Thetownend.com

1-1

Dire game

How old is Steven these days?

I was there the last time we played them at home, solid 3 0 win.

I'll go for 2 0 today. Finally back to winning ways at home.

1-3

2-1.

no idea if they are any good, bit surely or home form has to come back some time..

1-1 today though

Their manager was basically sucking off Swindon Town FC during his pre match presser.

3-2 Town

Taylor and Woolery on the bench, Gordon and Anderson out wide and 2-0 Town.

1.1 Att 5600

Dire game, 1-0 defeat to a penalty conceded by Lancashire again early on, 5,585 with 342 Stevies.

I must admit I have never heard of Darren Sarll until I googled him, Stevenage seem to have started well and only lost once vs Lincoln and that was at home.

Does Oliver Risser still play for them?  Lovely guy, and a great athlete.  Never a footballer.

Scored a worldly against Crewe(?) though. First game of the season?

Has done a hugely impressive job since taking them on. They start as favourites.

4 defeats in 5 and slumping to near the foot of the Div, might have some calling for Flitters' head. Not from me though... this was always going to be a difficult job, given the state of the club, and he's as good a man as any to get on with it.

Big game in the drop zone today... BPV v FGR. BPV are the only other side in Div 4 besides us without a home win....lose today and they would already start to look like a Conference candidate

Risser had a ridiculously win percentage in games he played, something like 75%. Very nice guy though.

I'm off to Bermondsey this afternoon, just noticed that Millwall are at home to Leeds. Oops.

Every team starts as favourites against us in your book Reg  :Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick:

Ouch, good luck with that.

2 home wins in 15 games in 2017, would suggest that's justified.

last town player to score at Wembley too

;)

Time to kick start our home form, 2-1 win

Vigouroux, Purkiss, Conroy, Lancashire (C), Hussey, Gordon, Dunne, Elsnik, Mullin, Anderson, Norris

Bench - Charles-Cook, Robertson, Linganzi, Taylor, Brophy, Woolery, Harry Smith

Exciting 3-2 win  (I wish) 

4-1 Swindon

Hat trick for Mullin. 3-0


Sent from my iPhone

0-0

That should've been in

This is! Norris.

Goal

Goal machine Norris.  1 nil from a hussey corner.

Lovely goal for Anderson. Great work with Norris.

Oh my word, we sound up for the challenge so far today.

What's going on? Not used to this!  :D

Looking very sexy at times

Can I just say at the point we are 2 up that this Ref is fucking shite,

Well fuck me, I gave ifollow a miss today (more due to not knowing if i'd be working or not and the dreaded red circle, paying £5 to look at a black screen I can do that for free when I watch england play!) and we've got "roid rage" today with two early goals. Being a Town fan IS always a rollercoaster. Looks like it's going to be a rollercoaster season. A bit of an Franchise type side (ie blow hot and cold, don't know which side will turn up), one thing though. If we can set a form of winning alternate games (get that home form sorted from today) and the odd away draw then we could well go up the league. The strangest thing is though, we and everyone else will be wondering how the hell we achieve it. COYR!

How the fuck was that a corner?

Conroy looking like ligaments. Replaced by Robertson.

Looking good so far. *touches wood*

Decent first half.  Played some good football at times.  The difference between putting away the early chances as well.  Referee is pathetic.

I don't think we are much better than any previous games, but Stevenage appear to have no game plan, which has helped and we've taken a couple of those chances we create.  Top four look a little more lively and Gordon has added something on the right wing.  Between him, Elsnik and Anderson we have a few players who are still close enough to Academy football that they want the ball on the ground, so decent football breaks out from time to time.  Biggest boon has been getting that early goal which has allowed us to play more on the counter, then we do look quite good.

That was one he actually got right, Lancashire touched it in the corner.

Oh, and Norris could end up being the first player I have ever seen sent off without committing a single foul worthy of a yellow card on it's own.  He's really got on the wrong side of the ref, might be worth a second half substitution after 10 mins or so, take the risk away.

looked good, dangerous and don't think they've had a serious shot on goal.

Stevenage look piss poor. in this game at least.

ref has clearly never played football, inconsistent picky fuck face.

let's hope it's not a game of two halves

Question is...Do I purchase the match and watch the 2nd half?

And how was that free kick to them?

2-1. Thought Robertson was pulled back.

Norris really looks up for this! Yes certainly looks like Robertson pulled back. Gonna have to just score more because not getting any favours from this ref!

I didn't see what happened with Robertson, but it was stupid of him to get that yellow.

We sound nervy.

Been worse at the back since Conroy went off, lets hope its nothing serious.

Alex Davey the former Town target from last season is still available as a free agent if we need CB backup.

Anyone watching on ifollow.  That looked like a platant penalty for us.  Referee is absolute shite.

Bodies falling all over the area, very physical but was hard to see. Dreadful referee.

Pen now.

Norris 3-1.

Nozza's on a hat trick.

Whoever's watching the game for the BBC isn't watching.....

62' Penalty saved! Luke Norris (Swindon Town) fails to capitalise on this great opportunity, right footed shot saved in the bottom left corner.

Sky too .... but the score is 3-1 there.

Att 6022

More than I expected, apparently not many Stevie fans there too.

Back into the play-off places too!


....and now back out of them  :doh:

Bum 3-2

Lancashire at fault?

Thank fuck for that!

That's a bloody relief.

The two centre halves contrived to nearly throw away what should have been a pretty secure victory.  Lancashire gives away way too many fouls, he's all arms and Robertson was turned too easily several times.  Stevenage will struggle (no idea of their league position when writing this).  Overall, a bit more threat with Gordon out wide playing like an actual winger and Anderson was busy and neat but still does too much.  Certainly need Dunne and/or Lingzani in the middle though.  They both offer little with the ball but just create a more secure defensive set-up - you don't even need to make a tackle to disrupt another team, the mere presence of one or two players who just stay in position is enough at times at this level.

It's still very obviously League two football :-)

Every chance of the play offs, every chance of a mid table meander.  Think we probably have just enough up top to cause more problems than we'll face over the course of a season.  Maintain it will not be a spectacle this year.

Get in....not there today.

So...all monkeys off our back now.. Won away, won at home...

Reasonable league position after last seasons dogshit and summer clear out IMO.

I think Dion Conroy is going to be fucking crucial this year, I hope his injury isn't to serious.

That was not a 3-2 game, they should have been dead and buried long before the final whistle.  Sadly our defence did its usual trick of parting quicker than a prostitutes legs.  Star man today was obviously the ref, what a total and utter tosser who allowed himself to be conned left, right and centre.  Did give us a penalty, should have had one just before for the same offence by the same player.  7 or 8 bookings between the two teams but not a bad foul all game.  How we got away with a yellow and not a red when one of our defenders raised his hands at an opponent was typical of the ref's performance.  Three points but still plenty to work on, but a good attacking performance, not so good in the midfield and once Conroy was injured a worrying time for the defence.

One of those games where a win was required however ugly. So job done  :)

We can now move onto the big one on Friday with some confidence.

First game of the season for me.  Stevenage were very poor, but the game was enjoyable to watch for a change.  Worrying at the back without Conroy, but Keshi, Norris and Gordon very impressive today.

Worst refereeing performance I have seen for a long time.

Don't really care about the performance, it's all about getting out of the terrible league.  3 points, that will do.

First time I ever got a score right for Town!

we've conceded 9 in 2 and a half games with robertson, this concerns me massively

The scoreline didn't reflect the game at all.  We should have won that by a mile based on overall play and chances.  Instead it was far too close for comfort for the last 10 minutes or so.

As mentioned, we definitely missed Conroy defensively after he went off.  I really hope it's nothing serious.  Lancashire and Robertson between them are a liability.

Good to see Norris get mom, he worked hard throughout.

As a couple of asides, I had my bag searched going in and then orange tape put on the handle to signify it had been searched.  All a bit strange.  Secondly, what was with the constant tannoy tests through the game?  Surely you test them before?!

We made hard work of that in the last 20 mins.

Fuck me, that ref was shite.

Gordon was class, really like the look of him.

Norris was good also, that bloke will bag 20 this season. Anderson good too, Mulllin never stops running.

A very welcome win and a good bit of play for the second goal.
Norris deserved mom. Purkiss did a couple of lovely passes in the first half. Gordon must hold the record of most fouls against with every one given the other way. The ref must have been on crack - totally fucking useless. That doesn't actually do him justice, fucking useless in a Kelvin Morton way.
Gordon and Anderson also impressed. A cb pairing of Lancashire and Robertson will concede goals for fun. We're still lacking a leader on the pitch.    

It should, he's been very poor

Can Purkiss not slot in at CB? That Knoyle(sp) lad should be available soon.

Think they were doing it after the London attack yesterday. Would rather they take extra precautions to be honest

Stevenage were shit. Not much about them at all. We were comfortable.

That's how it should read.

What happened was we were by far the better team, yet still managed to concede two and make it nervy. The first through inept defending, the second an excellent free kick but from a dubiously soft obstruction.

Ref was a complete dick.  Didn't give two clear penalties, one for pulling and one for an identikit handball to the one he did give. Couldn't spot a legit tackle if it jumped up waving saying "i'm a legit tackle, I'm a legit tackle"

Norris was indeed excellent. Completely different player from last season. Confidence player? Found his level? Better fitness? No idea, don't care, just keep it up.

Oh, and Hussey was fucking lucky not to see red.
And Conroy looked buggered - ligaments I reckon, not sure if knee or ankle.



No idea, couldn't hear them in the DRS.

The bag had an orange tag fitted to indicate that a steward had searched it - this was a response to the terrorist threat in view of the previous day's happenings at Parsons Green.

The orange tag may be, the searches aren't - I've had my bag searched every home game this season and been told by stewards to expect to be searched most games (before today)

Do they do random drugs testing of the match officials as well as the players? Cos someone shd test that ref, he was fucking bonkers

Agree with all this, liked the Derby lad in the centre too, we look a lot better with the two Derby lads in the team, our defence is Liverpool-esque

er.................there's a bomb alert at the moment - stick the telly on

  The steward told my wife they were putting the tags on after the terrorist incident yesterday to cover their own asses that they had checked the bags.

er...............yes I'm not completely stupid.  It was the orange tag bit I found strange. 

It's actually simple and a smart idea, if all bags that have been searched have orange tags, it's easier to spot ones that shouldn't be there, it's unlikely someone would do anything in Swindon but there are 2500 (ish) in the Arkells and the DR each so that's a lot of fatalities if it something was too happen.

A good result today, played well even though the ref did his best to try and help Stevenage, we seem to get the very worst of the refs unfortunately but got the result and that's all that matters.

I was surprised by the crowd. Looked low 5k to me.

Anderson would have been my MOTM yesterday.
Looked to play slightly behind Norris in the first half, whether this was part of a more measured approach at home or to a exploit a weakness in the opposition, it certainly worked.

Arguably Norris has upgraded from a bit of a donkey last season, albeit a willing one, into more of a dray horse this season, i.e. solid and dependable if a little plodding at times.
Still room for improvement in terms of hold up play, distribution and winning headers.
Hopefully this will come through the coaching and we might end up with a valuable destrier on our hands.  :)
Can't argue with a return of 5 league goals in 7 appearances though.
Early days, but has a chance of getting to 20 with pen taking as well.

Yes me too.  Town End & Arkells looked very sparse as was the Stevenage support.  Guess the key is the DRS which I always find difficult to gauge when sitting in it.

Pleasantly surprised and encouraged by our cutting edge against a team that had made a good start to the season.  i.e. we made them look poor rather than them being a poor team (for this div).  The only real negative was the way we faded in last 15 mins and ended up hanging on against a team we were 2-3 goals better than.

I seem to have watched a different ref to the rest of this forum (and the crowd yesterday).  I thought he was ok with the key decisions.  The  penalty was spot on and he was right (imo) to turn down our earlier appeal plus the two incidents in our penalty are late on all of which I thought were ball to hand.  The crowd's antagonism primarily stemmed from their first goal and our defender whining that he had been fouled when in fact he had simply been weak and allowed their winger to brush him off far too easily.  For me it was yet another footballer trying to make the officials the scapegoat to deflect from his own shortcomings (and the crowd buying it).  If there was a key decision he got wrong it could be argued that it was the yellow card for Hussey when he stupidly raised his arms towards the end.  It was a push rather than a genuine lashing out  and I think the ref got it right with the yellow but why risk a red when we're 3-1 up and you've just shepherded the ball out for a goal kick?

Overall I enjoyed the game and was heartened about our prospects for the rest of the season.  

I am pretty sure Flitcroft said he has considered putting Purkiss at CB so that could be a possibility.

I know it's all about opinions, but my opinion is that yesterday's ref was fucking dire.

To me it looked lower than the Barnet game.

This!!  Obviously we all see it differently but on the radio Flitcroft seemed to agree with the general sentiments on here - as did their manager apparently!

Yeah the ref wasn't biased he was just shit.

The ref was fucking shit. it's a statement not opinion.

Oh ok, sorry I hadn't realised, in that case I will gracefully back down.

Apologies for wasting everyone's time with my silly girly opinion.

Chuck needs bigger shorts! Get the Ruddock ones out

For those Tory voters amongst us, it's St. Evanage. Peasants.

Robertson got absolutely done for their first. He's not good enough to depend on if Conroy is out long term.

You're like the anti-Reg, aren't you?

https://www.efl.com/news/2017/september/team-of-the-week-16th-17th-september-2017/?utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=referral

Norris gets in the Football League team of the week.

You didn't know Stevenage was referred to as St. Evenage?

And yes. There has to be a balance somewhere. In Reg's army its not left, right, left, right it is left, left, left, left, left......

On the other side, St Albans is often referred to by the towns around as Stalbans.

maybe it's a Herts thing