Thetownend.com

Well I guess someone had to.........

Tonight’s opponents have been infrequent visitors to the CG in recent times.  Since the turn of the Century, they have only been here on three occasions:

A 1-1 draw in the Worthington Cup in Aug 2000 (when a Bobby Howe goal was cancelled out by a late Kwame Ampadu effort).  Another 1-1 draw in the League 1 encounter in April 2010 (when we benefited from a 90th minute OG by the visitors in order to scrape a point).  And honours were even again the last time they were here for another League 1 game in Jan 2011 for a 0-0 stalemate, when neither their goal machine (a certain J Cureton) nor ours (Thomas Dossevi) managed to trouble the keepers.  

To find the last time we managed to beat them on the hallowed GC turf you need to go back almost 30 years (!) to October 1985, when goals from Colin Gordon and Colin Calderwood  - with another very late winner (89 mins) – saw us scrape home 2-1.

Whilst past results mean bugger all, you have been warned....

One of Exeter's twin towns is Rennes in France. Let's hope a goal salvo down their throats gives them indigestion.

Town to win 3-0.

Att: 3,814. 304 Grebos.

The 85 game was one of those rare pivotal moments in STFC history.  We'd made a disappointing start losing 5 of the first 8  and were in 21st, so gates were down to just about 3000.

 We were struggling in this game having lost the previous 3, then Little Lou, got injured, he'd bravely gone in for a ball with the Grecians keeper John Shaw, who had no need for the 2000, being tonsorially challenged; Shaw nutted Lou right in the nads, and that was it for the wee man, never played again, concentrated on managing.

With a minute to go Colin Calderwood scored a sublime goal, and thereby demonstrated his will to win, which as we know carried us to the Prem.  From a set piece the ball came out to Colin about 20 yds out as the Grecian defence streamed out Colin flipped the ball up and ran on to his own pass and then just slotted past Shaw. Great goal, great player.

3 more defeats in the next 38  :)

Will Venkman be in the away end?  :)

2, 664 sold for tonight so far... but apparently it's been busy in the shop all day today with people buying them. Also, they're expecting quite a few walk up season ticket holders.

3-0 Swindon.

I wasn't going to bother attending, but have just bought a ticket with no expectations after the high point of Saturday.

3-2 Swindon
5,692 attendance (250 from Exeter)
Obika, Robert and Stewart with the goals.

3-1 win, looking forward to my first game this season.

1-2 loss.

Nobody will care.

Never get to midweek games as I'm usually working, but I've got the week off work to spend time with my eldest so we're going tonight. His first game under floodlights... and waaaaaaay past his bedtime. He's normally asleep by half 7! He did say he never wanted to go again after Wembley... how short his memory is!

My first game of the season tonight, going with my usual friend and will be his 5 year old Daughter's first game. She's always begging to come to games with us, and is looking forward to seeing Rockin' Robin!

Football's baaaaaaaaaaack!!

;)

2-1 Swindon

3876 in attendance
278 Grecians

2.1town

Meh

I expect Belford to be in goal tonight and Byrne rested

6,000 Attending, with 300 Exeter fans...

3-1 Town

4123, 1-1, obika to be hopeless ;)

Feel like shit but seeing as my lucky baseball cap got us the 3 points Saturday I'll defy the grim reaper for my team.

#hypo

Ah I'm more than happy but the real cup money is in the FA Cup. Oh for a FA Cup run :)

I suppose Bradford and Sheffield United's exploits gives us lowly minions hope.

Team same as the one Saturday - Robert for Hylton obviously

Surprised belford doesn't start tonight!

I suspect that with a new keeper its further match time for him to get to know the defence...

"Dave!"

"Dave's not here man..."

don't change a winning side

I think Power said a few minutes ago that we're trying to get Byrne's contract extended, and we're still trying to get Ajose in on loan. He's "hopeful" we can do a deal for Ajose.

*I may have misheard as my boy was playing up at the time.

maybe a replay of what he said on Saturday, Byrne offered extension , conversations taken place about Ajose, would love him but wages a factor  - didn't say door was shut

Could be, I didn't hear what he said Saturday. I didn't know he said Byrne was being an extension on Saturday.

Was a repeat of Saturday, but SH said he asked LP and no further news on Smith, Ajose or Byrne.

Ah, OK. Cheers.

I really shouldn't bet on this stupid tournament. Oxford and Newport lead away at championship sides.

The Yellow Peril now 2 up.

This is the biggest thing to happen to Oxford since they played (a friendly) in Europe

3-0 to them now, horrible.

I can't bring myself to say 'Robert' in the French accent, not even in my mind.

Call him Bob.

I do.

Just drop ze "t"

If the BBC are to be believed I think I have sussed out why the Yellow Peril are doing so well...

GOAL - Brentford 0-3 Oxford
Kemar Roofe (12 mins)
Posted at 19:57
WHAT A GOAL!!! Rotherham goalkeeper Jack Bonham is having an absolute 'mare tonight.

Again he comes out to meet the ball, heading it out from the edge of the area to around 40 yards out, Kemar Roofe takes a touch and lobs it into the net.

Superb technique. Brentford all over the place.

I can say it if I want to. It sounds silly though. I prefer a good old English 'Robert' or, even better, 'Bob'.

My middle name is Robert, that might have something to do with it.

Not much on the pitch. Let's all swap middle names ... I'm Denis, fly me.

1-0 down.

FFS.

2-0 down.

LOLz

Fortunately, we're going to change formation at half time and score 4.

My 1-2 is still on.

(http://theboola.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/thumbs-up.gif)

Whut

I'm listening on the radio, as didn't go tonight.  Somehow I missed the second goal and have only just realised we're losing 2-0.  Oh dear.  We're not very good in cup competitions against lower league opposition are we?

I tuned in to hear "Gillingham nil" at half time and it's been downhill since...

Dan the Fan has already bemoaned the lack of Miles Storey.

Oh Danny Boy.

Can we tweet him back with #thingsMilesStoreycould fix, starting with the global economy, world peace and the Israel/Palestine conflict?

He's watching alone in the town end apparently.

Oxford 4-0. Fml

Ive corrected dan dont worry

is he for real? I've never really figured it out

Exeter comms jusy suggested that Brentford v Oxford is a local derby.  :hmmm:

If you want cheering up, City are losing 2-0 at Luton.

Slave traders getting beat at Luton, let the meltdown commence  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Beaks!

Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooal Beaks 25 yarder

Storey would have scored it from 35 yards.

Benson too.

Benson scoring the second

Make that 3...

City 3-0 down now

And scored by Benson, added bonus

Could someone please clarify who got Luton's second? Thanks.

Miles Storey, if I've been following correctly.

I thought it was Robert Denison

I gather you are on a windup with that last tweet Tans?  Nick Powell at the CG tonight..

:D

Hes at Cheltenham game

Bugger. Sounded a decent effort in the second half, but disappointing all the same.

Sounded dominant, but paid for some poor defending in the first half. That sounds a lot like us to me!

we must be close to being the worst cup team of the last 10 seasons

It's a shit tournament anyway.

We don't care, right?

couldn't give a fuck

Its the only one we have won (yeah, different today)

We can concentrate on the league now.  ;)

We are really light up front. If Obika gets injured we are screwed.

Cooke out on loan, storey not in the squad and Smith seemingly on the way out. We need 2 in sooner rather than later. I presume 1 permanent and 1 loan maybe.

The Smith situation needs sorting this week. Cough up or fuck off Barnsley

Smith obviously isn't interested. Sooner he is shipped off the better. Frees up funds for another striker then.

Is this Smith situation like the Cooper to Wednesday situation? Or is he actually off? srs

It was confirmed by Power that a bid from Barnsley had been turned down, but he'd still let Smith talk to them.

Other than that, who knows.

Well, that was a bummer.

First half we were pedestrian and half-arsed. Exeter were tight, skilful and wanted it more.

2nd half we were much better could have scored 5 or 6 but whereas Bradford buckled defensively Exeter were resolute and deserved the luck that went their way.

Didn't take them long to figure out what nearly every team does at the CG - lob the ball over the back 3 and into space.

For fuck's sake how many times do we have to put up with this same old tactic. Are the coaching staff incapable of devising a defensive system that can deal with such a basic and simple tactic.

So Hylton IS out for 6-8 weeks with a fractured collar bone-according to ASD. (edit: according to Cooper).

Oh, OK. In which case I agree with everyone wanting it resolved.

Well that was a waste of time!!  Awful first half, plenty of pressure but two defensive mistakes and we are climbing a mountain.  Too tippy tappy and little flicks which Exeter were only too happy to clear away.  No cutting edge through out the game, The Beak scored a great goal but should have been going home with the match ball tonight, missed two easier opportunities.  Our keeper hardly touched the ball second half but no way through, far too slow in the build-up made it easy for them to defend.  Obika rightly named man of the match and for my money Kasim was dunce of the match, struggled to find a red shirt all night and was guilty of running into trouble like several of his colleagues.  Didn't want to go back to Wembley anyway!!!

Power says Hylton's collarbone isn't broken - Cooper says it is

Strange question I know, but did anyone get a picture of the geese flying over just before half time? Always love seeing geese flying in formation

Rift!

Dan the Fan might well be a twat but why are we still paying Miles Storey but not playing him when we have literally no other forwards than Obika available. Cooke is far from ready but again with no other options why loan him out before replacing him?
Need to work out a way to involve Robert which we struggled to do tonight but was really disappointed in how light weight and ineffectual Randall looked when he came on. Completely bottled one half chance when with a bit more belief, bravery and commitment he could have got us the equaliser

im not a fan of the pointless passing game and the first twenty minute of slick passing with not a shot on target was just that, pointless. Then Exeters first attack brought a good save from V, then 2 goals with quick decisive passing with purpose and the games over.
This could of been Bradford City last Saturday.
If we are going to pay Miles wages, then please put him on the bench. He may not score any goals or spend countless minutes passing the ball sideways but he'll offer pace and something different.

The club's a joke. Shambles. Laughing stock. (Did I miss anything?)

If we had 2 more strikers people wouldn't give a shit about Storey. He isn't good enough. End of.

But we haven't

http://totalswindonsport.com/2015/08/cooper-blasts-boring-town-during-first-half/

but we haven't so get him on the bench. its not like we have a string of players champing at the bit to play first team football week in week out.

If we had Messi, we'd be better than we are now.

Yes, but we dont. Having Storey on the bench would give us another option and when we have fuck all options on the bench attack wise then why on earth do we not use him?

Passing was way too slow for vast majority of the game, exeter eploited weaknesses we had in the first half . Obika should have scored a few more goals, he did score a great strike mind.

We need another striker/winger as i believe robert is better in the centre and we really lacked a bit of pace down the left hand side that without hylton we really missed.

really? you've never mentioned it

Probably the only thing that showed any sign of formation from what I can gather.

Think tonight's game showed that Saturday's win was only papering over the cracks that appeared tonight and will, sadly, continue to appear whilst we play like that.  Where was the fluency, energy and slick passing we saw in the second half on Saturday and they cannot use the excuse of team changes!!

Fickle much?

Payments to him, his agent or previous club based on his next appearance?

I can imagine tonight was pretty frustrating for those there, but this competition throws up some upsets every season, and has done so tonight. I would imagine fans of Forest, Brentford and (very nearly) Hull aren't too pleased with their matches tonight - all will have good seasons.

I still think we will get another 4 players in before the end of the month. Villa loans and some permanent. Long old season, and we've started pretty well really.

Lacks ambition?

That as well. Perhaps we should asset stripping?

I enjoyed the game tonight and whilst the ST's have been relinquished temporarily I'm looking forward to the next game I attend, not sure when but I have no fear about this team and how well I think we will do this season.

That referee was utter toss.

oh sweet jesus he was an absolute prick. Stupid cards for us, super lenient on their time wasting and general twattery. Blatant penalty in the first half, too.

He got some well earned stick from the fans at the bottom of the DRS, including myself.

That penalty would have changed the game, dirty play from Exeter at times too.

It's a concern that both first half performances so far have been lacking in energy and full of errors. Kasim seems right off form and slow, and Williams did  not seem suited to a midfield role once again. They need somehow to get their second half urgency from the start, I know that's obvious, but I fear we will be chasing games from behind if this trend continues.

I prefer the JPT anyway..

I think Williams will go to centre back once Traore is fit and Branco back to bench

Did anybody else notice the very animated conversation between Ty Belford and Steve Hale at half time, seemed to be Ty was really venting his frustrations, very little warm-up done, more a lot of shouting!!

I noticed that. His body language wasn't positive, either. Poor Ty.

He can't be overly happy to be (seemingly) second in line again this season, but, naturally, you have to pick your best squad. If Vigouroux is better, Ty will have to try and deal with that..

My trainer in the gym (which the players use) who incidentally knows nothing about Swindon Town and is a huge rugby fan, told me that Ty and Nathan Thompson are the most committed in training and always seem to take it seriously and give 100%

I thought we were alright for about 20 mins in the first half and could have had a couple ourselves, I can't remember the first goal but Turnbull switched off and didn't cover the space when Thompson went to help Branco down our right for the 2nd. On another night we score about 5 from that 2nd half performance.  Not overly worried tbh.

Good to know, hopefully will all fall into place.. always going to have off days, especially at the start of the season.

saw the goals on SSN - first looked a defensive shambolic parting of the red sea - no idea where our players were.

second the lads made a good run but we didn't get a challenge in - but like Byrne's on Saturday in that respect.

well taken strike by beaks

Anyone know if C5 are to do a JPT highlights show too? I see they're doing the Capital One Cup highlights show..

We're only able to bring 1 more in on loan. Power will have to put his hand in his pocket for anyone else.

Sooner Smith is sorted the better but Power does seem a obdurate bugger when it comes to money. Poor old Storey in limbo cos Power wants money for him.

The best way to get money for him is to have him performing on the pitch in your cup games

if you look at the stats the complete story of the game is there, we had 60% possession with 22 shots, just 4 on target, Exeter had 7 shots with 5 on target.  Too much tippy-tappy and then forced to shoot from long range.  Just to say those stats came from the Adver, so may not be correct!!

In his interview with Sam, Cooper did say he wants it sorted and Smith will be involved on Saturday if nothing is sorted re his transfer.

We don't know that, I suspect some of our loans maybe on youth loans it has not been disclosed if anyone is or not - we did have a couple on youth loans last season

Thing is from what I've seen he just isn't good enough to be a first choice league 1 keeper. He just lacks stature both in terms of his height and the way he commands his box. We also made him available for loan last season and there were no takers which I think says a lot.
He's a useful backup and that's it really! As I said previously he's very much another Phil Smith!

I agree.

There were takers, we blocked any move away as we didn't have a 3rd choice until his bro came in.

They are blocking any loan moves this season too.

Out of interest, when is he contracted until?

Got another 2 years.

I see he is gonna be a dad too, so congrats to him

Unless he has been specifically promised that he will be the first choice goalie, I don't see why this is even an issue.

It was just a general wondering.

Maybe. I could just be reading too much twitter.

Ahh I see.. there are some mongs on there..

It just feels like one of those scenarios that football fans love attach themselves to in order to have a good ol' fashioned moan, for the sake of it (this applies to all football clubs).

Lose a game? PLAY MILES! PLAY TY! PLAY ANYONE WHO DIDN'T PLAY!

Belford has done very little wrong in his thirteen games for Swindon nor has he done anything particularly spectacular so why do some people assume that he'd be better than Vigouroux? Or why do people believe that Belford has a monarchical right to the throne to Wes Foderingham? By that logic why aren't these people bemoaning the snubbing of Anton Rodgers in favour of others?

Ty Belford seems like a perfectly nice chap but a few nice Tweets doesn't equate to the No.1 jersey. Back in the day, he'd be happy to be involved in the first team but also get plenty of game time in the Combination!

I totally agree with this.

Just because he favourited one of my tweets once, it doesn't mean he should be first choice..

The result was a bit of a piss off but we're in good company. No less than 13 games ended last night with the team from a lower division beating a team from above. It's absolutely typical of the early rounds of this competition.

I think the feelings of optimism about last Saturday should far outweigh any concerns about last night. It's just really annoying - nothing more.

God it is annoying though  :crash:

Can Cooper let off some fireworks in the dressing room before the match starts? From what we've heard it seems like our first halves seem to be being played with half-asleep players. Couple of bottle rockets should wake 'em up.

True, but the concerning thing for mr is that we lost with one of our strongest line up. 😨

Exeter have Sunderland away next round. It is like they haven picked the two teams furthest apart, imagine that journey on a weeknight. We might have dodged a bullet :bye:

Hartlepool v Bournemouth is a fair old trek also!