Swindon Town v Notts County matchday thread

[@mwooly63]

Just noticed the Franchise game is a gold category game at £27. Live on Sky, 12:15 kick off, fuck all away attendance. Struggling to see this one as anything other than a bronze game - get the crowd in, don't give them an excuse to sit in their armchair.

Can see the gold thinking if had still been on the Friday.
Being a bank holiday and in POs they may have bought more than their usual 300

Don't think will work out that way now an early KO sky extravaganza
Could easily be changed to a bronze now esp as we get paid by the devil sky

[Ardiles]

Just noticed the Franchise game is a gold category game at £27. Live on Sky, 12:15 kick off, fuck all away attendance. Struggling to see this one as anything other than a bronze game - get the crowd in, don't give them an excuse to sit in their armchair.

Looks as if the categorisation has not been reviewed since the decision by Sky to televise.  I could see 10,000+ of our own fans at this without the complication of TV.  But prob only 8,000 with it (together with the earliet KO).  Seems strange not to adjust prices to reflect the TV showing.  The die hards will go all the same, but latent fans - and especially those out of town - will save themselves the £27.

[TheDukeOfBanbury]

Thought the support was much improved today, too.

Also, there was a nice touch I noticed as the players came out for the 2nd half. Yasser, who must have been pissed at not starting, low-fived the other players as they came onto the pitch.

Nice gesture.

Most has been said about the game and the shit officials but the crowd were patient from the off.
That helped after the recent form.
Even I was concerned at halftime with one up front and still at 0-0. Patience prevailed and it was never in doubt after we scored the first.
Swift easily motm and laid off the ball when he needed to today. Ran the midfield and fair play to him after taking some stick recently.
Well done us today for sticking with it and getting behind the players.
On to Port Vale an absolute beautiful place and one of the nicest Places in the UK.

[@mwooly63]

Most has been said about the game and the shit officials but the crowd were patient from the off.
That helped after the recent form.
Even I was concerned at halftime with one up front and still at 0-0. Patience prevailed and it was never in doubt after we scored the first.

Were a few around me in the TE having a pop at Wes in the warm up which soon changed after his 2 early saves, also a lot of groaning going on too.
Helped having shit officials to turn their anger on
Also woke the TE up too

[Bob's Orange]

At 2/3-0 did anyone notice the difference in Toffolo? He suddenly got a spring in his step and was skinning their right back for fun. I've been crying out for him to be more adventurous and back his ability, hopefully he'll kick on now.

[stfc1975]

At 2/3-0 did anyone notice the difference in Toffolo? He suddenly got a spring in his step and was skinning their right back for fun. I've been crying out for him to be more adventurous and back his ability, hopefully he'll kick on now.

I thought he was terrible first half as was Gladwin . Both improved after the break and as you said he actually took someone on  which is what we are crying out for.

All in all a good win and a bit of confidence for the players and fans.

[TheMajorSTFC]

That's more like it! Great result and one of our better performances for a while. Hopefully the start of another good run but a tough end to March with Vale, Donny and Colchester all away before our next home game against Franchise.

[@mwooly63]

And there is the rocking the baby celebration



Didnt notice it from other end of ground

[joteddyred]

I reckon to get the second auto we'll need to win something like 8 of the last 11....a very difficult ask. However even though it's still a long way out, there might just be some benefit in finishing 3rd, in terms of PO positioning.

We could now do with winning on the road again, to restore a bit of confidence.....Vale Park, has been a bit more of a happy hunting ground recently, so a possibility....Donny on a Tuesday night  proper STFC graveyard.

I've just had a look at Preston's remaining fixtures.  Looks quite an easy run in to be honest.  Not sure they'll drop many points.

[Reg Smeeton]

 It's now theirs to throw away.....you never know, but given their squad strength + manager with plenty of previous for getting out of Div 3...the odds are in their favour.

[kerry red]

I've just had a look at Preston's remaining fixtures.  Looks quite an easy run in to be honest.  Not sure they'll drop many points.

Weren't people saying the same thing about Sheff Utd a few weeks ago?

[Iffy's Onion Bhaji]

Much better yesterday. Top 2 is a tall order now but maybe Preston have peaked too soon? Let's hope so.

Even if we have to settle for the play offs there is no team in there that strikes real fear into me. Finishing 3rd or 4th should see us avoid MK.

[Ardiles]

I think the truth is that no-one knows.  On paper, our Feb 2015 fixtures looked easier than those for the previous month (when we excelled) - and look what happened.

With two months of the season to go, predicting which of two teams separated by 2 points is going to finish best is a mug's game.  Put on a blindfold and throw a set of darts at a board.  Just as reliable a method for predicting in my view.

[OOH! SHAUN TAYLOR]

The odds are slightly in Preston's favour but only slightly. They are in the driver's seat at the moment but as Ardiles says, 2 points over 11 games is absolutely nothing. And who knows what constitutes an 'easy' game or a 'hard' game any way? Crawley looked 'easy' on paper for us and Fleetwood looked an 'easy' fixture for Sheff Utd yesterday. I'm sorry IOB, but saying 2nd spot is a 'tall order' at this stage is frankly ridiculous.

[Benzel]

God knows how we lost that 3-0.
 
For the first hour I honestly thought we were excellent today. Their defence looked very shakey and we really should have been winning within the first few minutes but for a couple of superb saves from their keeper. Swindon grew into it and were keeping the ball well, but we were keeping our shape and they weren't really creating anything. As a result of that the home crowd were starting to get on their backs and frustration was creeping in.
 
Then they go 1-0 up out of absolutely nothing. Good finish from their lad though I guess you can look at our defence and ask how he had the time to pick his spot and shoot the way he did. Avoidable, but thats the difference between the top sides and the bottom sides - that ability to grab a goal from nothing.
 
Once they scored we folded like a deck chair. The penalty a couple of minutes later was dubious to say the least, but the way Roy Carroll carried on at the officials was downright embarrassing - the referee isn't going to suddenly change his mind and wipe that goal out ten minutes later is he? Sort it out Roy for christ sake.
 
Credit to our lads we kept huffing and puffing and had a few half chances, but the third goal was truly woefull.
 
And Liam Noble, well he should never play for this club again in my opinion - his red card today was absolutely pathetic, just constant arguing with the ref even after being booked. The bloke's too much of a liability and I wouldn't have him anywhere near the side again - sod him off.
 
Deffinitely a lot more positives than what I saw at Bristol City. There was a clear attacking threat in JCR and Paddy on the wings with Lita the lone striker. He did alright today, but the problem was there was nobody there to gamble on the flick ons so he had a pretty impossible job. But given a run of games together surely that force will bear fruit. Mind you it'd be nice if JCR actually crossed the ball occasionally rather than trying 87 stepovers before losing the ball.
 
Gutted by that, 3-0 isn't a fair reflection at all, honestly felt we were on for a point or three for the first hour, but the game changed in a split second and that was goodnight irene. So frustrating.
 
Will we stay up? If we start taking our chances we should get the points we require, but it worries me how long we've been saying that...

Funny how some see the game, another Notts fan also said we should have been down to ten men early on... any ideas?