Any evidence of a Harford factor......

[Reg Smeeton]

....I could have sworn at one point tonight all our players slotted back into 2 banks of 4, with the front 2 pressing thus causing PV to needlessly hoof the ball into touch......probably coincidence, as they should have been 3-1 up by half time....this is why they're down the wrong end, just about the least goals away in the league....presumably with Brooker and McPhee last season, they'd have put them away.

 Still makes a change to get a 1-0 from the inevitable dour encounter with the Valiants.

 Also pleased to see Matty Heywood getting back to something like a couple of seasons ago.....he was quite vocal, its always disappointing when you can hear the players shout......bit like a glorified reserves game.

[Dazzza]

Seemed to be giving the subs living hell with the old drills after the match.

Glad Heywood is looking back to his old self.  Taken some time though.

Shame about the attendance, Champions league, mid-week and weather can't have helped at all.

That and the free commentry on the old wireless.  

[Iffy's Onion Bhaji]

i think harford is working with the defence more than king did. this was evident in heywood last night

[OOH! SHAUN TAYLOR]

Heywood is starting to look good again I have to say.  Not quite back to his POTY standards of 3 years ago but getting there I reckon.

(N.B. POTY = Player Of The Year)

[janaage]

I reckon that's all down to my drunken pep talk on Saturday night.   :beers

[BigStan]

All that Matty's "Return to form" shows is that it's far easier to play well when you're not starting games already injured.

This is the first time since his "POTY" year that he's been free from injury and acceptably fit.

All the time that he's been less good than in his "POTY" year King has known the reason why and has consciously decided that he'd rather play an injured Matty than leave him out. Asking a player to play through the pain etc. is all well and good for the club short term but if it carries on it is very definitely not well and good for the player.

It's taken Matty so long this season to get to a reasonable level of fitness because he missed ALL pre-season and so he's been trying to build fitness on no foundations. Playing doesn't get you fit it just makes you sharper if you're already fit.

[Reg Smeeton]

Lets hope there's moreto come then......I think the same sort of thing is behind Nicho's struggles this season.

[Sade]

I thought that all the players looked more motivated than usual.I thought Igoe and Rhys were two of the best.Pleased for matty too.Once again dukey did very well!

[jim]

Lets hope there's moreto come then......I think the same sort of thing is behind Nicho's struggles this season.

I think you're wide of the mark there Reg me old mate.  He is as fit as a butchers dog.  His non-selection is a mystery - maybe only Kingy knows the answer.

[reeves4england]

I think we did look fairly solid and kept our shape.
The only problem with Heywood is he refuses to let the ball run out. He always has to save our own goal kick by giving them a throw.

Only defensive errors last night were when blokey got that volley in from 6 yards (good save Rhys!) and when Evans had to claim a cross between two unmarked Vale players about 8 yards out. Shouldn't be happening.

[janaage]

I noticed that with Heywood, but if that's his biggest fault I don't mind.  Least he's not like Ifil who tries turning the centre forward and standing on the ball.  If the centre half clears he's line and gives away a throw in least it gives us time to regroup and get organised.

[reeves4england]

Fair enough, but there was one occasion where we were about to get a throw round the halfway line, and Heywood sees a bloke running towards it, so instead of shielding it out (which would've been fairly easy) he hoofed it into row Z!

[timmyg]

I like that he whallops the ball out of play, in fact I wish more defenders would do it. Like Jan says, it's better to give a throw-in to the opposition and regroup than to try and shepard the ball out and get caught out...

Obviously if you're good then you can make a decision between the two, but when you're not quite as good then the old hoof is fine by me. Clear the ball for a few seconds and sort yourself out.

[BigStan]

Lets hope there's moreto come then......I think the same sort of thing is behind Nicho's struggles this season.

Unfortunately Reg, Nicho's problems are all in Andy King's mind.

If anybody knows why King has gone off Nicho this season send your answer on a post card to Andrew Nicholas, c/o The County Ground, ...

As it stands at the moment David Duke is under no pressure for his starting place as a left back. Nicho isn't even getting on the bench.

How crazy is that ?

King continues to pick a right winger with no bottle instead of a proven left back who's no slouch when it comes to attacking. Weird or what ?

[reeves4england]

Apparently Nicho had an ankle injury for most of the season but the club never told the fans until quite recently when it was discreetly mentioned in the Gazette.