Thetownend.com

In your Cheltenham slums,
In your Cheltenham slums,
You look in the Waitrose for something to eat,
You find avacado you think it's a treat,
In your Cheltenham slums.

In your Cheltenham slums,
You used to eat gluten but not any more,
You live for The Archers on Radio Four,
In your Cheltenham slums.


Prepare for the worst, hope for the best. 2-0 Numb.

They’ve not lost at home since January. They’ll be buoyed, whilst we’ll be bruised, from midweek melees. Would be a wonderful result if we win but I reckon 3-0 to the hosts. Come on boys, prove me and probability wrong!

A place we never win at in a proper match, they are on a great run TBF 13 games unbeaten at home, just 1 defeat so far this season in 4 league games on the same points with the same 2w 1d 1l stats both teams scored 6 but we have conceded 4 and them just 2.

They have a few players well know to Swindon fans in Ben Tozer, Chris Hussey, Conor Thomas and Rohan Ince as well as GK coach Steve Book.

Record are there to be broken, a win would pick all Town fans up especially the few Town fans that think we will never break the Whaddon Road hoodoo.

Lets take the game to them and attack them, we will have a big following there so back the lads and lets grab a win.

At least we have a more reliable ref after Tuesday - Mr Trevor Kettle.

Hard to see past a loss here, 3-1 Conroy.

A ref that the Cheltenham fans hate for his past misdemeanours with them.


Also...the fucking embarrassment, seems one of the FB posters (I am guessing Matthew Walker) has been allowed internet access on his day release from the home for the mentally retarded.

:no:

I think that can be said for most Football League clubs with his track record!

2-0 Cheltenham

Ha yes true, we have had a few run ins with him ourselves.

Normal service will resume.

3-1 Cheltenham att: 4,634 (1,675)

1- 1

A penalty each. We'll score ours and they'll miss theirs 0-1.

We'll do this... sets a marker for the season,  then get Yates back and on we march.

3-0 to us sets a marker for the season that this is a very different Swindon to some of the teams of the past as we march on to become the lower league Invincibles, storming through the leagues on a 3-season stomp to the top flight, smashing all in our wake. Although I'd take a point, tbf

I'd take a point but have no idea what our chances really are. Neither a loss or a win would surprise me.

:D

(https://media1.tenor.com/images/3c9a3878ae1c3b4e02a42646b64ff9a5/tenor.gif)

Actually it is too early to tell it really could go any way.

Will take a point.

Mainly because of their good home record as opposed to the, irrelevant IMO, statistical anomaly that is our record there

We are gonna lose, we always lose at Cheltenham....

Difficult game with their recent home record and start to the season. I’d settle for a draw, and our away form gives me hope that we can do this.
Whilst it’s true we haven’t won there in a competitive game, they were only promoted to the league about 20 years ago, and we haven’t always been in the same division since then. These winning and losing runs all have to end at some point.
Trevor Kettle is another poor referee, but Cheltenham fans views on him mentioned earlier suggest he isn’t biased, just incompetent (or inept to use RW’s vernacular).

 Apparently despite my earlier prognosis that suggesting we're the underdog in this fixture, is somehow intended to get regular posters foaming at the mouth with its outlandishness, I'm sticking with it.

 I had hoped that the stats might show we're always above them going into these fixtues at Whaddon Road, and therefore a role reversal might help end the hex.... but sadly not quite; the Malpas game, they were above us on more scored despite everything else being the same.

That was a classic as we mullered them got 20 corners and lost 2-0.... their opener was scored by a fella called Ben Gill, it was his only ever FL goal.  Shortly before hand, a young fella behind me had said "this lot are so shite, they'll never score", I pointed out to him the error of his ways. Gill was soon sent off but it made fuck all difference as the smallest player on the pitch headed in a second, Jennison Myrie-Williams; it was his only Numb goal.

What compounds it for me, is that Numb the place is so far up it's own arse, awash as it is with conspicuous wealth, that the FC has always been pretty much a non league irrelevance, a bit like Headington used to be.  That's fair enough, whereas Swindon being a working class place awash with poverty, has historically taken great pride in its FC.  For many years we kept Headington in their rightful place, and tbf to the scummers they do get playing us, whereas Numb are so polite it doen't really matter.

Very difficult to make a case for tomorrow starting an ex hex.

Be amazed if we win tomorrow. I'd happily take a point and more importantly no more injuries or suspensions.

Yeah, me too. But sod it, I went for blind optimism...and will do so until realty bites.

I'll quote you Reg just to make sure your point is completely visible :)

I think even the most positive of Town fans would struggle to make a case for us winning tomorrow!

That said, packed away end, goodish start to the season...............you never know, right?

Prick!

Yes.

And after the match I will say 'told you so' to highlight my prowess in insightful football predictions. ;)

Feel the love FH!!

 :-*

I’ll take my fair share of the blame - along with 4D - for Tuesday’s defeat. After moving here I had gone full Captain Birdseye with an unruly, bushy white beard.

Shaved it off Tuesday morning with the alarm bells jangling as I took the razor to it.

I also need a haircut now. But I’ll put that off until after Saturday.

Sure fire win.

Numb were promoted form the Conference in 15/16, having been relegated in 14/15. You might have hoped that might have reset the hex, a bit like how Oxford's move to the Kassam has in reverse. But no.   

In fact in their relegation season, we played them in the cup with a decent side a division above and lost 5-0.

Guaranteed results!

Should have stuck with it, and gone from Capatain Birdseye to full Gandalf.

We will win this....im not going and its our year! :)

Maybe we'll win, the curse will be broken, and flammableBen will find his clothes and wallet that he lost after our 2007 visit.

Imagine if we win at a canter and come away wondering what all the fuss was about.

0-3.

Was that when he set himself on fire?

Danny Rose should be in the squad tomorrow. No keshi, and not sure about Isgrove. Fryers is out for 2-3 weeks, but I thought Reid did better when he came on the other day anyway.

Fryers is a loss as he is just getting to grips with the way we play now, he didn't have a great game on Tuesday but he was far from the worst player for us.

We did miss Keshi more than I thought too, Reid did ok and Hunt is classy on whichever side he plays so he can fill in.

Isgrove though is a massive loss if he desn't play. Rose would be a better replacement than May IMO.

Was impressed with Reid when he came on. Good on the ball and put a couple of dangerous crosses in. Guess we'll find out how he is defending under pressure now.

I'm not sure if Isgrove should play. I'd rather see him miss 1 game than miss 10.

Not that I know a thing about his condition, so I may be talking out of my rear orifice.

Maybe we need ben to find the clothes and wallet to break the curse?

So, is Anderson injured or is it one of those withdrawals before he leaves for pastures new?

Would be good to rest him, especially as we all think its going to be a loss or close.

This is what I was thinking. If we lose with key players missing it may not make a difference as we are unlikely to win anyway.

Another part of me thinks that any team hoping for promotion should be aiming to get as many points as they can in every game.

True, but I would rather wait and rest atleast Isgrove. Its been reported he is running with a knock. He is one of the key cogs for our chance of promotion. I hope Richie see's this and will put him on the bench at least.

No midweek game next week so he can have the week off next week so probably worth the risk of playing him, especially with Anderson out. I don't rate Twine so don't think we have any option but to play Isgrove.

Nah. Sat my self on fire at the walsall game when we went up. Cheltenham I did loads of speed and ended up getting fucking twatted and shitting my self in an alley

Well probably ended up shitting myself in an alley. I don't fucking remember.

I swore I would never go again (3 times in a row) therefore on the basis that I am going again, we will probably lose 1-0 and miss a late penalty

No-one does mental LNTs any more.  :(

Most of them were me talking to myself!

Whilst shitting yourself in an alley?  :hmmm:

Notwithstanding our appalling record there, we're going to win 2-1

2-2 Doughty with both.

Do you mean Doughty or Doyle?

You get a hyphen, a full-stop and still you're not happy.  >:(

:D. Fair enough, point taken..

Have a spare ticket if anyone is in need, face value. Will have to come to Devizes to collect.

doughty :girlgiggle:

Couple of trains already cancelled due to the police suspecting trouble with the scum travelling through to Bristol....

Couldn't have done anything 2 months ago when the fixtures were released then...

Pre match wardance in The Moon Under Water.
Kitted out in the Joules summer collection in an effort to blend in with the locals.
Can't be doing with carrying a latte around though.

Will the wait for a win here finally be over today.
Could do with Mr Kettle not causing any complications.
Their three top scorers against us show the weight of culture & religion that has been on their side.
Namely Byron, Mohamed & Elvis.
We never stood a chance.
Time for that to change.

RW is the first manager to get a second go at playing this lot here.
Avoid a mad 10 minutes like last time & who knows.
Five previous managers have all failed miserably.

Hopefully madness & pandemonium if we win.
Quietly confident, mainly because this thread has us down as the home team.
Could be a stroke of genius from relative newbie Richie Wellen-Dowd.

Cheltenham average & Swindon brilliant today.
Have a nice day.

 :pint:

He had his first shot a mere 3 away games ago, so hopefully should have learned something.... this is Numb though and normal rules don't apply, like the rot setting in, in April after Woolf, a steady type gives them  the lead with an OG.

It seems to me that injuries, suspension and touchline ban have all come into alignment, for no other reason than Numb is on the fixture list for today. So I'm expecting not so much madness and pandemonium, but bad manners (fans) and pan's people (players)

Not looking forward to yet another long & sweaty trudge back to the station if we lose.
A few of these fixtures have been early season during poorish starts.
A decent start for both teams this time.
They might be looking forward to this like we were on Tuesday night....
There will definitely be some bad manners that's for sure.
Maybe some contended hot gossip after the game.

I would as a lot of you would take a draw, though again I feel there are three points to take, therefore an edgy 0-1 to the real robins with young Mr. Ifil scoring in his debut. If he doesn’t play then Doyle gets the nod

Whatever happened to Mrs Flashheart’s Matchday Stew? Surely away to Numb warrants that.

I shall be on the Red Lions during the match.

It'll be like a zoo in the away end, with some buster blood vessels.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=454wZLJUn4w

She was a game lass  :)

Poor old DLT, done for by Operation Yewtree.

1-2 STFC !

I'm about to have a chicken stew as it happens. Not made by the misses, but it should still do the job.

You need to be pissed!

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ECvKYCvW4AEZj8D?format=jpg&name=medium)

Customary 2-0 defeat.

Attended my first game for a year on Tuesday (thankfully I'm not there today so we have a chance!). Not overly impressed with the performance and didn't think the formation was right for a home game (I know injuries/suspensions didn't help), so hopefully we'll do better away. Liked the look of Isgrove, not so much Baudry.

Decent side, if they're all fit. Like how we don't pander to their awful corporate stadium name.

It is a decent attacking side if we can keep all those players on the pitch for the majority of the game.

And yes, fucking Jonny Rocks shit.

Is Reid that fella that’s 8 foot wide at the shoulder?

Aye, our own tank.

Built like a shick brit house, I have seen him play 3 times and he is very strong, very fit and quite quick but his defending isn't as good as his attacking for me, positioning lets him down and he finds himself up field miles from the ball when he pushes on too far and doesn't track back that quick, his tackling at times is a fair way off the mark but he is still very young.

Miraculous recovery by Keshi.
Lower league mind games by RW?

If we don't do it today, then we never will.

My first time on I follow what time does the streaming usually begin?

You should be able to see the pitch with the players on now with the title screen in front, they remove the title screen about 2.50ish.

What's up with Fryers?

Sounds like a younger version of Fryers from that description.  ;D

Out for 2 weeks I think after being flattened vs Northampton on Tuesday.

Think we'll win this.

As stated above, now could be our best chance of a win there, they are very confident after being unbeaten at home in the last 13 games or over 8 months now so they could be open to us hitting them on the break if they pressure us a bit, with Keshi and Woolery up front we have the pace to break out with speed as we did at Scunny.

I would bet now that Tozer scores against us today win, lose or draw.

Live now full screen.

Cheers got it!

Morning all.

The sun is shining, the pancakes are cooking and we will finally beat Cheltenham.

if not, I still have sun and pancakes.

Don't have your speakers too loud or they are likely to have the eardrums blown out with the varying volume and unusual noises that come from it!

Afternoon constable, you there today for your old local game?

Lets try and put at least 3 past Stupid Sexy FLinders who always seems to play well against us.

Broom, early shot well wide from 25 yards, he had acres of space fromt he KO.

Baudry gives away the ball in a dangerous position but numb fail to capitalize.

As Hockaday just said the pitch looks so narrow today.

Anderson did well to win the ball from a terrible pass by Reid who then kicks the ball out for a throw to them under no pressure.

only baseball going on where I am guv

Doyle beats his man down the right and gets a low cross in to the box but Woolery cant get to it.

Ah didn't realise you were in the good ole US.

Long ball down the wing and Woolery tackles the keeper and wins the ball but cant get to his feet and do anything with it.

bit further north than that.

saw the Blue Jays play. They lost 7-0. I'll add that to my list of crap sports teams I follow!

Baudry makes a long clearance that is inches over Doyles head.

1-0

1-0 Doyle

Isgrove nice cross to an unmarked Doyle at the far post, he takes it on his knee with one touch and buries it in the bottom corner with his 2nd from 8 yards out.

Great build up for the goal.

6 mins 30 goal time.

Anderson lovely run thro their defence and he sets up Doyle on the edge of the box but he cant connect with just the keeper to beat.

Backpass surely?

Was a superb strong run from Anderson.

Sounds like being transfer listed was the kick up the proverbial which he needed...

Town give away a free kick by Reid 30 yards out, very poor challenge by Reid.

Hussey hoofs it 10 yards over the bar.

Seems to have worked so far credit to Wellens.

Nice early cross from Reid onto Anderson head but he heads over and was offside too.

Absolutely  :nod:

Good shot by Numb but its well saved by LMc.

They tore us apart at the back easily then, should have scored.

Still an awful header of the ball though.

Doyle running the right channel well today, Isgrove is definately not fit and a bit off the pace when we attack at times but on the ball he will always cause them problems, fit or not.

Anderson making a break and is felled at speed by a numb player when he was away.

Game being played at 100mph so far by both teams without much chance of much quality.

Town win a free kick 40 yards out 10 yards in from the wing.

Not a great freekick from Doughty whos cross in a few feet from Doyles head.

Anderson low bouncing shot from 25 yards, good save by Flinders.

Numb defenders cant cope with Woolery or Andersons pace at all so far.

Isgrove cynical tackle as they counter, yellow card.

Lyden is a different level, quality player..

1-1 Hussey

Ex-player curse strikes again.

Hussey unmarked at the far post who finds the bottom corner under no challenge.

They didn't really deserve it ont he balance of play. But every time they attack they look like they could score.

bugger

Yep, we have still dominated.  Just got to keep on doing what we have been doing.  Isgrove doesn't look fit.

Lovely move between Doyle, Anderson, Isgrove and Woolery ends with a ball cut out by the keeper, nice move.

Isgrove is way off fitness but on the ball he is still creating, he just isnt tracking back as well and not running at them, hes still creating a fair bit though as long as he isnt tasked with running too much.

Conroy felled badly by Broom, yellow for him.

Left the boot in pretty cynically.

Town looking to hit it down the channels at every opportunity to Woolery/Anderson/Doyle.

The numb defence can't cope we just need to get the long pass strength right and we will be in.

LMc nice block save at the near post.

Reid nowhere near Hussey at all yet, hes running rings round him. Isgrove not fit enough to help him out either.

Isgrove to Lyden who plays a super pass down the wing to Reid and his cross is low but we are offside, close.

Lovely cross by Reid onto Woolerys head but its wide from a free header.

Reid has a cracking cross. Shame our players can't head for shit.

2-1 Doyle

What a fucking cross from Isgrove onto Doyle from 3 yards out.

What a goal, Baudry > Isgrove > Doyle - Bang - Get in..

Cracking goal.

At times we are passing the ball as well as any Town team I have ever seen, including Hoddles side.

Its a joy to watch when in full flow.

Actually, did that come off the defender?

I never noticed TBH but there was a mass of legs, I would give it to Doyle for intent even if it was an OG!

Have we ever scored twice here?

Last season :D

No. Just watch it in slow mo and could see it went directly onto Doyle's boot.

Should have been the hatrick

Doyle 2 foot wide clean thro just the keeper to beat, close.

We are totally controlling midfield, they cannot cope with the quality of our middle 3/4.

Anderson has been the difference from Tuesday.

Feels like we are going to see a lot of goals at both ends this season.

Isgrove nice cross onto Doyles head but its saved by the keeper.

We definately missed him on Tuesday, if I was Wellens I would offer him a new contract TBH.

2-2

Hussey AGAIN beats Reid his nice cross to the near post bundled in.

Reid’s our weak spot.

Again not deserved but if you cant defend against Hussey he will always get balls in.

Shitest defending. What was baudry doing

I would swap Hunt and Reid sides at HT as Hunt is a far better defender than Reid and will cope better with Hussey.

I can see this ending 4-4 at this rate.

Immensely frustrating. We're absolutely dicking them and then just don't defend properly at all twice, they score twice.

Reid fucked up for the second goal big time but also that ball to him is never on. 3 mins before HT, just play it safe.

Anderson goes to ground too easily still, stay on yer feet man!

Reid gives it away again under no pressure.

Nice block by Isgrove as Hussey was going to cross.

Reid is half a good player and half fucking useless

HT 2-2

Going forward he looks handy, defending he looks useless.

Quite an enjoyable half of football, we are massively outplaying them but we cannot defend at all, keep the ball away from Hussey and we will win.

They cant handle us, but we cant defend.

Lyden, Doughty, Anderson and Isgrove are running midfield, Doyle leading the line so well and hes a classy player and I can see him scoring a few more times. Woolery hasn't yet clicked today.

Reid is not a defender.

It’s all very well having defenders that can play but they need to defend properly as well. Fucking pathetic for both goals.

Reid looks a liability at the back. If this isn’t 3 points for us I’ll fucking scream.

To be fair to Reid he won't play against much better left wingers in this league, however he is giving the ball away too easily when under little pressure.  He needs to up his concentration when recieving the balls in simple situations, way too laid back.

60% possession 1st half, felt more like 75% to me.

All over them but defending wide has been atrocious.  They have a single weapon and we've let them use it.  Isgrove and Reid have them on toast going forward but Isgrove doesn't seem to have anything in his legs today.  Given how open they are, I'd be inclined to sub Isgrove and save him.  Twine could come on push Woolery to the right, who might have more chance of covering any Hussey move forwards.

Hopefully Wellens can get the right defensive messages out at half time. Should be winning.

Nearly 60% possession - 6 shots to us 4 on target, 6 to them 3 on target.

I would swap Reid and Hunt over, Reid has played LB and Hunt is a natural RB, he doesn't have the skill to stop Hussey, I cringe every time he has the ball.

Broadbent has also played LB for Rovers so maybe even sub Reid and put Broiadbent at LB and Hunt at RB.

If Isgrove lasts more than 70 mins I will be surprised.

Can’t imagine their 3 donkeys at the back can change much in the 2nd half, so more of the same and no blouse-wearing defending should see us OK.

Should be winning, Doyle won't  get a better chance to get the hatrick. Reid is having a bit of a mare and seems to be playing very narrow, probably cost us both goals. That said so close to half time McCormick should have just launched it instead of putting Reid under pressure.

We can still win this as they are very easy to turn around at the moment and get at.

Yeah we can still win this but we all know we could easily throw it away as well. I hope Wellens sorts out the defence in the second half

Doyle has impressed me today, hes won a lot up front and is the poacher we have been longing for up front, hes actually outpacing the Numb defenders who can't deal with him at all today, hes not known for his pace either!

Lyden is being given the freedom of the park against them as is Doughty in the main.

Numb look so unfit, they have no pace and only look a threat when the ball is coming into our box from Hussey or Tozers long throws 1 (2) trick ponies, they are there for the taking and have little quality other than Hussey and Varney.

Keep it simple, pass the ball, run, cross and keep it in their half. Keep the ball away from Hussey and we will win.

Varney off for them.

Corner to Town.

Another corner to Town.

Short corner between Doughty and Isgrove but Lydens cross is poor.

Conroy gives it away on the half way line very poor, luckily LMc saves the resulting shot.

FK to Town 4 yards out.

Nice delivery by Doughty, Town win a FK just outside the box, Doughty shooting distance.

Doughty hits it low and its just gone inches wide with the keeper well beaten.

Baudry poor tackle on the edge of the box, almost a penalty.

Baudry and Conroy both a bit off the pace so far this half.

Cheltenham fans gettin on their players backs for trying to play football...amazing patience!

Baudry great header but offisde...apparently.

Then they hit us on the break and LMc just gets the ball wide from a long punt.

Absolutely bizarre minute of football.

Almost comical.

I swear every game we play we have at least one of those this season

Love how the secondary commentors "insights" just seems to be face palming at most things xD

If Rose is fit I think he needs to replace Isgrove and move Doughty up..

I agree, I wouldn't bring on Twine though as I have not been impressed with him so far this season.

Put Anderson or Woolery on the right? Doughty in the middle? Sounds like the best choice

Flinders playing for time already ;)

replace isgrove? did he get injured?

He is obviously struggling

Its a shame Baudrys goals was disallowed, a winning goal in that manner is the stuff legends are made of.

Hes not been fit all game.

Lyden and Doughty not playing as well this half as they did first half, not doing the quick passing game they got right early on.

Iandolo coming on.

Woolery wins a foul 30 yards out.

Iandolo on for Reid.

Isgrove nice cross but Baudry header just over the bar.

Doughty red card

Doughty red card

Awful challenge by Doughty well deserves red, kicked the player on the thigh.

Why do that?

Deserved, terrible tackle.

Oh great. Another three games without a key player.

Stupid challenge.

TBF Doughty has been poor this half, can do without him missing today and another 3 games.

Red mist after he was hit from behind in the previous tackle - with Kettle in charge you don't do that..

There was no need at all for that challenge by Doughty, not at all. Right in front of the ref too.

Can’t believe we’re going to end up not winning this.

We literally get nothing from officials, both in terms of luck or decisions.

Fuck sake. This fixture feels cursed.

Bet I can guess how it ends.

It could work in our favour, we carry on playing as we are and sitting back as they come at us and hit them with pace on the break...simple.

Definite red. What an idiot.

We only have ourselves to blame today. We should be out of sight.

Doyle 20 yarder but he doesnt catch it well and its saved.

Surely Rose needs to come on now if he's fit

Whoever is in charge you don’t do that, stupid challenge

I can’t watch this. For that reason, I’m out!

I would get Isgrove off and get Rose on to tighten up at the back and calm things in midfield.

Agreed, wasn't implying anything else

Great cross from Isgrove right onto Woolerys head.

he's not done too badly then!

Absolutely. Hes barely run 15 yards at any one time today.

Is this still a winnable game?

Last minute winnable

Town still playing some nice football.

We're gonna do this  :)

Very.

Come on you reds, well the real reds and the real Robins.

They literally have the long/high ball as their only attacking option, should be out of sight so very frustrating. McCormick down injured now.

I have to say this and it’s not just because of his red today but the last few games i’ve seen Doughty I have though he was a liability discipline wise. A few times I have winced at some of his challenges.

Doughty has often left his foot in and gets wound up easily, but for the shit you get some great quality...could be why hes in L2 though.

This.

Conroy FK to Iandolo head and its well wide.

Last minute before stoppages.

6 mins added.

Still very lively.

Just seen footage of Doughty's red. He's gone full Greer there, ridiculous

LMc playing for time, come on...we can win this still!

Stupid tackle. I hope hes fined heavily...not that it will affect his bank balance!

Doyle looks absolutely knackered.

Iandolo at LB > Reid at RB

Baudry and Conroy both had poor games today by their standards.

Corner to them with 2 mins left.

Not surprised, must be like a Chinese laundry out there.

Iandolo has looked ok today at LB, better than LW.

1 min left.

Another corner to them.

Rose down.

It's coming...

FT 2-2.

FT 2-2 take that under the circumstances.

Disappointed. They’re a terribly limited side.

All things being equal, that’s three points back at ours then.

Two points dropped. They are terrible.

A very good point, and a very entertaining game. Enjoyed that. We could have been 2-3 clear in the 1st half if not for poor defending. I can see Iandolo starting ahead of Reid next week, who was a clear weak link.

Frustrating but a week now to regroup after a real clusterfuck of games. May even have a new body through the door before Morecambe.

What's a little bit worrying is the two sides we have actually won against are in the bottom 4. Hope we can get into the "turning teams over" mode.

Early signs for the season are decent. We have looked like we could have won every game rather than been lucky to get a point. Wellens should/will sort the defence and we will have a good chance of getting out of this shitty division

Should've had that won in the first half. Doyle twice through against the keeper, 2nd one especially he should score but 2 good goals so can't be too critical. We played well again but more dropped points is disappointing. I dunno what the missing piece of the puzzle is, maybe it's just some good fortune. The first 11 is good though, best team we've had for a number of years and great to watch at times.  

I never realised just how stressful it is watching on iFollow.

The only problem for us is that to enable us play the entertaining, possession based football we have to sacrifice solid defending - although, saying that, it’s really just concentration.

Sometimes Baudry gives me the screaming ab jabs.

Was Baudry actually offside? He rose above their defender so must have been very close.

Iandolo has beefed up hasn't he?

It'd be criminal for this team not to go up the way we play at times. Hoping for 2-3 signings before the window closes to help make the bench look better.

Just seen the replay for the red. WTF was he thinking? Completely unnecessary as well.

42 points off safety now

Not according to Wellens, they've watched the replay and he wasn't apparently. "We'd be top of the league if we had VAR in this league"

One thing missed on iFollow. When Baudry’s goal was chalked off, how did their keeper get the ball in his hands to punt it down the pitch so quickly. Surely there would have been a free kick in their box for the offside.

Those bloody trolls who suggested this wouldn't be a walkover ...

Would have taken 2-2 before the game. Another unnecessary red for a key player is concerning though, wonder if the players are a bit too fired up? You can see Wellens wears his heart on his sleeve and hope that's being channelled sensibly.

 Bugger my rags.... we didn't lose.  A good sign, a win I think guarantees auto, but given the presence of the usual, Numb being poor, ex player nailed on to score, and red card, that we didn't lose is progress.

I bet on Cheltenham to win.
Only team that let me down.

You’re welcome Wellens

Let's be honest, unless you are a gubb, we'd taken this result, proper result under the cosh post 70 min style.

Holds up well and gives us a load more confidence going into next week

With Yates back next week we should be able to cover for Doughty and go 2 up top instead I'd imagine.

What did Mr Wellens have to say?

Next week is a game we have to win, no reason why we can't, but after Tuesday night the home form has to be put right asap.

A what now??

https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/competitions/league-two/11793333/cheltenham-2-2-swindon

In my own head I thought if we got 8 points from the first five, we'd have a shout. didnt expect it to be exactly 8

and definitely not in the manner we've accumulated them.

Five points dropped from the last two games,  first half performances where we should have been out of sight before the break.
Its not new, for several seasons now we've been unable to see teams off when we've been well on top.  If we can get over this problem we will piss this division.  Just totally frustrated that we are where we are.  We are a much better team than our results/league position infers. Stupid suspensions don't help,  it's getting to that stage again where we are starting to think ' we MUST win our next game' or start to slip further away from those vital top places.  I think overall we are good enough to go up but need to stop 'average' teams robbing vital points from us, until that happens we will remain a league two team.

This has blown my mind. Watched on ifollow. Thought at the time it was weird but couldn't figure out why.

Just checked the bantums forum for their reaction to Doyle scoring two today. Someone's logic seems to be that if Doyle plays for a team they aren't successful, even if he's scoring goals? Can't quite get my head round that if a striker is banging them in, surely that can only be a good thing! That's his frikking job

Not very busy on the numbnuts forum but a couple of complimentary comments -

 good match and a draw a fair result agianst a team I expect to be top 7 minimum this season.

The Swindle fans were very quiet despite their team being fairly decent and comfortably the best I've seen us play this season.


Swindon will win more than they lose and kept the ball well at times. But we should have nicked it.

I agree totally that it's frustrating that we're not higher up the table. However our record of W2 D2 L1 F8 A6 Pts8 , is considerably better than at the same stage of the Di Canio season when it was W1 D0 L4 F5 A8 Pts3.

That season didn't turn out too badly  :hmmm:

Basing it on 8 points per 5 games, hopefully we are better then that, but we should be looking at Playoffs easy.

Stick with them.  They're rebuilding.  By 2021 they'll be walking the AL East.

Good point.

It's remarkable how many games that are 2-2 at half-time finish up that way.  Both teams spend half-time focussing totally on tightening up the defence and are surprised to discover that the other team has done the same.

Makes you wonder how teams survive on such appalling attendances

If thats comfortably the best 'Numb have played this season then they are relegation fodder IMO.

They were slow and poor all over the team apart from Reg Varney and Hussey, all their good play came through Hussey who mullered Reid all game.

Now get Isgrove fit so he can run more than 15 yard bursts as he did yesterday. Even 70% fit he ran rings around them, creating so much but he just looked a bit off the normal pace for him, hes a great signing.

The signs are good, we at times play some amazing football not just for this league but any league, we pass and run and create chances, now we have a real striker up top in Doyle who can convert some of those, something we have missed since Ajose.

I enjoyed the game and even though they scored almost everyt ime they got a decent cross in I don't think we ever looked like losing.

I like Aud and PP have no idea how the ball got from being a free kick at one end to almost conceding when the last thing we saw was Baudry score then they showed LMc scrambling the ball away seconds later!

Baudry and Conroy need to tighten up at the back, thats easily the worst they have played as a pairing, we lloked far better when Iandolo came on at LB and swapped the excellent Hunt to RB.

Lyden/Doughty/Anderson were brilliant in midfield for 75% of the game until the last 20 mins when Lyden lost concentraiting, Doughty lost his head and Anderson lost his fitness.

My MoM was Doyle who did not stop running and deserved more than 2 goals (and should have got 4) he has really made a difference to our forward line.

Woolery on the other hand I though had his poorest game so far this season, not entirely his fault though as he was not given the best passes that he thrives on until later in the game.

As I said before a special mention must go to Hunt who I thought was excellent at FB and a massive step up from the fullbacks for the last 3 years or so, so versatile and hardly ever gives the ball away.

LMc also did pretty much everything well too, made a few good solid saves when he was exposed and his kicking has improved, could do little with both goals TBH.

Under 3,000 home fans for a team that have started well in a local derby against another top 7 team is rubbish.

Think it's concerning that we still conceded sloppy goals. Yes we need Doyle et al to keep scoring but in truth if we are serious about promotion matches like yesterday should be easy wins. We conceeded too many goals last season and it seems we are still in the same mode.

I have been impressed with both Baudry and Conroy so far this season, they both look like they have settled in well together...until yesterday when they were all over the place.

Conroy has improved his distribution and heading but his tackling and reading of the game has not been that great, Baudry has a good old head on his shoulders and reads the game well and can tackle and head but he looks liable to make a few mistakes every game.

Neither are stoppers, they are both ball playing defenders, sometimes we just need someone to flatten the striker like Cheltenham did, but they had 2/3 massive slow inept lumps of defenders who couldn't pass a ball if their life depended on it. All they wanted to do with stop our attack in the quickest way possible.

I hope Bradbent comes back to the level he started at with us as hes a decent passer but he is more of a stopper and could compliment either at the back when playing well.

An excellent summary PV. We have a very exciting and dynamic team plus with Yates and Rose returning we have good options, even with Doughty out now for a few games. Rose and Lyden will be the holding 2 next week, with 4 out of 5 vying for the attacking positions. I suspect Woolery will miss out, which will mean Anderson and Isgrove supporting Yates and Doyle up top. Would stick with Reid at RB and Hunt at LB, because although Reid was exposed defensively yesterday, he wont have the same attack minded wide player up against him from Macclesfield and he does offer an attacking threat with his pace and power. As long as we add to the squad with a couple more signings to cover injuries/suspensions, we will be top 7 minimum. Avoid long term injuries to our key players: Conroy, Lyden, Doughty, Isgrove, Yates and Doyle and we will be top 3.

Don't know why the goal was disallowed.
Not offside and wasn't it direct from a corner?
Maybe a foul on the defender?

https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/sport/17859612.selection-photographer-dave-evans-39-pictures-swindon-town-39-s-2-2-draw-cheltenham-town-saturday-august-24-2019/#gallery27

Also wondered at the time if LMC could have claimed the initial cross before their first goal.

Happy to take the point and move on.

Another coin lobbed on to the pitch.
The L2 officials end of season trip will be upgraded from Margate to Magaluf if it carries on.

When the fixtures came out, I said the first 5 games looked tough on the basis of Scunny being a recent graveyard, and not managing to beat any of the other 4 last season. BO predicted 8 points and I concurred that would be a decent return.  You want to be avoiding a winless start

Happily we managed a couple of wins, even if still not managing to beat 3 of them. 

Div 4 looks to be the usual pretty even league this year, the auto slots probably taken by sides best able to deal with attrition.

You can't really target PO's it has to be auto, with PO's being a second chance, and very much a lottery.

PdC didn't do too badly after 1 win and 4 defeats in his first 5 games (2 wins and 5 defeats in first 7 inc LC games) during August ;)

Can't wait to see how we look with Yates up front along side Doyle which I assume is what RW will go with v Eric next week.

Could be looking at resting Isgrove next week, who didn't look at 100% yesterday (despite 2 assists). Would rather he was fit for majority of the season, especially when we have a full quota of attacking players back.

But he did get 1 win, and at home which most people see.  The comeback win v Roverum, at the CG got PdC out of jail, that could have easily been his last game, with comedy players like Lanzano and Comazzi, looking like something was very wrong.

That was definitely the turning point for PDC  :nod:

Haven’t read back, but I’m positive after yesterday. We were comfortably the better side and if we had VAR we would have been five points better off this week.

Anderson looks up for it and doesn’t get picked up by midfield or defenders. Isgrove is a cut above going forward, but gives the right back zero protection. Reid was horribly exposed - left 2 on 1. That said, he should have cut out the second. For a big guy, he is ponderous and looked nervous. McCormick should have done better for the second too. Doyle will score a lot of goals.

Special mention for the two guys, in their 40s in the front row on the side who would lean over the boards to scream abuse in Tozer’s ear, centimetres away, every time he took a throw in nearby. There aren’t many brain cells wasted on you two are there! When Joe Romanski pitches up against us in ten years, does he get the same? I hope the sunburn is particularly uncomfortable this morning.

The photo of Baudry’s ‘goal’ doesn’t make sense if it was deemed offside. You can clearly see 2 Cheltenham players in front of him. Did the Lino flag or did the ref blow for a foul?

Whichever one it was, how the game restarted was a complete mystery.

Noticed some Town fans giving Tozer absolute pelters when he was winding up for his long chucks.

For Duff to say they matched our football was mind boggling - agricultural at best. How they haven’t been beaten home for a while is a mystery - looked worse than ordinary to me.

Looked over and the stick insect linesman had flag raised as if for offside.

Baffling.

He clearly isn't offside, I can only assume the lino flagged for Doughty, although he wasn't interfering with play.

We've had some shocking decisions against us the last two games.

One can only hope that these errors will even themselves out over the course of the season. It's going to be the other team on the receiving end at some point, surely?

It was bizarre at the time, and even less explicable now. Wellens complained about it post-match, and it was so clearly not offside that I assumed it must be for holding, but that photo seems to show the flag up before he even got the header in. Don't suppose we'll be graced with any sort of explanation.

Jeez, this division.  :crash:

Even then, Doughty looks in line with Tozer.

(Even though it isn't a foul) The ol' 'Baudry is all over the defender' argument makes more sense than offside.

Maybe another grovelling phone call to Wellens on Monday/Tuesday,  not good enough,  the standards of officials desperately needs to improve.   Desicions such as we are receiving could easily make the difference of promotion or not at the end of the season.  Hopefully as previously said these decisions will balance themselves out during the course of the season,   not holding my breath though.

It was given as offside so just another bad decision.

The flag is indicating offside for someone on the opposite side of the pitch. Presumably whoever crossed the ball. I guess the linesman thought he was the one in an offside position when the ball was played to him.

Late in the second half, I got a notification from Sky Sports saying there was a second red card for dissent? I'm assuming this wasn't the case?

No, Lyden got booked, nothing more.

Took my girlfriend to her first ever match yesterday, and although she had a great day over all, she was shocked by those two morons you mentioned. Pair of Grade A tossers

Plus Tozer was great business.

Signed for nothing. 7 games, a red card - didn’t look up to much.

Sold for 1m.

It was really odd. It was the fact he’d not done anything, except play for the opposition, and they just carried on. We’ve all hurled abuse - but usually it’s either funny or spontaneous anger. These two had issues. Each day must be a real effort!

As you say they were within an inch or two of him, the way they were acting its not outside the realms of possibility that they could've whacked him. They should have been booted. I didn't notice them second half though, maybe they were

Just watched the club’s Uncut video on fb, and I finally think I can see why Baudry was flagged offside. He's definitely in front of the defenders when Anderson swings the second ball back in. Might have to concede that one. From 8:20.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHY180VRflY

There’s a bald one in his 40s who I often have to condone, he could have been one of them. Sits with his head in his phone for the bulk of the game, without showing the slightest bit of interest, but suddenly comes to life and yells abuse in a ridiculously high-pitched voice whenever the opportunity arises.

It would have been if it was £1m, as it was his total transfer fee was £250k without the 25% sell on fee to Plymouth in that so he actually commanded a total fee for Swindon of £200k.

Still not bad for a young lad who actually wasn't that good and has had a pretty poor career since leaving us too.

Has a good throw on him though.

The 2 men definately had hair that were abusing Tozer all game, both look in their 30-40s (not old gits or young ones) and were basically shouting abuse and giving him the wanker motion every time he was next to them.

Proper embarrassing actions. Tozer stayed calm and didn't even look him/them in the eye so fair play to him for not reacting.

I was sat a few rows behind them.

I thought Tozer was very professional in how he handled it. He did take the opportunity to give a bit back to them when Cheltenham were celebrating their second goal, which of course they took exception to.

Did Baudry come back from an offside position? Marginal?

Looks clear to me.

Yeah, think we should all have to ring the lino and apologise. Although I'll offset that with around 7:29 when a Cheltenham player tries to see the ball out of play under pressure from Woolery, stops it on the line and then picks it up to take a throw. "Whole of the ball over the whole of the line"

Nah. He's still a cunt for showing an unexpected level of competence in this division, wrong time and place.

Yeah, that was Tozer, and our bench went apeshit at the time. Perhaps the injustice pushed a couple of our fans over the edge.

tbf it's not Tozer's fault if the lino doesn't know the basic rules

 Not sure how our bench saw anything from the other side of the pitch.

SORRY Ignore - talking nonsence. Its the hot weather

ICYMI https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p07lkrdz