopped the lead being reduced and was a defining moment in the game...

I meant 3-1, but yes we have thrown away a lot of games but this season it feels different, we feel defensively better, barring Barnet, in the last 7 games or so.

I think the Barnet game was an anomaly, we hadn’t played well all game but Smith’s injury caused all composure to be lost and we panicked in those moments. That was then though and we have since learned our lessons and built from it.

The more we “survive” these spells of pressure away from home the more we will grow in confidence. Crewe was very comfortable ending but Oldham and Barrow at times we was under the cosh but left with 3 points. Every game we’ve scored first we have won which is good.

It would be interesting to hear from someone who went whether they thought the wind had an impact on the 2nd half.
this isn't always obvious on tv (I've noticed this occasionally reading back over comments on here during the game from those watching on ifollow etc, where they obviously haven't realised about the wind).
Watching on TV, the flag above the building behind the goal at the dressing rooms end (our left side) looked as though it was windy and in our faces 2nd half. Some of Ripley's kicks looked to be held up by the wind and they overhit a number of passes.