Thetownend.com

Here we go again.
We should batter them. Should  ::)

I still think they'll score but i'll go for 1 - 3

I don't think there's a lot of evidence we should batter them.... nicking a win 1-0 like last year will do. Bentley knows his trade and he's battling the odds... last season Morecambe were getting sub 1,000 crowds at times. However that doesn't mean much as Accy weren't getting many more and won the league.

Chatting to a Cobblers mate earlier and Morecambe beat them 1-0 and their results have been steady, a bit like ours. As an indicator..... you'd like to think we'll win, but PB had an opportunity to mastermind a win v Shrimps back in March, but failed, the backing of 82 travelling fans motivated them onto a crucial point... they'd be playing in the Conference without it.

On paper this should be an easy win but this is Swindon and most likely it'll be a narrow defeat with us kick-starting Morecambe's season

4-0 Town. Easy win to kick start our push up the table.
If I say it often enough it will eventually happen.

0-2

Got a nagging feeling it'll be a frustrating draw though.

Pre match mingling with the local care in the community population in The Eric Bartholomew, and not feeling out of place.

Quite like the faded Victorian grandeur of Morecambe.
Nice contrast to Blackpool.

iFollowed the west coast mainline to Lancaster to make a weekend of it.
What a marvellous place it is, 30 pubs within the city centre. :)

Would be good to get off the mark on the road today.
Looks like a wet one, so the ball zipping across the surface should suit our quick passing game.
Hasn't been anything that signals a statement of intent yet, as far as doing well this season goes.
Still early days though.

Unfortunately I can't see past a 2-1 loss today.
Well, if PV is unable to contribute today, then someone needed to say it.

Can’t believe some people are considering a loss today. Morecambe, it’s fucking Morecambe!

Easy win to nil. Might make double figures!

Brown has sent signals that Lancashire won’t be playing. The usual ‘he hasn’t trained this week’ just to try and soften the blow that he’s actually dropping Buster Keaton. Then the Wolf plays well and, lo, Lancashire can’t get back in the side.

We’ll be top come October.

3-0 Town !

1.4 Town

 When you look at Woolfenden.... it's more of an ovine name than a lupine name.  However, maybe he's a wolf in sheep's clothing.

 

Besides us being one of the highest scorers and them conceding 17 goals so far this season I'd say you're spot on.

Sent from my SM-G930F

Despite it pissing down with rain, shit loads of roadworks on the m6 adding loads of time as per any trip north, i feel confident. 3-0 win.

I’m sat in the garden with a glass of Rioja looking forward to iFollow.

For the sake of accuracy, they've conceded 14, compared to our 12. 6 of those in the opener, so they've tightened up a bit since, which includes a clean sheet v Cobblers, we've yet to manage one.

It would be good to batter someone, but I still don't think any rational individual would assume it, based on the results so far.

McCourt starts in place of McGlashan. Richards and Adebayo start up front. Wolf and Nelson CBs.

Very attacking line up.  Bit concerned about the centre back pairing.  Hope Nelson is calmer.

No Lancashire - as good a start as any.

I'm surprised (but not disappointed) to see Lancashire dropped, even if it is a bit of an unknown central pairing.

Other than that, seems to be a 'go for it' lineup. Good. If it goes wrong, so be it.

How can anyone be worried about Lancashire missing? How bad must the Wolf perform to make it a mistake?

Time to fire up iFollow

Surprised both teams strips are being allowed

was just going to say same thing. just about different enough I suppose

Looking good early on

Great play from our area until Anderson ballooned an easy cross

Lancashire type cock up from the Wolf there

Good chance there

Doughty over complicating things a bit a times. but lively.

Anderson taking up some great positions and playing well.. until he Andersons the final ball...

Alzate has a touch of class..

But no chances of note really

Looking at how we're trying to play, this could well be our settled XI. Dare I say, McCormick looks comfortable.

Chance agsin. Nelson heads down for Richards

Several of them look hungry to get the first goal. A plus is, we haven't conceded inside the first 10 mins and they have had 3 corners...positives...positives. We get to HT without conceding...we all know we like scoring in the 2nd Half  :)

Get the fuck in! Yesss!  :pint: :pint: :pint:

1-0


boom boom boom, everybody say 'Bayo'..

Beyooooooo  :D

Fuck. iFollow is way behind live play. Great goal

Always love it when a striker justifies scoring from a sub appearance to then scoring from starting. Great stuff. Crazy legs is going to become a bit of a player...and not just with the ladies  :girlgiggle:

Bdum tish.

Sorry Aud! You're doing a great job in place of PV though. Keep it up :)

Tell you what, i like the look of McCourt. Keeps it simple.

FFS, a red. Why do we have to make things difficult!

Jesus. Justified red card

What a ridiculous decision from Knoyle. There was no need for that whatsoever.

No knoyle. No. Miss-timed but foot was up #stfc wasn't intended but dangerous play. no complaints on the red

Bit of a kit clash. Why do we have to make things so difficult for ourselves though? This is going to be Crawley all over again.

What was Knoyle doing. Silly that. He'd won the free kick that led to the goal. Steady player usually. PB won't be happy about that. Simple discipline.

Lancashire for Anderson. 4 at the back, Woolfenden to RB?

Strange now that I think we'll struggle. Important we get to HT without conceding.

We really have got some brainless players.  'We're winning, so I'll lunge in and get sent off just to make it that bit harder for the team'.  The disciplinary record is shocking!

Fantastic save from McCormick

While I agree and with Dunne you can understand (not the sharpest pencil) but this seemed really out of character for Knoyle. Strange one. Obviously was a Red, no doubt but certainly not very Knoyle-like.

Was a great save. He's playing well and looks very composed. As you'd expect from an experienced GK.

HT. What an idiotic red? Yet again had the game in the bag. What is it with this team

Lancashire looks fucked. No way he'll last another 45

Sid did very well.

Good covering to get a couple of last ditch blocks in.

Fuck me our players have a stunning ability to self destruct.  What on earth was Knoyle thinking?

We'd been playing quite well going forward, very direct running, shame the final ball was terrible (usually Anderson, again, but Richards was just as bad until THAT moment).

They play it around a lot, but until the last 5 mins with a man less they hadn't looked too dangerous.  Lancashire's addition has changed all that.  He's either useless or nearly dead, not sure which one.  Him and Taylor together on the left side is a liability - Taylor has turned around to find a player has run behind him more times than I care to mention this season, and same again today.  Wasn't as much of a problem before the sending off as they were so worried about us on the wing.

Alzate has looked good going forward, even with a man down he looks a good outlet and Adebayo is a handful, has the beating of the full backs in the air and on the ground.  Richards has, for 46 1/2 mins been useless, allowing himself to be bullied by the defender (by focusing too much on that and trying to flick the ball rather than hold it), but one sublime pass sets up the goal.  As the game goes on I'd take him off and let Adebayo play centrally.  We might have to bring Lancashire off though.

Really not sure if they will just play it around our shambolic left side of defence, or if we'll get another on the break.

Fucking idiots.

Pretty much that

Not sure if I can watch the 2nd half

knoyle went for it on instinct. didn't get it right. silly.

I think it really will now be a matter of, we're going to score one more than you.

Morecambe WILL likely score but I think we'll have enough to eek out another goal or maybe even a third.

I've took the generous offer of 4/1 Town & BTTS.

You're right though Rob. We make a comfortable position now look tragic. PB must tear his hair out.

Which is why we desparately need more defensive cover.  Ridiculous it's not been addressed.

To be fair, we now have 6 central defenders, and the new lad looks ok to me.

phew, seen them given... shoulder to shoulder in the area..

I’ve shit out. Turned it off.

only just realised Morecambe have changed to their blue kit. much better!

Just tuned in. Was Richards this bad in the first half. Every touch going astray.

PB needs to sort this.  We're already Division 4 Bad Boys.  Simple consequence of a poor displinary record together with a thin squad (in places) is we won't go up.

Concerning the immediate task this afternoon, the only possible positive to cling to is that, mercifully, Morecambe aren't very good at football.

Has it finished yet?

yes, see Rob T post.

superb pass for the goal though

Liking McCourt's combativity there.

urgh, looking under a bit of pressure now

Woolf has has a decent debut so far. McCourt has looked good. Alzate and Crazy both linking up well. Sid throwing himself at everything. McCormick looks like a good experienced keeper.

Morecambe seem to be offering nothing for a home side. I expect them to score though.

I think we'll win 1-2.

Really not helping ourselves giving the ball away so easily.

McGlashan on for Richards btw. Richards hadn't quite been at the races today, obviously not helped with limited service de to 10 men. However he had been poor today.

Gonna regret those 1 on 1 misses

Bit of handbags going on. Both sides have player booked, McCourt and Old, I think for them. Town free kick on edge of area...comes to nothing.

Conor Thomas scores for Cheltenham

We do seem to be building a bit more momentum now. Had more of the ball and applying pressure. Game management...can we see it out?

The formidable (sarcasm) Iandolo is on for Alzate to obviously tighten things up....he did play a part in Adebeyo's goal last time out though...

Tommy Mooney's kid just scored their third.

Well down town :clap:

Yay!

A very good win considering.

3 straight reds so far this season and we're not even dirty.

...and relax

Christ, those last few minutes were horrendous.  Good 3 points considering we played more than 50 minutes with 10 men.  Ironically the first away win and clean sheet comes with McCormick in goal.

A win with 10 men and a clean sheet. Yippee.

We fucking love drama, don't we?

Bar the injury time I thought we controlled that 2nd half well, could have scored 3 more with clear one on ones missed.  They had a couple of decent efforts once they applied the pressure late on, but I think we probably deserved that.  Knoyle should buy them all a round of drinks.

Woolfenden looks handy.

Alzate got a bit excited in the 2nd half after making some good runs.

Adebayo was the player we've been needing.

McCourt had a very good 2nd half I thought, great little cameo where he won three challenges, nearly set-up Richards before having a shot blocked.

Doughty had a few odd moments where he thought we were winning 7-0, but looks dangerous all the time going forward.

Lancashire was less dead in the 2nd half, still got under several headers though.  Helped by Morecambe seemingly just putting numbers up top which completely stopped their first half bright spots which came from playing it around us.

Nelson is pretty good for this level.  Nothing flash, not a sure thing in defence but makes up for ability with effort at times.

Taylor still worried me, but they really didn't exploit him as I thought they would.

Keeper had a blinder, shame he's with us, but there you go.

McGlashan ran around a lot, caused them to worry about us which helped I think.

Richards was poor, but his pass set-up the goal.  He's just one of those players.

I'm beginning to like this team more than I've enjoyed a Town side for years. They really work for each other, have some proper fight in them (even if some of it's misguided). McCormick was rock-solid, Woolfenden and Nelson looked very useful, McCourt is another strong addition to the middle and everything sticks to Bayo. It's a shame that we don't have an obvious replacement for Knoyle for the next three games, because this looked like our first team. Morecambe looked like a Luke Williams side, pretty, wasteful and ineffective.

Well fuck me, we've some how managed to drag out a win there and a clean sheet...have to admit, McCormick kept us in that game and deserved his clean sheet. Looked steady all game. Sid played his part too. So did the Woolf.

A shame because it should've been a game we controlled and only when a silly act and out of character foul by Knoyle fucked us over. I like the fact we had the game management to see the game out and largely PB does seem to get his substitute calls right. Unnecessary changes were needed today and both Lancashire and Taylor look somewhat fooked. Even Richards had another poor one.

But positives;

McCormick - Steady, two or three great saves that kept us ahead. Composed. Clean sheet. Will certainly give PB a headache on Vigs return.

Woolf - Steady debut, a little shaky at first but got into the game and likes to get up into midfield. Looks better than Lancs.

Sid - Just an old fashioned CB really and puts himself on the line. I like him.

McCourt - Had one of his best games for us I feel today. Tidy display for L2.

Alzate - He just has class. Was a little wasteful but he has an intelligent brain and is always looking to play that killer pass or chip.

Adebayo - moved well for the goal. Gets himself into great positions, took his finish well. Could/should have had a brace.


I have a feeling we might sign Nishikori (I can't remember his name and the tennis player popped into my head) now and one other.

 Got the job done, which is good.

 Now got Dunne and Toumani back, so presumably Dunne might do right back.... do we have anybody else?

 However, all thses suspensions, international call ups, and injuries don't help continuity and finding a settled winning side.

 Does make use of the squad though, so I suppose this early in the season it's not such a bad thing.

Oh and Doughty had a steady game. Nothing stand out but helped keep a lid on things.

You and your constant looking for the bright side.  ::)

PB on BBC Wilts now

PB comments...

Talks about Lancs and having to drop him, replaced by Woolf. Knows he's struggling with injury. Heartbreakng to have to drop him but then goes onto say...
Delighted for two young CBs and the clean sheet.
Takes the blame for Knoyle's red as he's been pressuring him to tackle a little harder.
World class save from McCormick. If McCormick continues form Vigs will have to work hard to get in the squad again. Clean sheet mentality.
Had massive respect for Jim Bentley's side. So knew was a dangerous place to come.
Talks about 2nd loan syndrome with Adebayo. Says he has the touch like Peter Crouch (aka everything sticks).
Jak McCourt, a combative midfield. Bought him in to cause him a selection headache. That's lessoned now after the red.

There was no talk about any incomings although Mr. Talking Hawes didn't pose the question.

There's that away win which we discussed the other day.

Imperative.

Matt Taylor comments...

We dont make it easy for ourselves.
Great to get clean sheet.
Pleasing result. Away win and mentions clean sheet again.
Happy dressing room, especially with a young defence.
Admits Knoyle was wrong as there was no danger. Certain red.
Thanks fans and happy they can go home with something.
Praises Luke McCormick with some great saves.
Says we showed great desire and organisation. Probably most pleasing win of the season so far.
It's important to encourage the young players, giving out information and supporting their progress. Talks well of the young players here in their application and attitude. He's see's it as his responsibility to be part of ensuring that continues.

Came across really well in his post match.

Looks like we’re building something here. Sure, we’ve still got issues in defence, but going forward we’ve got goals in us. We look very slick at times.

Still reckon we’ll be top come October!

Well we're in the play-offs and we're moaning so normal service there  :D 4pts off top.

Will Henry won't be going back to Chippenham, so I wonder where he'll be sent when Vigs is back?

Woolfenden played well there today and has played there before joining us, even if not where he wants to play it is a good option.  Dunne was lined-up by Brown as the back-up as well, so I'd say we have options.  We will also have a full midfield to choose from, so not like Dunne was going to be needed in there either.  Woollery coming back from injury.  Vigs has a more than adequate replacement, regardless of views on the person.  I don't see much evidence of this "unsettling" us.  Quite the opposite, seems to be showing a squad that has some belief in each other and capable of absorbing some blows.

I wouldn't be surprised for us to finish roughly where we are right now come the end of the season.  The defence, while improved, still looks like it will offer up a chance, enough of them to keep us from being right at the top.

Interesting that Wolfenden can cover RB, as I don't fancy Dunne in there.... too likely to get a red.

At this stage of the season you're looking to find the best combinations within the squad, and then sticking out that side as often as possible.  At the moment we're not anywhere near that.... what we have got is some tentative evidence that there could be some signs of potential.  So for example, before the start of the season Toumani was regard as likely to be a key player, he's yet to play 90 mins in total.

Great to see us play with desire, organisation and keep the ball on the deck

We were all over the place at the end of the first half but whatever Brown said at half time worked as we were really composed second half. Shame Bayo & McGlashan missed 1 on 1s but fair play to the keeper, he closed the angles superbly.

Woolfenden looked much better at RB. Struggled initially against Anthony Joshua up front for them

Nelson and Adebayo both superb, but great commitment from everyone

Leitch-Smith was excellent for them first half - brilliant movement - but faded second half and with it Morecambe did too, before it got a bit backs to the wall in injury time

Only criticism is why we don’t have a proper left back at all in the squad..

Three points, clean sheet. Job done. Another 65 for play offs and 38 for safety current form gives us 78 points.

Just calm the fuck down Reg, you happy clapper...  ;)

I think we've put together a squad that is better than many have given us credit for. Yes we possibly lack in a couple of positions but at least the players seem to work hard for each other. Many (not so much on here) thought we should be going down the Notts County route of experienced 'names'. Well that's working out well for them isn't it and just shows how daft a lot of the hysteria on FB especially is.

FB on the whole is generally full of dickheads tbh.

Enjoyed that again today, we have a few weak links atm but i think we will get better.

Loan lads looked good, really like Nelson and Adabeyo.

Mccormick very assured and felt confident he would catch everything (makes a change to last year!!!)

Be nice to have a comfortable win with no injuries/red cards though!

I know there are ethical issues and Vigs can be an idiot, but the keeper situation last season was a complete farce - how did we get ourselves into the position of having two keepers on our books that should not be playing league football?

Purely because our old mate ‘Flitters’ chose to sign said keepers.

He made a massive fuck up of the keeper situation, from September onwards, which cost us several big games when it came to the crunch around February time.

Watched the interview with Phil Brown on Quest, bloody hell I thought it was football highlights not managers hair. Is his wife a hairdresser or something, I can cope with Orange skin but that hair he is 60 soon for gods sake!

Ageist

I’ve watched all our games this season - either live or on iFollow - and after each and every one of them opposition fans have said we weren’t very good or just poor. I realise this is a usual default position when you’ve not won, but are they right?

Yes, we’ve looked poor defensively at times through individual mistakes and also we appear somewhat ‘flaky’ as a unit when teams attack us - I still fear a goal almost every time the opposition get into our half.

Balanced to that is we look fairly dynamic going forward - scored in every game.

Now, useless defending isn’t confined to just us, though. Almost every clubs fans bemoan their mistakes which lead to goals.

So, can we get promoted if this trend of ours continues?

We haven't been able to field a settled team yet, so although it's been variable in terms of quality, we've 12 points, and should get better when Brown can field the team he wants out there.

Simple answer is no. 

As Sutton points out, we need to find that settled side, or at least a regular 8/9 starters. You then want that side to be able to go out and get a good number of regulation wins.  Next up we've Bury, who've a p 3 L 3 record on the road, so if we are to do anything this season it's the sort of game where we could start to impose ourselves.

We've now seen the squad.  A little short in terms of depth.  Nevertheless, Brown's boys complement the retained (whether by choice or contract) pretty astutely.   We have now seen them all.  Loving the team spirit and footballing fluidity thus far displayed.  Compare it with Flitcroft's attempt to bludgeon and bore our way out of the league, almost mercifully sunk on the rocks of TWO sieve keepers.  We know the defensive weaknesses but I have liked what I have seen in all of Brown's boys:

McCormick
Woolfenden
Nelson
McCourt
McGlashan
Smith
Doughty
Toums
Alzate
Adebayo

Yesterday's debutants both performed very well.  

Easy to praise on the back of 3 points and regardless of how we do finish I am enjoying watching STFC again.   Even if my doctor would counsel against it.

Settled sides may do well but they require the luck of no injuries.  Only a sprinkling of clubs enjoy such luck in a season.   It is a squad that wins you promotion (with a manager who can adapt).  We are missing in depth but not in quality - at least not so far as Brown's boys are concerned.  IMO :)

Good point. Compared to a lot of the dross which Flitcroft saw fit to recruit on 2-year deals, the list above looks very healthy.

The only one who I’ve been unconvinced about is McCourt, but he certainly wants to win and it sounds as if he did just fine yesterday.

I didn't think we played that well yesterday, but in other games I think we've been far from poor at times. Although we did have 10 men for most of the match. We've often looked good going forward, just that we have a flimsy defence.

I do think we're not quite clicking yet, and we could start looking very good indeed when we do start clicking.

You’d hope 3 points from a Bury is a given - 1 away win in 34 games, 3 away wins in 3 years!

Don't bloody tempt to the mockers Gods.  ;)

For me the priority has got to be a ‘no frills’ home win. Nothing spectacular, a 2-0 would be fine.

We’ve only won 2 of our last 37 in all comps by 2 or more goals. That’s pathetic, and any team which is set for a promotion push needs to be able to handle a few routine home wins. Not every week, but as you say Bury needs to be a home banker.

Indeed.....I did so yesterday having Lincoln home win on my 5 match ACCA.... Cost me a lost £80...

They managed to win on their last trip to the CG, which will be more or less 2 years ago to the day.

Lincoln to beat Crawley?  You'd almost have "put your mortgage on it", as the saying goes.  Unlucky or what.

Not a difficult task that season was it. However that was then, this is now, we have had more or less two new teams since then and their current team probably looks a lot different too.

Don't care how we do it as long as we win, a 94th minute own goal off a defenders ass will do me.  But seriously,  what a difference a season can make.  More than happy with performances this season,  just got to learn how to finish a game with 11 men,  we can't continue to end games with a get out of jail result,  studs up challenges must stop,  this is happening far too frequently.

I see LP met a coachload of fans who were on a private coach on the way back yesterday at the services. He offered to pay for their coach to Yeovil, fair play for that.

Blimey - he must have had a bet on us to win yesterday.

What needs explaining is how Brown’s hair looked normal on the pitch at the end of the game, yet had changed into that unspeakable highlighted quiff when interviewed on Quest moments later!

Oxford lost. At home. Not a bad weekend.

Forgot about them. On the telly, too wasn’t it?

Relief from my amateur plumbing travails at the moment - I’m a right cock at this stuff!

Obv used the budget on a hairdresser/stylist
 :sherlock:

Obika notched

Lancaster is a good night out with a great selection of boozers for just about every taste, hope you had a good one.

Sadly I didn't get back to Lancaster until about 4pm yesterday after the funeral in south wales (nearly 17 hours in total on trains there and back) so missed the game, glad to see we got a win though.

Yeah, interesting place and an enjoyable weekend.
Had the fixture been this week, would have coincided with the Jazz Festival. Nice.

Sorry for your loss by the way.
Two years just gone since my mother passed away. Life goes on.

5 defeats in 7. Terrible start.

Just out of interest did you stay in Lancaster and if so where?

Ta for the thoughts!

So, after the win, does Brown keep the same side v Bury?

I presume Dave will get a run out tomorrow against Newport - will he come in for McCourt?

I like Smith but he seems to like a flashy long pass which rarely finds its target. McCourt played it very simply on Saturday and played the ball to Richards who fed Adebayo for the goal - and got stuck in without getting a red!

Will he keep Wolfie at RB or move him back to CB? If so, who’ll get the RB slot?

I think now that the only player we’ll struggle to replace if out injured is Adebayo.

Only times I've stayed in Lancaster (apart from sleeping on my son's floor when he was at the University) was the Travelodge. Decent room, good location, but fuck me it was noisy!!

It's truly a great time to be working in Kidlington (just north of Oxford). The glum faces on a Monday morning are a delightful way to start the week :)

Interesting one for sure - for the first time in a while we seem to have good selections headaches.

Does Vigs come back in?

What do we do at RB?

Dave or McCourt or Smith?

Move Adebayo up front and JMc wide in place of Richards?

Personally, PB has said all along he believes in people keeping shirts so I'd keep McCormick in given LV has had a lot of long travel. Woolfenden should move to RB but then that leaves us with an issue at CB. Is Conroy fit?

I think he'll go with the same team as Saturday, but Dunne in Knoyle at RB.

Stayed in the Travelodge, good location but agree with NB about the noise!

In the short term I think you are right, but long term I reckon Dave and Richards will be in the starting 11 when fit enough, and Vigs will re-take the #1 slot.

Harsh on vigs not to get back in as he was equally as outstanding at Crawley IMO.

I stayed there once, don't recall it being too noisy!

Ear plugs?  :sherlock:

Its been said that Vigs is No 1 I suspect he will be on the bench Sat with his long travelling and then get his shirt back next week

Thanks WB it needed to be said ;)

I managed to watch it on my Galaxy S7 in the end, how the fuck can anyone watch games or films on a mobile (even a 5 inch screen one) is beyind me, look forward to getting back on my PC for the next one.

Haven't read back ont he comments as yet but what I saw.

I thought it was a solid performance over all, Woolf looked solid at CB, a bit less so when he went over to RB but still had a good solid game, Nelson too had a good one but what the fuck was Lancashire playing at? defended like he had just played 90 mins already, looked leggy as hell, mistimed headers and tackles and his passing was poor, we looked a lot less settled when he came on, looks like he makes the other defenders panic.

McCourt I thought had a solid game, difficult to drop for Toums in the league but could be swapped for him in the Mickey Mouse cup tomorrow.

Richards and Bayo didn't seem to work that well, not one of Richards best games for us and for me McGlashan looked better when he came on, his pace caused them all kinds of problems.

Bayo looks a great signing, has pace, strenght, can pass and hold the ball up and took his goal well (from Richards only real contribution all game).

Alzate looked good running with the ball but again his final ball still leaves a bit to be desired, like a better version of Anderson. Doughty and Tayor both looked ok, not great games but solid enough.

Knoyle let the team down with his pointless foul, the bloke must have upset him for him to lash out like that, no excuses for him, glad it didn't cost us the game but why the fuck challenge there when there was no pressure and with studs up...he deserves what he gets, which is a shame as he was playing well till then.

My MoM was McCormick - who looks the keeper that we needed last season during Vigs absence, kicked well, claimed crosses well, showed good handling and made 2 superb saves that probably won us the game.

Oh and I still see nothing in Iandolo I am afraid.

Morecambe played some good football at times, kept it down and passed it but on that sort of showing they could be in for a struggle this term.

Harsh but this is football and PB loves a "clean sheet mentality". McCormick has given him that and has earned the shirt now on merit. A bit like Adebayo justifying his start by scoring. A clean sheet for a keeper/defence is as good as a goal. That fact is even more important this season.

Opinions on LM aside, you play the best XI you can and if LM edges LV in the GK stakes then so be it.

I would not be surprised to see Lancashire retire this season, I think he is broken.

He does not look good TBH he doesn't read the game well enough now. He looked slow and lumbering when he came on, and didn't look much better the last few games either.

You could be right, he did get a pretty bad injury and seems to have come back faster than he should...or much faster than his body is capable of.

Brown himself said Lancs was "playing through the pain barrier".

Got v confused watching the highlights. Hadn't realised Morecambe had changed their colours at half time! Can anyone recall that happening before?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6J-4RIRsms

I watched the game and it took me 5 minutes to notice! I moaned about it enough during the first half too.

As soon as the match highlights came up on sky sports i said wtf is with the kits, the clash is unbelievable. At sunday league they would make you change kit, how did the officials let the match start and then at half time rightly decide they were too close!

Is tonight’s ‘game’ on iFollow? I might look in if it is.

Apparently it is.

They should pay us to watch that "tournament"

Quite a strong side tonight.

McCormick, Knoylem Nelson, Woolfenden, Romanski, Diagoraga, Dunne, Iandolo, McGlashan, Anderson, Adebayo

Subs: Henry, Alzate, Taylor, Twine, Smith, Pryce, Doughty

That new RB Knoylem looks good  ;)

Newport have someone called Hornby-Forbes, how did that kid ever get through school playing football?

Marsh-Brown too. What are the chances that he’s shit?

What a load of crap that 45 mins was. We’re 100% half-arsed, Newport are all niggly fouls. Iandolo and Anderson are stand outs in the ineptitude stakes - unable to find a red shirt or losing possession.

Yet again Nelson and Das Wolf looking good. Good to see Dave playing. Just get through the next 45 mins with no injuries and that’s the best outcome.

Good. Reduces the chance of injuries.

Glad I lost home broadband at 7.30 then before I forked out for the match.

oh no, we might go out.

Goallll 1-0

Doughty pen after Bayo brought down apparently.

Is that 5 or 6 in all comps for Doughty now?

Also just realised, Doughty came on for Iandolo. Had only been on the pitch 4 mins. Goal. That PB is a tactical genius I tell thee!

Also Spain are romping 6-0 over Croatia, and I thought we had the World Cup hangover!

I know it is only a training session, and for my sins I watched the last 30 mins, but the defence looked good.  Diagarouga adds something.  Doughty looked a class above during his cameo.   As I say, interesting to watch a training session.

Clean sheet mentality! That's 2 from 2 for LM. I know some won't like it but you don't drop a GK making clean sheets. That's what PB has asked for and he's delivered. Would be stupid to drop him. It gives the defence confidence knowing they can fully trust their keeper. I say let him keep his spot until he makes an absolute Lanzano of things.

FT 1-0. Dreadful game. No shots on target from either side - pen aside.

For the first time in a while I didn’t feel there was a defensive howler just around the corner. Adebayo and Dave the best for us. 2 CBs did very well.

There’s a player in Romanski but not sure what position suits.

Anyway everyone came through unscathed.

I must start the next match day thread again, two wins from one thread must be a record  :sherlock:

And 2 clean sheets. When was the last time we did that?

Ghost shit I believe.

By all accounts it was a dire game against the exiles. That said, another win, another clean sheet and all goes towards building confidence within the club and keeps the momentum going.

You can't drop a fella, assuming he returns in working order, for going off to play international football.

 :eek: agree with you 100% Reg! wow.

vigs was superb against Franchise. no way deserves to be dropped.

You play the best keeper regardless of circumstances

Not seen LM play this season so have no opinion on who that currently is the better

same, I have seen our no.1 play and not our no.2, Vigs has played well and deserves to stay first choice regardless of how well LM has played. he could have saved 5 pens in 2 games and I still think it would be harsh to drop vigs.

Clearly you don't. Circumstances must always dictate.... at the start of the season PB made it clear Vigs was number 1, with LMc here to push him to improve, therefore he must regard him as the better keeper.  However if the circumstances are he returns late from Japan, perhaps jet lagged, PB could in that case justify giving him another week to adjust. 

This actually made me almost spit out my coffee, thanks.

I think anyone that saw LM play on Saturday would say there is little between them on that showing, if anything I would say LM claimed crosses better and his kicking was far better than Vigs.

Difficult to drop Vigs though as his absence was due to his form not lack of it.

Clearly you do. For all we know PB may now have seen something in LM to now regard him as a better keeper, who knows. Being old school he might subscribe to the theory of not dropping a keeper with 2 clean sheets in a row. 2 more than Vigs this season.

Again this isn’t me stating a preference for either keeper

This is the sort of thing that football fans should be arguing about.

Well done Mr. Brown. And the goalies, of course. 

it's the inverse of last year, where we were arguing 'least shit'

It is certainly the polar opposite to the goalkeeper chat we had last season between RCC and Moore as to who was the worst.

Edit. beaten by Batch!

Perhaps he does, but to leave out a previous first pick, on the basis that presumably his form got him called up by a nation ranked 12 by FIFA, above Deutschland, and so was unavailable, would be disastrous man management.  However, we know what they call in Spain "the FIFA virus" can mentally and physically drain a player, as we saw with Yaser.

If Vigs is mens sana in corpore sano, he goes straight back in.

Must be difficult for you this goal keeper malarkey. You are very skilful and careful with how you word things. How I read your previous comments on Vigs is that you’d be happy to have him shipped out in January, loan or sold which leaves you in a quandry as you don’t wish to have LM in-between the sticks and yet here you are defending Vigs 🤔

As a betting man I would put my mortgage on Reg being an atychiphobia sufferer.

I see we had the 2nd highest L2 away following on Saturday, well done to all those who made the 425 mile round trip.

There were a lot of long distance games on Saturday

Crawley (at Lincoln) 87 (197 miles)
Grimsby (at Bury) 886 (113 miles)
Carlisle (at Cambridge) 248 (268 miles)
Notts County (at Exeter) 278 (212 miles)
Port Vale (at FGR) 227 (107 miles)
Swindon (at Morecambe) 292 (212 miles)
Cheltenham (at Northampton) 223 (80 miles)
Newport (at Oldham) 259 (185 miles)
Macclesfield (at Stevenage) 110 (152 miles)
Colchester (at Tranmere) 150 (255 miles)

Were Grimsby giving their's away?  That's a great following - is life so bad for them that Bury is a "local"derby, after Lincoln?

No idea why they had such a good following at Bury but yes that must be one of their closest games this season.

Mariners brought good numbers to the CG last season.... I guess being out of the league for some years and coming close last year, has given their hardcore some impetus.

Daughters bf is a Grimsby fan, they generally travel in large numbers.
Any excuse to get out of Grimsby I guess

Must watch The Brothers Grimsby again  :)