Thetownend.com

starting them on the day hasn't exactly worked for quite a few years now..

If ever there were some imponderables then this fixture certainly has it!

Toumani return? Sid re-signed in time? New lb thrown straight in? A first start for House? Sulky Doughty friends with Wellens again?

Hard to predict a score with the above. Lincoln have had a little wobble of late- certainly compared to previous form. Everton last weekend must take a bit of energy from them. A hard game which ever you look at it but we are at that stage of must wins!

We will concede obviously so I'm going blindly for 2-1 town. I'm going tomorrow unfortunately. Haven't seen a good display this season!

 :facepalm:

What's the matter 4d? you can obviously have the official official at midnight + if you so wish.

seems odd that we don't really talk about a fixture specifically until the day of the match.

It's innovative.

It's adventurous. I like adventurous.

It might work, it might not. Iffy will have a lot of explaining to do if it fails, but he should take the plaudits if it succeeds.

thanks for the vote of confidence. I have changed title to match

(https://i.redd.it/orskp1mt21ez.gif)

When I accidentally did it I got called a stupid cunt a lot. Then I deleted it

wait, I've made an assumption in the that the two events were related.

Quote from Danny Cowley today...


I didn't hear that we had illness in the camp.

Also on their forum they are so happy because we have lost our 2 key players in Alzate and Adebayo. They obviously haven't watched us as Bayo was good at times awful at others and Alzate hasn't played for more than 15 mins since Woking over a month ago anyway.

Fuck me their scouting needs some help.  Let's try for them:

Swindon have a keeper who thinks he is Hoddle, but can often fall over his own feet and suffers from Bruce Grobelaar moments when crosses are played in.
They have pacey forwards with little or no control or sense of direction.
They have midfielders with good passing ability but they select the three of them using a game of play your cards right before each match

Actually seeing a game has really changed your views on our lot hasn't it?

Good point.  :)

I'm tempted to go to this but still feeling crap from this bloody cold thing.

Maybe they were just making a general observation?  ;)

There seems to be a lot of jealous animosity against Lincoln from other L2 clubs. Can’t understand it myself. They are a prime example of what every club at our level should aspire to.

An owner backing them - although, tbf, they have generated funds through cup runs - a huge increase in attendances and the sense of a club going somewhere. I like them.

As a club they are very reminiscent of Luton - gaining momentum after escaping from non league.

I can’t imagine we’ll beat them tomorrow but a good performance would do me.

cup runs are massive for lower league clubs. I'm not certain but I'm sure those man utd games must have helped burtons push up the leagues a few years back.

it's a reason I get so angry at our recent cup record. Lincoln have done everything right.

Woking estimated thet made 300K out of the Watford game.... their player budget for a year.

Round dodging cunt!

You're getting off the sofa this week then?  :D

My youngest suddenly asked the other day, 'when are Swindon playing at home again?  Can we go.'

Fucking lunatic.  Well, given the chance of joining the wife and eldest having some quality time at the outlet village and watching us pluckily loose to Lincoln with the youngest, I'll be at the county ground again.

God knows what'll happen apart from me declaring the ref is a fucking disgrace and Lincoln football tactics are horrible. 

iv said "not going to another match this season" 4 times and counting this season.

Hidden away on an adver "story" 6 or 7 been down with colds/flu including Wellens this week

If it's the same one I had on Dec 30th I'm only just getting back to 95%, so we may have some missing.

Home defeat. 1-3

I'm usually pretty optimistic, but I can't see beyond a defeat here. Hopefully the players that are coming in will be an improvement,  but it's probably to early to expect them to fully gel yet.

0-2 defeat and a(nother) meltdown from the usual suspects..

Were going to beat Lincoln today 3-1  att will be 7456 .

I have the same confidence in us beating Lincoln as I doin us beating Crewe

hmmm, playing top of the league, missing a defender, a few new youngsters trying to bed in and a cold and flu bug...

I know it's going to sound pessimistic, I'd take a draw

difficult game - struggling to think this can possibly anything other than a home defeat - 0-2 might even be 0-3..can`t go to the match today.

I'll be very pleasantly surprised by a draw, utterly amazed by anything beyond that.

An optimistic 1-1 for me.

I would welcome a draw, Lincoln are by no means invincible but have won their last 2 visits to the CG by a single goal.

They are big strong players who bully teams into submission with lots of longer balls into the box although not as much this season as last since Akinde went there replacing the big lump Rhead.

They have height and strength all over the pitch and in the home game against us they out fought us to win the midfield battle and then when they won that they outplayed us for the last 40 mins totally we had nothing in reply to them.

Mentally we have to stay strong and not cave in to their superior physicality and outpass them.

Crewe outpassed them and outplayed them on Boxing day lets hope we can do the same, they aren't "all that" in the way Luton were last season and can be out "footballed".

2-1 defeat with Anderson scoring in front of 7,011 with 856 Lincolners there.

Hopefully the early thread proves its worth. Will be a tough game today, real test for the new players - if we can control how the game is played we can win, but I think it's probably a long shot. Fingers crossed.

Think we might be in for a dicking!  :suicide:

Late Town End turnaround today.

2-1.

 Free hit today, as long as a hammering is avoided.... the presence of Harry Toffolo in the Lincoln ranks tells you all you need to know, while we're trying to get a kid in to do the job of LB, Lincoln could get him in the summer.

He was prepared to drop to Div 4 so why not with us?

I don't think there is a single player or member of staff still here from when he was with us a few years back.

Lincoln can offer a lot more wages than we could due to their cup run and average gates of about 2k higher than ours.

Norwich to Lincoln is a lot easier to commute if he does not wish to own a house close to his new club.

Lincoln were and still are one of the favourites for the league so offering him L1 football next season.

The list is endless of plus points for Lincoln over Swindon.

While I don't expect anything from today, I would like to see Dunne included to oppose their strong  midfield and win lots of the second balls.

All of which explains why we're underdogs in today's game.

I see Adebayo got binned because he was late for training every day over the Xmas period - allied to a poor performance against Exeter.

I think looking at the table, the recent form and Lincolns recent matches vs Town that we are obviously the underdogs in todays match.

He was ditched by Chelnumb last season for similar problems, missed lots of training with them and was sent back to Fulham to reassess himself by them.

I admire how they've progressed from struggling in non-league just a few seasons back to being strong contenders to join League 1 next season. The gates are very good - one of the reasons being that anyone who has a season ticket can get free bus travel to the match, including from outlying villages, a pretty big incentive as driving to/ parking near the ground is not a pleasant experience.

That doesn't mean I like them though, and living up here makes it ten times worse when they are doing better than us in all areas of the club.


I can't see beyond a loss today, sadly - just hope it's not a big one.

We'll win if we score more than them.

No House in the squad. Doughty still on bench. Koi on the bench.

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DwtyNL-XQAMA2BW.jpg:large)

Looks fairly weak to me TBH.

Ditto

ffs. every answer is a no. I said 2-1 us but I can see a 2-0 Lincoln now.

1-3 today. Lincoln a very good side, expect them to over power us.

Disappointed to not see Koiki and House start, even more disappointed that House is not fit enough (I am guessing) to play any part today.

Yeah, disappointing.

If he was fit enough last week he should be fit enough this week - unless injured or, hopefully not, a touch of the Nile’s

Edit: he’s picked up a knock

I am guessing hes picked up an injury in training this week, lets hope its nothing too serious, he didn't come accross as being a billy big balls like Nile.

Interesting quote on the Lincoln forum about Wellens comment yesterday...


Yes of course they have seen ever game we have played, I agree with Wellens we can match anyone in this piss poor league on our day and exceed them but our days are so few and far between, we need consistancy.

I don't see where the goals will come from today with that side TBH without House, Bayo(he scored a few) and Doughty playing. I hope I am wrong but I can't see us getting more than a single goal at best.

That side says a 0-0 is the best result we can hope for..

Taylor left back, 3 x DM's and 3 non-scoring forward players..

worrying..

0-2 loss.

I think doughty got the message last week ffs

unless he's a sickness bug victim of course

I thought I read somewhere that Wellens brought Koiki in because he didn't want to continue with Taylor at left back

No Adver Matchday thread. Have they fallen foul again?

It's there, you can get to it via Twitter.

Or get to it via 'Sport' rather than 'STFC' on the Adver site

Wellens seems to say one thing do another

What’s the point in bringing new players in if they’re not fit to start?

Good start by Town, nice free kick by Taylor but no Town header on the end in a good position.

1st corner to Lincoln.

Header easily won by Shackell, well over the bar luckily he connected too well.

Nice move by Town, corner to Swindon.

Not a great corner from Taylor but it bounces around and ends with an Anderson overhead kick easily saved by the keeper, Town putting them under some pressure.

Lincoln very gobby with the ref moaning already.

Dunne great interception sets up Richards who can't quite connect.

Free kick to Swindon 40 yards out central.

Taylor fires over the bar from 40 yards.

fucking hell. if I didn't know better I'd say Lincoln were timewasting already. bizarre.

Lincoln player goes down under a powder puff challenge by Taylor.

Great 50 yard run by Anderson but he didn't know what to do in the box and loses it.

Very bizarre, they are hoofing it into the corners already and staying down when they are fouled.

Christ, this is going to be fun.  Lincoln are continually pushing and pulling and the referee is so far letting them.  On the odd occasion a decision has gone against them, half their team surround the ref.

Lincoln defender handballs it on the edge of the box but the ref misses it.

You just ghostwrote his autobiography.

You would say that Swindon are top and Lincoln 13th on this showing, Lincoln wasting time at every opportunity.

Dunne and McCourt running midfield at the moment with Richards winning a fair few headers too.

He does seem to do that well, or at least regularly!

Lovely run and cross by Anderson but there nobody on the end of a good ball.

Woolery brought down on the edge of the box, cynical.

I can see Lincoln giving away a penalty at some point in this game.

Lincoln can't be this shit all match

Taylor short free kick to McCourt good long shot defelcted out for a corner.

Great cross in by McCourt after a corner but Town can't hit it cleanly, ends with a shot by Dunne over the Town End.

Akinde has the touch of a rapist.

Bostwick is a dirty fucker.

Woolery beats his man for pace but hits the cross too long and out of play.

Lincoln player hoofs it over the bar from 25 yards.

Lovely tackle and long pass from Carroll and lovely run by Anderson deflected out to Dunne whos volley is well saved flying in the top of the net.

Just him? It used to apply to at least half their team.

lolZ. dick!

Lincoln player off. Couldn't see who!

Andrade sent off for a kick on Knoyle!

:D

Something like that has been coming.

Pointless sending off, I predict Lincoln will hoof the ball into the corners at every opportunity now, even more so than they were.

Turns out that if your whole team spends the whole game haranguing the officials, they might not miss the opportunity to send someone off.

Akinde elbows Taylor in the back of the head but the ref misses it.

They do like a moan.

The cameras followed him down the tunnel and Cowley wasn't happy with him, he must have said something and Danny Cowley followed him down the tunnel, grabbed the back of his neck and continued slating him as he walked.  I think he might have some explaining to do at half time :D

Absolute dickhead.  Stamped on the back of Knoyle's ankle as he turned away.  We've been the better team, but need a goal. Difficulty now is they'll put all their men behind the ball now.

Now the Cowley brothers are trying to get one of ours sent off for every challenge.

fucking hell. Vigs. can only think he was unsighted

0-1

FFS :/

Doh!

Shit keeping by Vigs.

Oh Vigs.

I went to the away game at Lincoln and they appeared to have ditched, in the main, their renowned hoofballtactics.

Back with a vengeance today. Look a very poor side. Should concentrate on playing instead of moaning.

The team are following the antics of the Cowley sisters.

Deflected off of Taylor though, not sure it was all Vigs fault, although he should have saved it.

Same as Exeter. Boss it for 38 then concede. Lincoln are shit.
Ffs town

Terrible from Vigouroux.

Guess that means game over since we don't have anyone who scores goals. :-(

Sorry but that goal was down to Vigs. He got solid hand/s to it and pushed it into his own net.

Totally against the run of play, Lincoln have offered nothing.

We are not creating any good chances in their box though.

Deflection but still should have kept it out. Still think we’ll win this.

deflected or not, shit keeping

Not sure I have seen a team play against us that moan so much to the ref.

Deffo don't miss Nelson...


0 - 2

0-2

Totally unstoppable goal of the season stuff.

I still think we will win today . :clap:

Totally undeserved.

Can we have Andrade back on please?

There is no way we can score 3 against these lot I am afraid to say.

Think it's time we started utilising the EXPERIENCE of Luke McCormick. RW bangs on about having experience to bring in. Start with the keeper. You have a better one on the bench.

My cock’s a kipper!

Did I hear boos?

Boooooo!

:D  Nelson would have made no difference to both of those goals.  GK error/deflection from the left of defence and a 35yrd worldy..

If somebody offers us a fiver for Vigs this window we should snap their hands off, 2nd best keeper at the club

TBF our defence haven't looked that bad today at all. Vigs at fault for the first, the 2nd was a hit and hope but he will never hit a better shot than that in his life.

We have been by far the better side but when you are top the luck goes your way, when you are down the luck doesn't go your way.

We won't get anything today, Lincoln will shut up shop and we won't even score one.

peak town

No goals in this team what so ever.

More for the time wasting and ref not seeing stuff. Lincoln look ordinary bar the fact they score when it counts.

Well, you aren’t going to create much with 3 defensive midfielders on. Get Doughty on, ffs.

We all blame the paucity of our strikers but we provide so few chances for them

Two keeper errors! Palmed the first one in and then stuck in no man's land for second....played well too.
Difference between good team and mediocre.

I get there are other factors as to why he’s gone but we’d be no worse off with Adebayo up top

Vigs, Taylor and Conroy can all take bows for mediocrity in defence today.  First goal Taylo is in no mans land and ends up deflecting the shot, Vigs has hands of jelly and turns it in.  Conroy then loops a shit header into the centre of the field, but to be fair the finish is pretty amazing.  We've looked ok, but you can't have such a soft underbelly and hope to win games frequently.

Lincoln clearly got too carried way with trying to spoil the game for 35 minutes.  After the sending off they've gained some focus and shown that we have a creaky defence.  Taylor got done a few times by the winger after that, McCourt keeps switching off when Toffolo overlaps and Akinde has figured out he can hold off Conroy with ease - we could do with him upfront to be honest.

Frustratingly we looked ok going forward until the sending off, and even since we've created openings.  If it was 0-0 you'd say a good half with some hope, but you can't just let a team knock a ball long and put you under such pressure so easily every time.

I agree with everything Rob says, except I thought Conroy was having a good game until the second goal. 

Highly unlikely. If we pass them off the park and they get another we might score two...but we'll probably need them to score one for us.

Started so brightly, were on top and it was mostly us. Even better (you think) they get a man sent off and then Vigs makes an absolute howler with those "strong" wrists of his. Are they sponsored by Anchor (no not wanker) or some other kind of soft product. Never seen a keeper, consistently push a ball into his own net in the weakest ways. Not just this game btw. They score a cracker but they shouldn't even be having the freedom to do that.

Fuck. We had a chance here. Looks a very long shot now. 15/1 FTW, 7/1 draw...

Get Taylor off and let the Burnley lad have a go.

He was, that's the point, they play well for long periods but are likely to switch off in a game far too often.  Richards even had a moment where he got caught having a conversation with another town player and Lincoln played around them.  That sending off flicked the Lincoln switch on, and they've figured us out a bit.  Similar to the period at their place where we looked like candy floss for a bit.  We are not bad, just giving them moments where one or two of our players is in a daydream or uses stupidly poor technique.

I know was just frustrated at the time. In defence though, Conroy did pretty much tee it up for him. Still a cracking strike.

I can accept losing to Lincoln but not against 10 men.Another  of our "legendary" comebacks required

Doughty coming on.

Knoyle off.

Thats a wierd one.

Our long-term, mid-table form is still consistent though. Basically averaging out at WLDWLDWLD. Be looking like dead middle at EOS; P46 W15 D16 L15 - Pts 61.

Perhaps he's swelled up after the stamp. Stress injuries do delay like that. Especially when you stop. Just a thought. I'd get Hokey Koikey on.

Taylor free kick from 25 yards wide of the goal and over the bar.

We're crap at home, never used to be that way

McCourt 25 yards just wide without the keeper moving.

Doughty fluffs a great chance in the box.

Penalty all day long, well won by Keshi

Penalty Town!

Moaning fuckers, book Akinde for that.

1-2 great pen by Doughty.

Game on.

Another red for Lincoln!

Come on town two more goals please.. :pint:

For a team that is top of the league they are such a negative bunch.

Haha, brilliant.  Not often the officials don't fall for this shit..

FH called it early in the 1st half for a penalty. Well it's a chance and we are somehow back in it. If we can wind them up and make them be dirty they'll lose focus again. Come on Town!

1 - 2

Fuck ‘em in the ear.

Fuck ‘em in the other ear.

(Film ref, anyone)

God it's satisfying seeing a referee stand up for themselves when a team act like massive pricks.

THE most moaning side I have ever seen by a country mile.

we can do it.......

What did I say about 2 reds ;)

It's a funny old game!

you were spot on.

Lincoln looking panicky now at the back.

Lincoln time wasting, no shock there.

Not talking to you, cunt.

The wind changes direction and Akinde goes down....

thanks.

This is where we could have done with House on the bench.  I would bring Mcglashan on and just run at them..

If we can't at least get a draw against 9 men then we really are a bit shitter than shit. We can't win though because even if we do win, people will say "it's only because" blah blah. When the truth is for the first 35mins Lincoln looked like a non league team punching above their weight.

Bunch of moaning cunts. Hope it goes royally wrong for them at some point. Nice to see a ref with a spine for once.

And AGAIN Akinde falls over and gets a free kick.

They are doing their best to get us booked and sent off, wouldn't be surprised if the ref evens it up at some point.

Trying to get back into the game and we bring a defender on..

Time wasting bastards.

Akinde is a bloody cheat.  We need to get something from this game.

Koiki on for Taylor.

League debut for him.

Surely it's just a matter of time. As they tire and get stretched, if we keep it on the deck we can at least pepper the goal.

What was the second red for?

6,543 attendance.

Well if he runs and takes on his man like we know he can then we will win this match.

About a minute and a half delay every time the Lincoln GK gets it..

Being a cunt.

Dissent

Not sure but I think it was moaning at the ref after the pen.

And being a cunt

 :nod:

The shackells are off  :)

Anderson shoots wide after a defelction.

Doughty has the body language of a man that doesn't want to be at Swindon any more.

McCourt just wide from 25 yards inches wide.

Their keeper time wasting.

book him.

Twine on for Dunne.

Twine sitting in an advanced midfield position at the moment.

Last 10mins are going to show I think. Come on Town.

Why the fuck don't we pull the trigger in the box when we can shoot FFS.

Fucking frustrating watching this bunch of cheating cunts..

Lincoln must have the fittest players in the league as with the amount of timewasting they do they must play an extra 6 full matches in added time.

Anderson good shot 20 yards out well saved and then Richards kicks the robound wide.

WTF is wrong with Doughty?

Just realised Derby loanee that was here with Elsnik; Kellan Gordon is on the bench for them.

Lovely cross by Carroll but the header goes just over the bar on the bounce.

Doughty is non-existent, defo not happy with being here.

THIS IS SO FUCKING FRUSTRATING TO WATCH....

Clearly doesn't want to be here. Fucking sell him if he's going to be a cunt.

Swindon very frustrating.

Might as well stick Conroy up front, at least he can win a header..

GET IN YOU CUNNNTTDSSS!!

Come on Town. Fucking do these cheating cunts over!

Desmond!

Boom

2-2 get the fuck in Doughty.

Fucking yes!

Doughty ran towards our bench to make a point, he's definitely not happy..

Get in about bloody time town. ::) :pint:

Let's win this

6 mins added. Surely we've got this.

6 mins added!

Come on beat these dirty time wasting bastards!

Who would score all our goals?

So fucking close by Town!

I'd love it if we beat this lot, love it!!

Come on we can do this town.

Fucking time wasting bastards.

didn't make the most of it. but would have taken a point at half time :)

2-2 FT

Definately.

Dave Bamber and I'll hear no more about it.


Seriously though, I'd like to know why he's behaving like a little bitch.

All over. More than happy with a point, but given the events of the match, we really should have got 3.

What a strange game. Would have taken the point beforehand, disappointing in the context of 9, elating in the context of 2-0 down. We'll call it good enough and move on I think.

We were the better team, even before the sendings off. Vigs cost us today. We need a goalscorer.

Just pleased we equalized in the end would of liked three  but a point will do. :)

This is the most frustrating town team to watch that I can remember

A la, King Kev.

Indeed.

I know I should be happy with the point in the end, but that performance was about as dim witted as I have seen from us (and Lincoln in putting themselves in that situation).  No intelligence at all.  They had a corner where they sent three men forward and we had eight back!  Something was very wrong with Doughty, despite the goals.  McCourt was ok, the rest were just not clever enough - nine men defending the central areas and we have one person out wide right who looked like he hated being there and one person out left, everyone else walking into the same space and being marked.

On top of that we let the single forward boss our defenders.  How hard is it to either let him lose the ball or place a man in front of him, stop trying to wrestle him.

Richards gave away far too many stupid free kicks and missed what looked like a bit of a sitter to me.

So very frustrating because Lincoln gifted us a way to win that game.

Are there any whispers what the deal is with Doughty and Wellens? Maybe a case of a player with talent and a brain, and maybe a manager who feels threatened by having someone else with an opinion?

Or Doughty has just not been playing well and acting like a stroppy cunt on the pitch?

Lets face it. We've taken 4 points from two potentially and historically difficult ties. 3pts at Moss Rose was a late Christmas present as we always struggle there. Lincoln and our combined home form had a loss written all over it. From the off the Filthy Imps tried their best to give us a handicap. Indeed it looked like we could snatch it 1-0. The sending off happened and Lincoln suddenly realised that in order to score you have to link a pass or two together, instead of treating the ball like a Barnes Wallace prototype. An absolute howler, despite a deflection from Lawrence (I love butter me) Vigouroux. A poor clearance from Conroy with Vigs dancing around, way off his line left a free shot at goal. It was a great strike mind but it was gift wrapped to a degree. 0-2 and all looked Shitty McShitSticks and pretty much what we expected.

We know the rest. Disappointing not to come away with the win but we'd have taken a point at the start and a point we got.

Trannies away will be difficult again but let's hope we have a striker, Sid back, LMc in for Vigs, Danny Rose potentially...not asking for much.  ::)

Always a rollercoaster and I'd love to know what Doughty's beef is.

Yup.  Where I am.   

What did Wellans say?

Doughty on the wireless.

Butthurt because he hasn't started the last two games.
Now banging on about he expected to be where Lincoln are.
Had offers to play in L1.

Sounds to me like he thinks he's bigger than the club and doesn't want to be here. Was saying quite a few nice things about Lincoln. Well fuck off to Lincoln then if you don't want to be here. If he goes we get Danny Rose to fill his role. No need for billy big bollocks if he's going to spit his dummy out.

The Doughty substitution obviously paid off but would’ve thought McGlashan or Iandolo would have been worth a try at getting round the back against the 9 men.  Caroll struggled out wide and Twine wasn’t the answer.

Not a lot, he was coughing for most of it. Just concentrated on how we dominated the first 35mins and it was all positive. Didn't have anything to say on transfers as (bizarrely but honestly) he said "after Thursday you lose focus a bit and concentrate on the weekends game. You get a bit sick of it really."

That was about it tbh.

what's knoyle's injury?
has mcGlashen been ill?

playing Carroll on the right can be consigned to 'emergencies only'

Na there was no real mention about the Knoyle stamp or any squas illnesses. Just said House has a dead leg all week.

oh. right.

knoyle and Anderson were excellent first half. we were the better team throughout when they had 11.

when down to 9 Lincoln defended well made it hard, but we spent too long cocking about passing right, central, right, central, right.

that said, enjoyable game and a point is better than I hoped for.

You get ties in cup games, not league games as far as I'm concerned. The Macc game was crucial... had that gone west, which at one point with Vigs muffing a clearance, looked distinctly possible and had Lincoln held on we'd be 7 points off the drop zone atm.  Happily we've avoided that.

Doughty's beef is probably Salt Bae's gold leaf job, much loved by footballers....

(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/MVl7XNO2LGA/hqdefault.jpg)

May be a case of Rose in, Doughty out then. Shame. Doughty is the sort of player this club should be keeping - one of the few. He may be disillusioned with things at the moment - aren’t we all?

This totally.  

A decent goalscorer and we'd have won that.

Too much fannying around with square passes on the edge of the box as well.  Just get the damn thing in the box.

Know what your saying Frigby but if he doesn't want to be here then he could create a bad environment in the dressing room, rubbing off on younger lads. That said, if he focuses on it being his job to help get us up the league. If his personal desires continue to be stronger than the task in hand then unfortunately, we should sell. Especially if someone like Danny Rose is willing to come here.

This season, we have only dropped 2 points from being in front all season which was Crawley back in August, fact fans!

The faffing about on the right was frustrating. Carrol just looks like he doesn't like crossing. Shame, because he put some decent balls in when he felt like it. He floated in a beauty that Wollery(?) should have finished on around 80 minutes.

We haven't been in the lead that often... only 2 sides Notts and PV, have conceded more than us at home, only 5 sides have score fewer at home... this is where our problems lies, and Wellens is yet to find a solution.

Interestingly our last 3 games which have involved a side going down to 9 have ended 2-2,  on 2 occasions it was us conceding late when trying to hang on at Crawley and Lincoln... happily this time the shoe was on the other foot.

Town seemed like they wanted to put the perfect ball in. Whilst Knoyle did really well on the overlap in the first half we didn't put the ball in first time and it was laid back to McCourt or Taylor to put it in.

In hindsight I'd have gambled and put McGlashan on for Carroll when they were down to 9, but that's very easy to say.

If our defenders could work out how to play Akinde we wouldn't have found ourselves 2-0 down.

At the start of the game I'd have taken it...can't be too unhappy

Played well first half. Vigs is shit and I won’t be upset if/when he leaves

Played well second half until Lincoln went down to 9 and hunkered down even more  than they had before. From then on it was stupid playbfailing to adjust to the situation for a lot of the time

I think the ‘faffing’ side to side was the right thing to be doing in that situation - keep working the ball, be patient and wait for the space to appear. Instead we would get fed up and put a pissy little cross in which the defenders would gobble up

Surprised Taylor wasn’t moved into the middle once they went down to 9, as he might have been able to craft something.

I don’t think there is anything wrong with his attitude. Clearly he is one of the better players in our team and is frustrated at how poor the season has been. Ultimately he came here believing Swindon would compete for promotion but most people would agree that we are a midtable team at best.

He is clearly a player who can play at a higher level and we should be building a team around him to get the best out of him. He’s probably frustrated as he’s played at a higher level where the overall set up is more professional.

Ultimately it was his choice to sign for Swindon but I guess he’s regretting it now which is a shame.  

^^^^^ this ^^^^

This has crossed my mind as well.

But only once did Carroll take his man on and get a cross it.

they had packed the centre, good luck breaking through that

Vigouroux getting a lot of stick on here but im hearing 1st goal was a sizeable deflection and the second unstoppable?

wouldn't call the first one a sizeable deflection. put him off sure, should still be saving it

the first one took a bit of a nick but Taylor was about 12 yards in front of him, and he was right behind it

Second goal was an absolute screamer of a shot that the guy would never have attempted had the keeper been in a sensible position

They weren’t both all on him, but the best goalkeeper in the lower leagues (as he has been described by power and, based on his actions last year how he sees himself) would be doing better

Vigs has admitted himself that he's 'had better Saturdays' on twitter.

The 1st one looked very saveable, deflection or not.

I think the second one a keeper can be forgiven for thinking that wouldn't happen

Attitude as far as expecting the team to do better, I agree.

Attitude on the pitch though needs to be better, and he admitted that in his interview after the game.  If you are going to throw a strop when things are not going your way, or if you get dropped, the right attitude is to show you are better than everyone else by grabbing the team and game by the scruff of the neck and showing you are the best player in the squad.  Yes he scored 2 goals, but for a player of his quality he did little else.  And running to the bench after he scored the 2nd as if to make a point was not the actions of a man that has taken any responsibility for his recent performances, more of a guy that has thrown a massive strop.

I thought Carroll played well, not a winger though. Needs to be more confident when taking his man on, as when he did the crosses he put in were ok.

Prepared to get shot down.......but I think we are just a decent forward away from a good team.

He looks very tidy on the ball but not at all at home out wide.  Against 9 we should had someone else working with him to pull them out of the middle.  The idea of keeping him wide was good, but not if he isn't going to cross and not if we don't drag their team out.

Swap Richards or Woollery and Akinde and we'd be a much more effective team.  We look good when we get it down, but this is L2 and the ball will be lumped forward from time to time.  Richards and Woollery offer nothing as a pair together - they don't complement each other at all well.  Someone like Akinde would keep the defenders busy, giving space to the other forwards and also meaning we are able to use the direct ball and retain possession from time to time.

+1

Phew.... Haven't read back.

Minimum requirement met ref a point against 9 men. Would of been the minimum if we had been playing Leeds in the cup if they only have nine.

Strange game that....madness how it panned out.

Disappointed that we didn't get the win...but meh..

Completely agree. We spent the last 10 minutes watching McCourt and Carroll playing some sort of inane Chuckle Bros "To me, to you" when Carroll clearly wasn't going to take his man on so was only ever going to play it back to McCourt. That's not especially a criticism of Carroll, it's clearly not something he has in his locker, but it needed someone to notice that it wasn't working and make some fucking movements to provide an option. Or maybe even Wellens recognising the problem and bringing McGlashan on rather than Twine. I like Twine but he wasn't what the game needed today.

Thank you

How was Richards today for those that went?

Worked hard, couldn’t do much else.
The trouble with having someone like Richards in the team is if you don’t create chances he’s not going to be involved. We really do find it hard to create chances and break teams down.

First game for ages today.

Thought we did okay overall. Looked more solid as a team than I was expecting. Midfield did well enough. But where we clearly struggle is in the final third. Little invention and Richards doesn't do a great deal. Woolery did some decent work but we we really don't play to his strengths much at all. That said he seems to drop too deep when he should be on the last mans shoulder at all times.

Thought McCourt was class and on another day his shot at the end goes in.

Taylor is broken and holds us back as a team. Simply unable to keep up with play especially in an attacking sense. Often we were crying out for the overlapping left back but he wasn't there.

Feel like we don't have the right players to play any sort of distinctive attacking style. First half for example, Keshi on the left (not a natural winger), McCourt on the right (Not a natural winger) Dunne and Carroll in the middle (neither are creative midfielders) it's not a surprise we struggled to create clear openings.

We need a left winger at and another Akinde like striker (maybe House) to play alongside Keshi or Woolery.

Based on today we looked bang mid table where we are. We can still make something of the season but need some strong offensive plays before the month is out.

Oh, special mention to the ref. Refreshing to see one that would not stand for some of the shit they were trying to pull.

At least one fella on their forum is quite cross about it: https://forums.vitalfootball.co.uk/threads/can-you-report-the-referee.89866/

Most of them are quite sensible mind.

More importantly, does this mean we do matchday threads the day before now? Does a draw provide enough evidence to make such a seismic change?

Was talking to one of their supporters on the way out and he just said their two red cards were their own fault and the ref had no alternative.  Believed the 4th official drew the ref's attention to the first one!

Ref had his back to the incident so I can believe that. Turned round and whipped the red straight out.

Ha ha, fucking hell!

Must have been. When the score was 2-0 I read they had 1 shot on target  ;)

Having just read Doughty's quotes (I missed him on the radio), his comments appear to be in somewhat of a different context than was made out earlier.

Regarding the imp saying he should have given shackle a warning - he did, a very clear and public warning towards the end of the first half

Would you believe me if I told you Bamboo’s assessment of Doughty’s comments was complete waffle?

Yes. Yes I would.

I thought he spoke well for what it’s worth, admitted he’s frustrated but at no point did he come across as thinking he’s better or that he wants out.

Nope, ref was looking right at it and made his own decision, nothing to do with Lino.  I watched it back.

That’s what I alluded to in my post.  He admitted in that interview that he needs to work on dealing with his frustrations better.  He didn’t do that today, even though he managed to score the two goals.

Before the match I would have taken a draw in a heartbeat, but I actually felt quite deflated at the end.
Our total lack of width was painfully evident today and would have preferred to have seen Mcglashan to Twine as a sub. Richards offered very little all game and we desperately need a big man up top to do the dirty work, hopefully that can be House.

Lincoln were a horrible team and how their keeper didn’t get booked is beyond me, some of his time wasting was truly laughable. Although not as laughable as the first red card, if you are going to do something like that don’t do it when the ref is 10 yards away and looking straight at you.

On the plus side there were plenty of positives and with the right players I think we are still in with a shout of the play offs.

Agreed, I said at the time the game was crying out for Mcglashan.  His run for the goal last week was exactly what this game was crying out for.  Twine is not ready physically for this league yet, and certainly not in midfield.

Wellens has offered a good explanation for this, and why he took Knoyle off who he said is the best 1v1 player at the club...

They (Lincoln) were already sitting back. There wasn't really anybody to beat in the sense. He chose to put Carrol there because he thought that, as a midfielder, Carroll would have picked out better choices for the situation. He may have been right.

McGlashan has pace, it's one of his best attributes, but pace is pointless against an opposition that is sitting back. There's nowhere to run to once 'beating' his man.

Agree to a certain extent, however the penalty was won by just that, somebody running at their defence in their box.  They were prime for another penalty against them, their back line were knackered and could have easily made a tired lunge at somebody running at them with pace.  As it turned out we ended up passing it around their 18 yard box and hoping to draw somebody out, which wasn’t happening.  More runs into the box like Kesha would have disrupted them more IMO.

I can see some logic in that but unless Lincoln were sat on their 6 yard box there will always been space in behind the full backs.

Get in behind and get the ball in the box where we should be able to out number them.

Plus the sitting back aside, you’re still better of having wingers on the touch lines to stretch the game & create bigger spaces between the full backs & centre backs

McGlashan would have at least got into the box to put crosses in or drawn some fouls around their box, Carroll just hugged the touch line most of the time playing passes to McCourt.

Carrol played some very good crosses. At least one of which should have lead to a goal.

He did, but you could see he wanted to pass it inside 80% of the time.

That's because he's more intelligent than the person who reported the quotes.

I thought he was actually better at it today than the previous games but still work to do.

The only slight reason for thinking 7th might be doable, is that 7 of the 9 home games left look on paper possibly winnable, but against that the away fixtures look nasty... to get to 70 points which some seasons is enough we'd need to win something like 11 games, or maybe 10 and 3 draws, from the final 18.

Given we've taken 21 from the last 18, it would require an improvement in form , the like of which we've never really seen since the PO's started apart from Lou's final year where we were in 40 points from 28, but with a battle hardened side the core of which had 2 promos under its belt.

He was, but he definitely still wasn’t the Doughty we knew.  And running to the bench to make a point after the second was petulant to say the least.

We have the 6th best record away and pathetically the 18th best at home.

Once again, our home form is our Achilles heel.

If only Anderson and Woolery were any good at it. Once a game isn't really good enough

Maybe because there was not a decent crossing opportunity.

I think it's one of those things that can only be compared if we were able to watch what happened if different decisions were made. Which we cannot do.

Anyway, I'm about to watch Bram Stoker's Dracula with the misses.

Toodle pip.

Performances this season suggest he wouldn't have.

That is very true, although I still think he would have offered more on the pitch than Twine today.

To be fair, Keshi ran at their defence a lot today, especially in the first 30 mins.

There are always decent crossing opportunities if there are players in box.  You have more chance of scoring with the ball in the 6 yards box than on the outside of the 18 yard box.

This is why he needed a second player to come out wide, creating more space inside.

As per managers post match interview, that seemed to be the plan

total lack of willing/ability to get in behind and cross the thing.

I didn’t get that from the post match interview, but if that is what he alluded to, it didn’t work really then did it, which is my point.

After seeing the Lincoln goals harsh to blame Vigs. The deflection took it away from where he would have saved it. The 2nd no goalie in the world would have stopped that shot.

Yeah, I thought that at the time.  Still think he should have saved the first though, although he wasn’t entirely to blame as some were suggesting IMO

Genuine question(s) for those that see the team more often than me (been twice this season), do we have the players to make a decent team but the fact we are mid table suggests the "team" hasn't been found, or do we have one or two decent players and the rest are meh, or something else? When I see some highlights like, Macclesfield away for example, we look quite composed but then I can't help thinking there are obvious issues with the fact we seem to struggle with attacking. Do we have it in us or are we unlikely to see an improvement?

Fine margins. No deflection no goal, he dived to save the shot which would have hit him smack in the middle of the gloves, as it was it hit his fingertips. If he'd had 2 inch longer fingers maybe. But then he wouldn't be a goalie but in grumble flicks ;)

With the squad we have we aren't solid enough defensively and always open to fuck up. For example both goals today could have been avoided with a bit more concentration.

Going forward we don't combine as a team, we have one or two individuals who like to do their own thing without much end product and a centre forward who we are unable to link our play through.

Also, no attacking midfield who consistently gets beyond the centre forward

The second only happened cos he had left his goal to collect their thru ball which Conroy got too, leaving him out of position.
No communication between those two.

Still a cracking shot mind.

But then Conroy tries to clear the ball with an overhead kick when he couldn't see what was behind him and what was the least obvious clearence.

Vigs made himself available, wide of the goal, as an option for Conroy

Knowing your profession, I'm sure you're aware that reading any quoted content doesn't necessarily convey the expression or tone of which the person is speaking, in that particular moment. Listen to the audio and tell me if you feel exactly the same as you say above.

Of course, you are free to disregard my comment because there are plenty of experts on here who willingly jump to disagree with anything I say. Quagmire is a wonderful fount of expert information, clearly. :pint:

 Most of the players we've got have some ability, but that applies to most of the sides in Div 4.

 On a given day they might do something, on another day not. As a gaffer you need to convince them that something worthwhile is happening, as things stand atm we're well short of that.

 It wouldn't take too much to convince the playing staff that we're serious about upward mobilty, after all we've seen it before re getting out of Div 4.

 But it won't happen with Power as owner, so we need to adjust our perceptions of what is success, so for me Wellens is doing OK, an improvement will take time.

He's now got the rest of the season to try and build something for 19/20, not easy, but the likes of Accy and Wycombe, have shown it is possible to go up to Div 3 with a modest budget

@4d

tldr; squad not good enough
--

not changed my opinion from the start of the season. it's like we recruited half a squad then stopped. We are missing the obvious, up top and defence. we've recognised this but only seem to be able to plug it with loans, which so far haven't worked out.

that Wellens is dicking around looking at Danny Rose is odd unless someone is off (TD?) or if it's perm with a view to next year..

TD, doughty, Dunne, McCourt and Smith are easily enough in midfield. we need wide options.

People keep mentioning TD - But he hasn't been fit most of the season, even when he wasn't allegedly injured. Isn't that a bit strange?

I get the feeling that Smith will be off soon, as hasn’t featured at all under Wellens since Carlisle.
TD is an odd one as he should be bossing this league, saw him for Plymouth last year and he was a beast. Although unfortunately I don’t think he has been fit at all since he has been here and perhaps the club would rather try and get rid as I imagine he is a high earner.

An immersive experience for a change yesterday.
The overall performance when 11 v 11 was very good and in comparison to Exeter game.

Lincoln, as league leaders, apart for scoring the 2 goals, shooting themselves in the foot twice, moaning a lot and wasting loads of time, offered nothing at all footballing wise.

The ref did well and an impressive side parting on show as well.

Wasn't too keen on the approach against the 9 down the right.
Could easily have ditched one of the CB's for JMcG to help out Carroll, but there were still enough chances to have won that game.
Two points dropped.

Abd-Al-Ali Morakinyo Olaposi Koiki looked to have a turn of pace.
Should hopefully be an asset going forward in the games to come.

I don't buy the Doughty doesn't want to be here thing etc.
Possibly more a case of the reality of life in mid table L2 has sunk in with resulting frustrations on display.
If he knuckles down, performs like he can and sticks around for next season then all well and good.

PO's still possible, but only because of the mathematics.
Yesterday was an example of why we won't make it.

Where do we go from here?
In the short term it's a tricky visit to a strange enclave populated by comedians.

@4d yes it's strange. not buying into conspiracy theories just yet mind.

works be totally shocked if taxigate was true though

Tried to avoid social media yesterday after the game, still managed to see some first class fuckwittery online though..

Went expecting a defeat and left disappointed with a draw...

The first half, despite the scoreline, was the best I've seen us play this season.  Our shortcomings are obvious to everyone, I'm sure Wellens is painfully aware of them and will hopefully address them this month or in the summer, depending on availability.

We'll be playing in the bottom tier again next season, but I'm hopeful we'll be better set up that  this one.

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/competitions/league-two/11606079/swindon-2-2-lincoln

I think any keeper that gets 2 hands to a shot should keep it out, sorry but Vigs was definately at fault, deflection or no defelction.

The 2nd, yes Conroy chose a silly clearance but the shot was unstoppable, he will never hit a ball so cleanly again in his career. Yes Vigs was off his line by a long way but any keeper probably would have been in the same situation.

Carroll frustrated me, he has the ability and pace to take on and cross but 90% of the time chose a short pass back to McCourt which almost always ended with a sideways pass or a poor cross from McCcourt. Take you man on and whip low hard crosses into the near post as it only takes a small deflection and we have a goal.

Lincoln are possibly the worst side I have ever seen for time wastng in my 45 years of watching us. They niggled, kicked us, elbowed us, moaned at the ref constantly and created nothing football wise at all, it must be great getting results for the fans but the football is awful.

I still think with 2 new signings we can challenge for the play offs, we were far better than Lincoln and they are cruising this division. A goalscorer please top priority.

Would have taken a point pre game but feel chated out of 3 at the end of it, good perfromance really over all and so glad we didn't lose to them, Lincoln did not deserve a point.

Onwards and upwards.

whilst I remember....

at every game, some time usually during the first half an older guy carries a box from god knows where along the length of the DRS. He's usually escorted by 2 stewards.

what's in the box?

The ashes of another Facebooker sorted by Power.

soapy tit wank

cash from away supporters pay on day tickets

This. When I was stewarding back in the 90s I used to help "guard" the taking from the Town End when it was pay on the door. Ray Rodgers used to deal with the money the old head steward.

Are you the caller Batch?  :sherlock:

https://youtu.be/fHP-Td7LZw8

Lawrence Vigoroux’s spare set of chocolate wrists?

aaaah, thanks.

Do the supports club (if it even was them?) still do the half time draw tickets outside the ground?

Always assumed it was something to do with the money collected from that...but...that opinion is about 7 years old now

Yep they do

Random question, have you or anyone you know ever won the Dominos pizza vouchers? Everyone around where I sit is convinced they announce fake winners every game.

It might have been Papa Johns at the time. I can’t really remember but at one point they gave away a pizza at half time & the person sat directly in front won it.

Second half all I wanted was pizza. Was a midweek game probably 08/09 maybe 10.

Same happened for me, the guy in front won a free pizza. He wasn't a dick though and offered it around to everybody.

Maybe I'd come back if there was a chance of free pizza.

one of the guys I sit with won earlier this season.

The good thing is he lives Stroud way, and the voucher is only usable in Swindon Dominos.

so he gave it to me.

that's right, I've eaten free STFC pizza!

If Rose is seen as a replacement for Dave/Taylor it makes sense.  For the high press game, you need strength and pace in front of the back four.  I don't think that Dave has the pace.  Being narrow and playing 4:3:3  could work with a decent finisher also with pace.  4:3:3 should offer more press on the opposition back four than 4:4:2.  Interesting that yesterday Yeovil high-pressed Mansfield and snotted Flip Flop. On their forum, fans are concerned that Wellens got them sussed in the 0:0 and other teams will do the same.  Alternatively, Wellens could be thinking 4:4:2 for next season, meaning he needs at least two strikers and at least two wingers sometime before next season. Maybe, Douts and Rose would be the 4:4:2 center-mid,  Douts being behind McCourt and maybe Dunne may have pissed him off, but you can't play Anderson and Woolery without some ball winners.  Man Utd and England needed Nobby Styles to do the dirty work for Bobby Charlton.  It's hard to read Wellens, he says one thing and then limited by practicalities goes with another.  To get into the playoffs from here takes a team good enough to win autos.  I think that Taylor and Richards will be only off the bench from now on.  I of course could be talking total bollocks.

it's good to read how others see things.

PdC's auto winning side got 38 points from the final 18 games.... 12 wins 2 draws 4 defeats.  Such form would give us 75 points which might be a PO slot, but it is the sort of thing required, and there really is no reason to think we're capable of such a turnaround.

Over the last 6 years the 7th place side have gained 75, 70, 75, 71, 71 and 69 points meaning that the average in the last 6 years has been 71(.8 ) points to get into the play offs.

That means we would need to gain another 34 point from our last 18 games which is obviously 11 wins so we could possibly still lose 6 matches, 1 draw and as long as we won the rest still get into the PO's.

Yes this is obviously difficult but definately possible.

Under PdC we gained 38 points from the last 18
under McMahon we gained 35 in the championship season of 96
under Sturrock we gained 29 in our promotion season
under Macari we gained 44 points in the championship season
and as a comparison
under Hoddle in the PO season we gained 28
under Ossie we gained 27

Its difficult but with a couple of good runs we could still do it, I don't think we will but it is possible.

Have a perfect transfer window, become the momentum team and secure promotion.

Easy peasy.

 8)

Simples!

Reg will deplore you as I brought up the "Last 20yrs of L2 PO pts" history quite recently. He knows this so I don't know where he gets the idea that 75pts might be enough for playoffs. I think there was one season in that period where a team needed 76pts to finish 7th. All the rest fell around the 70 mark with a couple of 75s a 74 and 73 (3x), there was even a 66 and 68 I believe. But yep 70/71 is enough in most seasons for 7th. Seeing how tight this season is, it'll likely be lower with a few being tied. Could see it being 9th, 8th & 7th on 69pts.

Not saying it isn't possible in theory, just that there's really no sign that we've a side that will suddenly start winning games as a matter of course.... winning games is something we've found difficult all season.

For me the rest of the season should be about small signs of improvement, and getting the idea that we might be able to mount a proper challenge next season.... so that might mean getting some convincing home wins, we've yet to win a single game by more than a goal, form redolent of 10/11, when a whole season passed like that.

Seeing Kaiyne and Keshi maybe get to 8 or so goals apiece, and winning at Whaddon Road.  If Wellens can show at least some modest signs of improvement, then that will be good enough.

Sounds like Vigouroux went straight from the match to hospital where his missus gave birth.


Lawrence Vigouroux
 
@LawrenceV93
 38m38 minutes ago
More
Longest 23 hours of my life, but worth it..

13.01.19

7lbs 2oz

💙👶🏽

Bet the missus was a bit nervous passing him the infant.

 :clap:

:D

lolz

https://www.swindontownfc.co.uk/news/2019/january/doughty-reflects-on-lincoln-draw/

Having now seen it for myself, it appears that Bamboonoshoe was indeed waffling shite. Who'da thunk it?

He was only answering questions that were asked, and he did so in a professional and amicable manner.

Yeah. Ok ;)

Doughty's got a lovely head of hair.

That's my contribution.

Bamboonoclue..... :girlgiggle:

Yet you know everything about me?! Well that's the regular claim.  :smugfu:

Love the ignore button

I am just left confused by that interview, as I have spent the last few years thinking he was Irish for some reason.

Interesting as he has played for Wales U21 and is quite "posh" so TBH you were a bit of a way out :D.

I know, I have no idea at all why I always thought that. ..I thought someone had dubbed him to start with  :)

Which is even more weird because I thought he had Scottish/Clan heritage. Plenty of posh jocks about though, just go to Embra!

Mind you, that always reminds me of people from certain areas of Somerset, who wouldn't know what the "Zummerzet Lavvels" was if you stood them in front of. Yet happily make sure they pick up their "Glasto tix" when they've spent all year in nodnoL.

She, tha primrawse o' primrawse hill, tha lily o' tha level, tha gawl cup o' tha mead, tha zweetest honey zuckle in tha garden, tha yarly vilet, tha rawse o' rawses,

 :pint:

I suppose he is a bit posh, public school educated and from a rather well-off family.  Didn't his late father buy one of the top rugby teams before his early demise.  My understanding is that he still works in the family business - no idea what it is

His late father owned Notts Forest. Nigel Edward Doughty (10 June 1957 – 4 February 2012) was co-chairman and co-founder of Doughty Hanson & Co, a European private equity firm based in London and with offices throughout Europe. Apparently the company has assets of £8 billion.

Worth over £100 mill

That's it then! Doughty wants out because he wants to launch a hostile business takeover and buy the club. He's just waiting for the training ground to be...oh well  :soapy tit wank:

There were rumours, I think at the start of the season, that the Doughty family had invested in the club. Doubt there's any truth in it though.

Fixed it for you because i'm such a witty oik.

 :)

Banter.