Thetownend.com

Crawley only won one game in the last seven, against FGR.

A happy hunting ground for us...

Crawley 1 v 3 Swindon att: 2,394 (996 of us)

Have we been given more tickets I thought we only had 750🤔

Piece of piss. 1-4

1-1 draw in front of 2,545 (795 Swindon).

Been told by the Club Shop today that Crawley only gave us 600 terrace and 200 seat tickets, which have all been sold,  and aren't sending any more. I phoned Crawley Ticket Office and was told there's currently no plans for pay on the day.

that's shit for those that wanted to go

I was one of them!

I guess

doesn't their away end hold double the application. weird. can't remember trouble at Crawley

https://www.awaygames.co.uk/away-day-guides/crawley-town-away/

Heard something that Crawley didn’t fancy getting extra stewards in hence the smaller allocation. Bit of a joke really, missed out on tickets so hoping they change their mind and announce pay on the day.

The woman I spoke to didn't think that was likely but we'll have to wait and see.

I enjoyed my last trip there...Doyle with the goals and the General running the whole thing from midfield.  

Really poor that they're gonna have empty terracing with a load of Town who wish to go, though.

or if home fans can pay in the day, lots of home fans with Wiltshire accents

The sooner we get out of this shite league the better.

An extra 500 fans could generate at least £5k to £8k on ticket sales. How much does stewarding cost?

Tickets back on sale on Town website. Just bought 2. Seats only though,I think

Nothing showing for me. I can see Rochdale tickets but nothing on the Crawley page.

Click the buy now red tab at the top it takes you to another page where it shows the Crawley game

Thanks but both the red "Buy now" and the "View all events" buttons take me to the page with the Crawley match but clicking on "Find tickets" shows "0 results". Tickets for the Rochdale game display OK, though.  I'll leave it until tomorrow and see if there are any developments.

I also logged onto the website just to see what was available and I get exactly the same as you Private Fraser. It sounds like however many seats were opened up have been snapped up very quickly.

Thanks. It does seem odd, given what the guy in the shop and the woman at Crawley both told me earlier today and I've been keeping an eye on the STFC Ticket Office Twitter account. Oh well!

Go on the day and go in the home end.

I think we’ll scrape this one 0-1. Harry to score, obvs

PS before I buy a ticket, would anyone be able to help me out with a ride? I live in Old Town.

This is the start of our run in charge to automatic promotion.

0-2 McKirdy and a late clincher from Egbo. 3,802 (987)

They'll only get close to that if they allow pay on the day for town fans. 2200 average attendance this season so very generous to predict 3800. I think Crawley would bite your arm off for that figure.

1 - 1

Att: 2,598

Looks dead simple to get home end tickets as well

You’re forgetting the irresistible pull of the home fans FA cup final league match.

Crawley 1 Swindon 2 Att, 2,550 with 810 Town fans and another 50 in the home end all at the people's pension stadium😀

12 tickets have gone on sale for Crawley. Get in quick!

Reed card definitely not rescinded, he's suspended. boo

Silly me how did I not consider that 😂

Thanks. Just got 2. Think there’s 1 more

Not sure how we will line up for tomorrow with reed missing.

East has been hot and cold when he has played, sometimes great sometimes woeful, not sure hes up to starting but we may well have to.

Conroy could fill in if JOB is back fit, he has played DMC 8 times for Swindon previously with 4 defeats and 4 draws that he has played there for.
Another option is to play Williams there and bring in Payne to start on the wing, also Hunt played there in one game for us under Wellens which could open up a slot to start Egbo maybe.

Currently the fit squad is...

Wollacott
Ward

Odimayo
Conroy
Baudry
JOB (if fit)
Egbo
Hunt

Williams
East
Aguiar
Payne
JML

Parsons
McKirdy
Davison

+Youth players Minturn, Cowmeadow, Francis, Gordon and Fox.

In the press conference, garner said East has been unlucky not to play more. I guess that's a major hint.

Actually I think he said he'd start, if he's being honest.

I am sure East will start (as is probably expected man for man for Reed) but we do have options.

I think Crawley are a better side than recent results have shown with a run of WDDWLWDDLLL and like to pass and get crosses into the box for ex Town trialist Tom Nichols and the big striker Nadesan.

They were unlucky to not beat Exeter on Tuesday after hitting the post twice and nearly scoring with a chip at the final whistle. It could be a Jack Payne vs Jack Payne in midfield which would be unusual!

Watching their last 6 or 7 game highlights I would say their keeper, the 38 year old Glenn Morris looks a weak link who struggles to deal with crosses and shots so we need to get shots on target against him, their defence also looks weak at dealing with crosses.

They were slightly lucky in the home game with us when they grabbed a draw thanks to 1 silly challenge by Lyden and that followed by a silly sending off for Reed (Sounds familiar!) and we had 22 shots that day and only managed a single goal and over 70% possession too.

JOB should be fine for tomorrow.

Excellent.

Concerned like you Mate replacing Reed, a massive loss.
One of only two players that can pick a real pass when we have the ball. Can East take up that position and cover for the 2 games? - Just nervous on that score.

East is so hit and miss, I am sure with games he will improve his consistancy but hes not quite there yet.

Big game for the lad if he does start for sure.

What about Iandolo, is he missing?

Managed to grab 2 of the 12 tickets that went on sale earlier, however if anyone would like to swap two seated for two standing drop me a DM, cheers 👍

My bad :)

Imagining it'll be

JJ
Hunt JOB Conroy Odimayo
East
Payne Iandolo
Williams Davison Mckirdy

No worries, just wondered if I’d missed something saying he was out

Saying that isnt he on his 9th booking after Tuesday? must be close to a suspension

Yes, 9th

(Reed 7 then Gladwin and Hunt on 4)

Now that we have completed 37 games, it’s 15 yellows (up to the completion of the season excl Play Offs) before a suspension.  The suspension would be 3 games.

I didn't think Gladwin was quick enough to get booked😀

Hartlepool just scored.
Sheep Shaggers 1 Likely Lads 2

Hartlepool hitting a bit of form recently

Some cracking away day memories at Hartlepool with the lads.
Used to stay up the weekend and hit Whitley Bay Friday night, go to the game then out in Newcastle.
The locals the best of the bunch, the girls where special.

One night last pub 3 of the lads went swimming, stung by jellyfish, the locals pissing themselves.
DOB as always fell in love with a local :)
Unbelievable when we all get together as old bastards now and recall the stories.

Once had the whole O’Neills pub outside Newcastle station singing Swindon songs.
That was a Tour from Darlington who were always lunatics and we got lucky that afternoon.

Memories, quieter now.
Mind you staying over at Hartlepool this season with an 18 year old Son.
“Don’t tell yer Mum.” 😇

You must have been a bit of a lad back in the day Dukey!
Sheep shaggers 2 Jeff Stelling 3 F/T.......game on😀

Got stories that will take to my grave. Best days of my life following Swindon.
Before Christ - Single lad, happy go lucky, up to no good and living life to the full.
After Christ - Settled down and trying to indoctrinate 2 lads into a religion of following the lads.

The memories will last forever, the laughs the stories, just a few:

Car breakdowns
Driving a car down a cobbled street up North
Swimming in canals
Singing with locals on a pub table in Stockport, big lass got up and table broke in half
The make up girls at Darlington
Hair catching fire at Blackpool
Stags head knocking out a Mate.
Fire at Sheffield hotel, mate wearing chefs trousers to the first Premiership away game
Getting bit by a dog at Rochdale.
Vinegar gate at Wrexham with the wasp nest
Lass at Wigan before a semi final play off - Football or a night of fun. Football won.

We’ve done the lot and more. Never hurt anyone only ourselves.
The Crazy Gang no more, all old men now but every now and again you meet up and recall.
 “Remember when.......”

So much quieter now.

You seem to have all the fun up North😀
Great stories, no violence just lads having the craic on tour!

Without a doubt would say 95% up North.
However an away trip to Bournemouth, League Cup First Round, Swindon fans weekend on the beach.
A pitch invasion from the away end to the home end, but the biggest laugh of the day was the Morning on the beach watching the “7th” wave take out the Brother as he disappeared under the sea.
Dried out on the open terrace.

Wimbledon and the infamous wall collapse, Jimmy Allan helping me out of the net.

Newport taken to the Police Van for carrying an offensive weapon, a golf tee.
Thought it was a joke then realised serious. South Wales Police and Yorkshire late 70’s and 80’s were horrendous.

Always preferred the North games the same as the lads holidays, even now.
Lasses up North far more approachable, down to earth and more fun.
Give me a trip to Carlisle over Stevenage any day.

The strongest line up today.
Hope East can do a decent job covering Reed.

Still looks a tasty line up and should be enough to get the win.

Need to get off to a decent start and not chasing the game.
Williams and Payne unlikely to be risked playing 90 minutes therefore can only hope we are looking comfortable.
Egbo and JML therefore more than likely will feature.
Baudry also could have a big part to play.

Let's hope we're organised and up for it unlike Exeter.

Entertaining draw. 2-2

Pre match non-league and you know you are in The Jubilee Oak.
So, Crawley town centre, where the grass isn't greener mainly because there isn't any.
Then again, there are plenty of concrete jungles around.

A shame that away ticket supply wasn't able to meet demand for whatever reason.
Just highlights the need to get out of this league as soon as possible.
Up not down preferably.

Seem to remember that the stewards at Crawley were enthusiastic friskers with more pats involved than the parade in Dublin on Thursday.
And the smoke will probably still get in.

We have an even record against them.
They have the better of it at the CG and we do well here.
Need the win today to keep the push for the autos going, which looked well out reach after the Tranmere game.

Not a bad away day this and a lovely day to both play & watch football.

Hartlepools upturn in form has coincided with them signing out of favour Donny striker and ex Town target Omar Bogle in January who has hit 4 goals in 11 starts.

Ironically he scored an OG last night to try and aid Newport but that didnt stop Pools winning 3-2 and helping us in the table leaving us just 1 point behind Newport in 3rd place with todays game in hand.

The league is wide open.

Have a feeling we will rest Aguiar today who has had a couple of poor games in a row after his really strong start to his Town career, push Williams back and start with Payne.

JOB apparently back to fitness so I think Baudry will drop out in favour of the BFI.

Exactly this line up for me.

It's certainly starting to get interesting JJ

Just looking at attendances for the creepy ones here against us and the 5,008 in 2018 stood out.
Then remembered that it was a pay what you can afford game.
1,377 town fans that day and no idea what our overall contribution to the coffers would have been.

Tricky game today. Crawley can be unpredictable but haven't been great at home I think.

Its as tight as a gnats chuff at the top.

If one team can have a run of 3 or 4 wins in a row then its open.

FGR not having won in 7 games and Rovers having won 7 from 9 and only loising 1 of those, Port Vale 1 defeat in the last 13 games too.

We have only suffered 2 defeats in the last 8 which isn't bad with us winning the other 6.

It really is wide open, a big game today and a win is needed to keep us in touch with the autos.

We have only lost Crawley once in our 8 meetings at The People's Pension Stadium(!) with Swindon winning 2 of them including the massive 4-0 win under Wellens which kick started our championship winning season.

Crawley have been very up and down and inconsistant.

Home Form
P18 W5 D6 L7 F22 A26 - Last 5 home LWDDL

Leading scorers
Kwesi Appiah 9
Tom Nichols 8
Ashley Nadesan 7

Ross Embleton co-ommentating today. Hawes said, "there will be between 1000-1100 Town fans in the away end" so more than expected.

TOWN STARTING XI 👥 | Wollacott; Odimayo, Iandolo, Conroy (C), Davison, Payne, McKirdy, O'Brien, Williams, Hunt, East.

SUBS | Ward, Baudry, Mitchell-Lawson, Egbo, Aguiar, Parsons, Minturn.

Line up as expected.

I alwys wait to see if you can deliver the team sheet before Hodgetts😀

Well if you can do that I expect Crawley have it sussed too.

Aguiar hasn't been as impressive the last couple of games, so that's the strongest side we can play

I’ve done Bradford Swindon Cobblers and Wigan in a small accy today

Aguiar has been excellent but his last 2 games he has looked leggy and off the pace, he needs a short rest, might revitalize him too.

I think it takes a bit of pressure off of him. Hopefully, he will get to come on in the second half after Crawley are demoralized from being 3-0 down!   :D

Crawley playing a 5 foot 9 midfielder Hessenhathler (yes son of THAT Hessenthaler), at CB and only have 6 fit players on the bench today.

Other than ex Town winger Mark Marshall on the bench the other 5 subs have just 39 league appearances between them with defender Davies making 34 of those, 2 players have never played a game yet and 2 others have just 2 and 3 appearances each.

Mirkdyx2 4-0 win coyr

Poor first pass by East straight into touch.

Rovers 1 up at Northampton after 40 seconds

Payne nearly finds McKirdy with a good thro ball.

Wankers.

McKirdy on the turn shoots from 25 yards high and wide.

McKirdy cross to Payne who finds Williams unmarked but he shoots wide from 15 yards.

Sound and pictures pretty dodgy from Uranus Crawley.

Should have scored

Poor long pass by JOB loses possession.

Ha. Back-pass from Wollacott.  :eek:

I hope the players have applied suncream today

In spite of there being three matches less today I doubt we’ll see more time for L2 games on Quest tonight.

Creepy player down injured.

Gas winning 1-0 at Cobblers and now in top three

Williams. How did he know I had him to score first. Great chance

Pitch looks terrible

Creepy player going off injured.

Very poor miss and he knows it, hes usually way more reliable.

Ever present as well

Crawley win a corner with their first attack.

82% possession so far  :eek:

Awful long corner.

Davison looked really frustrated with McKirdy there as he wanted a pass.

McKirdy has a shot but its weak and at the keeper.

Clumsy Davison.

Sutton beating Tranmere

Town on 84% possession!

Crawley look dangerous on the counter though.

It is an awful surface.

Yes, and we don't so far.

Embleton saying the ball keeps bobbling

You can see the ball just bounce on simple passes. 

Long pass to Payne who finds Iandolo but his cross is scuffed poorly to a defender, nice move.

Hardly any grass on it

That’s unfair. We’ve had about four shots to their none and created plenty of chances. Glass half-empty?

Williams cleverly wins a foul as he runs back into our half.

We have created a few decent chances so far and should be winning.

Davison fouled in the middle.

East tries a low shot from 25 yards, makes the keeper save it.

Davison wins a free-kick!!! :eek:

Davisons 1st touch today has not been up to its usual standard so far, taking heavy touches.

Give and go between Payne and McKirdy but his shot is defended for a corner to Town.

I think we have looked good in possession but it's not happening in the last 1/3. Picture frozen for Williams shot. Just saw East's shot. Payne then tackled before he could shoot.

Payne Williams short corner is poor and we lose the ball.

mcKirdy picks the ball up on the touchline and comes inside and shoots but its knocked for a corner to Town.

Still think that’s a very negative take on the play so far.

Williams corner finds Iandolos head but its high and wide.

Town totally dominating possession, chances and play so far.

OK. Fair enough

Jojo saves us as they hit us on the counter.

Good save from Wollacott

What a miss by Crawley.

Jojo then takes the cross.

The totally dominant and threatening Town nearly 1-0 down! 😂

Although we are controlling the game we still need to watch the counter attack.

Fucks sake

0-1

Unbelievable Jeff.

Travesty. But again shit defending

So who was marking him ffs?  :crash:

1-0. All too easy.

Oh dear

Totally unmarked as he headed it in.

Hmmm! 😖

Who left the midget unmarked? Conroy?

Good move by Town by Payne and Iandolo puts in a good cross but Davison is too far from it.

absolute bollocks defending for their goal

Oh and they have a fucking drum too.

Great save by Jojo there.

Great save from Wollacott!

Fuck me. This is our defence of last season.

McKirdy long shot is easy to save.

Don’t mind mckirdy having a go but he needs to swing through the ball and put some power on it.  Twice the shot has been limp

Annoyingly we can go 2nd if we win as it stands. Perversely it is the Cobblers v Gas game that hinges on our 2nd place if it stays 1-0 to the Gas. Draw would be good as out GD is better than the Cobblers.

Conroy puts the ball out for a corner to them.

That was a cross. Its the sort of cross McKirdy would have got on the end of! Davison doesn't move that much in the box

Davison is not having a very good game so far.

We’re not making them work nearly hard enough for their chances. This shouldn’t be close except for our casual defending.

I see the usuals are piling in early.

If it was a cross, it was a poor cross, if it was a shot, it was a poor shot - even Mckirdy wouldn't have got on the end of that, it was straight at the keeper

You really are a moaning cunt arent you.

Tranny losing to Sutton.

Loads of possession but shit at both ends, when it matters.

Out of curiosity does the team go down the day before or are they on a bus today then play?   Just seem to make a bit of energy.

Very much this.

depends on location - but here they would have travelled down today

Symptomatic of what I was meaning earlier.  As is often the way, our performance in the last 1/3 is nearly, but not quite, right. Hence the not looking threatening.

At the moment, I desperately hope, but don't see a goal coming.

They’ll have left mid-morning. It’s less than three hours away.*

*Coaches may be faster than in my day.

Usually we only have an overnight stay before a game if its longer than about a 3 hour trip each way. Today is under 2 hours trip.

Our Jack Payne is head and shoulders above all other players on the pitch

3 mins added.

He is, Williams isnt as effective in the middle as he is on the wing linking up with Iandolo.

Davison wins a corner.

HT 0-1

Dominating everywhere except where it matters, the scoreline. Poor moment of defending and several poor moments attacking. Proper old school smash and grab.

didn't enjoy that

Gotta like depeche mode on the PA speakers

Unless you don't like Depeche Mode!

I just can't get enough😀

A few players looking a bit off their game today - O'Brien's touch is poor, Iandolo loose, McKirdy wasteful, Davison started badly but has improved. Need to up it second half.

😂

Hopefully that's what half time bollockings are for!

It's the old saying you have to score when you're on top and we were so "on top" for the first 25 minutes with every single player playing well. Went behind then everyone and I mean everyone went to shit

Strange game. Swindon dominated chances and possession up until Crawley scored.

Since then I thought Crawley have been the better side and look more likely to score a second on the break.

Payne and Williams have looked handy and you can see they have played higher up the league. McKirdy has been getting into some good positions but lacking that final finish.

We can still the game if we score the next goal quickly

Anyone else not getting an audio feed during h/t? As soon as I hear Jimmy Bullard my finger moves to switch off the video.

That is just a ridiculous comment  :D

seconded.

Ha ha. Italy have just beaten Wales in Cardiff right at the death.  :clap:

I’m afraid to say this seems like a day when a team is better and just can’t put it together

Davison did well to win the ball but Payne cant find a way through for a shot.

Let's hope the strikers have a 'newlife' in the second half and the only 'violator' is the Town. And 'all I ever wanted and all I ever needed is here in my arms.

McKirdy beats his man and gets a shot in but the keeper saves it then Payne shoots wide from the rebound. Better.

Words are very, unnecessary, they can only do harm!

Iandolo did well there to win the ball.

Get in!

1-1 Davison

1-1

Nice

Great goal well taken by Davison after a lovely through ball.

Get in Davison..

Vale 1 up
Exeter 1 up

Beautiful through ball from Johnny, cool finish from Josh.

1-1 Davison!

Just when you think he's absolute shite, he does that! 😲

Great finish but suspect defending by Crawley.

Conroy gave the ball away but he made a nice recovery tackle to save his blushes.

TBF he had a few good touches earlier this half, was probably given a bollocking at HT. Took the goal supremely well.

Everything countes - in large amounts!

Who thinks he shite, ffs.

magical. I work with lots of Welsh folk

great to be back to 1-1. let's have em

The energy in the game has livened up since our goal.

1st half he had a really poor first 30 mins or so. The big frenchman marking him has been pulling him all over the place again though which has not helped.

Another yellow for diving :clap:

Williams falls easily and has a yellow for diving for a penalty.

He was having a mare in the first half. Trying. Hard but lack of quality.

I wish we wouldnt keep fucking diving in the box this season.

I wish we wouldn’t get these silly cards for diving. We’ve got a few of these in our side.

Jack Payne shoots just wide....of our goal :) the other Jack Payne that is!

Embleton saying Obrien struggling to cope with Nichols backing in to him in the penalty box

Its been a real bugbear of mine this season, KKH, Barry, Williams, Reed, Payne etc all have done it.

Conroy has another of his senior moments.

Ryan East is doing a sterling job deputising for Reed

Thought he was a passenger in the first half. Better in the second.

1st half hour he looked comfortable, but he tailed off for the last 15 of the half, this half he has been back to a good standard again and is doing well.

Except for the defence-splitting passes. You don’t get many who can match Reed at that.

I thought he did ok first half too, a lot of our play started off through him

McKirdy turns but his shot is defended well.

I thought he was having a torrid time in the first half.

How did that stay out of the net! 😲

McKirdy wins another corner for Town.

JOB shot just over the bar unmarked from 15 yards.

If we are only going to compare East to Reed then he will always be seen a poor.  Comparing him to a player that shouldn't be in this division is hardly a fair benchmark to rate him against.

Need to take one of these chances soon. Town completely dominating at the moment.

O'Brien shot just over! How!!

NOW we are looking threatening!!

Williams stop fucking diving.

Aside: interesting relegation fixtures on 2nd April

Barnsley v reading
Stevenage v Oldham

Williams nearly puts the ball in off the defender, off the line.

Fair.

Jesus! (Not a personal one)

Thought Williams was going to get a 2nd yellow!

Then how the hell did that not end up an OG!!!

Payne, McKirdy and Williams all playing really well now this half.

We need to score now whilst we are creating

Williams wont make any new friends today at Crawley!

Tranmere equalise against Sutton

Odimayo with an unorthadox clearance! head then chest then foot.

I think most have upped their game this half.

Williams and Payne both fouled.

Sounds like we are dominating. Come on town

Iandolo with an absolutely woeful shot from 30 yards nearly hits the corner flag.

it wasn't good :)

McKirdy long shot goes well wide.

McKirdy trying too hard to get on the scoresheet - needs to look around him

Our Jack Payne head and shoulders the best player on the pitch today.

1-2

FFS 2-1

FFS

Shit

Totally against the run of play again.

Poor defending and another comedy goal!

Great save by JoJo initially

Odimayo should have released. Only ourselves to blame again. We are being naive.

Aguiar on for Odimayo.

We just don't fucking learn do we

fuck

Aguiars 1st 2 touches give the ball away.

And the 3rd!

so much better this half. But the score is the score

Our insistence to delay passing the ball so we often have 2 or 3 players harrying us into a mistake…so frustrating.

Absolutely, for all the good play we have only scored once and conceded twice.

this is that crunch point of the season where we just can't drop points the league is that tight. unfortunately our defence at the moment will always mean we will concede so we need to score 2 minimum every game.

if Exeter and rivers take the autos that would be our best chance in the play offs.

JML and Parsons on for East and Williams.

It’s ok. It’s JML time. But East off?  :eek:

JML misses a sitter.

Great football

JML should have scored with his first touch

I like these changes. I think Williams was spent.

JML !!! How did you miss?

This whole season has felt like two steps forward, two steps back.
The results, the injuries, the loan players coming and going. The performances.

Might as well lose 3-1 having a go

Still waiting JML.  ::)

Unfortunately so.

But he's not Iandolo so its not woeful and well wide

We are not the same team without Reed - we are lucky to have him

East played well.

Showing today why the autos are beyond us. we've not been awful, but 0 points (barring late drama)

We've missed the fact that Parsons made a storming run to help set up the chance for JML .

Oh do fuck off you cunt.

Do you have room in your brain for two ideas?

Agreed

mcKirdy has been poor
But is iandolo playing today

Marshall booked for a foul on Aguiar.

McKirdy just wide from a great position.

How’d he miss that? It’s not going to happen today.

Maybe Baudry should have started

,😢

the last time Baudry played 2 games in a week he was out for about 3 months

We needed something today Port Vale right behind with two games in hand and we now have a 2 week break with another away game after.

Just not our day today.

Maybe but done ok against Sutton and no game after today for two weeks

I'm going to also mckirdy myself in a minute.

It’s worse than that. We’ve gifted them this. And they’re really not great.

5 mins added.

One last chance

Crawley are really poor but yes we have just not been clinical in front of goal and wasted too many chances, are we did gift them 3 goals.

1-3

Garner will be fucking livid.

Mindfuck from Conroy to give them that ball.  :crash:

Ridiculous

Get the fuckers running on the downs tomorrow at 6am

Crawley may be poor but they win at a canter

Wise words

Defense was not good today.  I like crawleys back line played they actually are what we call here touch tight.  They are on the opponent immediately and don’t give them room.  Town should think about that

Loosing Cooper and tomilson has been devastating

what a crap pass

but let's be honest, wasn't every happening today

Unfortunately true.

Just like Exeter and hard to see how it will change at Rochdale with Reed still missing.

Fucking Conroy cannot pass the pissing ball for toffee.

Surely JJ just boots it upfield in the last minute one goal down ffs?!

Well that was shit.

Better off not knowing the score as it fucks your evening up :cry:

Pitch was shit.  Ref was shit.   Back line was shit and over all town didn’t look sharp or have energy.   But regroup and go again

Defence wins championships (or promotions).  I fear that STFCs defensive frailties mean that promotion ain't happening.

With Cooper and Tomlinson in defence we started looking decent, without them we are a bang average L2 side.

For all the good football its clean sheets and goals that win you games and points.

McKirdy wasted 2 good chances as did JML today, this is not the fault of Garner at all but the players need to shoulder the blame for that defeat against a very poor side that knows how to score.

JQ was right about Eastville Rovers - making a late surge up the inside.

They have proved to be big losses

A few weeks back I said I fancied them for the play offs as they’ve got momentum on their side.
Automatic is definitely on for them.

Att: 2,977 (1,041 Swindon).

In 2 games vs Creepy this season we had a total of 42 shots and just 2 goals.

Jeez that's non-league. How do we consistently fail against this lot?

:(

If we don’t go up this season, That game is the perfect example of why. Even when not at our best we can still clearly be a better side than a vast majority of teams in the division, but we end up losing through self inflicted problems:

Intentionally over playing it when we don’t need to (both in the final third and in defence). McKirdy shooting when it’s never on and a pass is better, and then others fucking up in front of goal when he does eventually pass. And the the one that really does my nut, our insistence to play for fouls all the time..

People going on about badly missing Reed today….Reed/East wasn’t the difference today. East did a fine job. In any case Reed isn’t on the pitch because he fucking dived needlessly (shock horror, trying to buy a foul) on Tuesday night. He went missing last time after getting sent off when not even on the fucking pitch (again, from moaning at the ref for not giving us fouls).

The refs in this league are too shit to pick up on every genuine foul we play for, so we end up chucking ourselves on the deck at every opportunity which just exacerbates the problem. In my opinion we’re plenty good enough to not need to rely on it the way we seem to be coached for.

Garner:
- Did incredibly well to ONLY score 1
- There were moments where we werent good enough. That lost us the game
- Started well, but then got complacent
- Wasnt happy at 1/2 time
- Reaction was good
- How we haven't scored 3 or 4 I dont know
- Then we give a goal away from a throw in.
- The last goal is poor game management. We roll the ball out when we should have hit long
- Not enough intensity in our defending
- Felt that we slowed the game down before they scored their first
- Missed opportunity today
- No particular messages to back four. Just too many lapses. Its a mentality thing. Tuesday was fantastic but today wasnt at that level
- Aguiar: Picked team that I thought was right with them having a back 5. Tactically we were ok. It wasnt a personnel or shape issue it was an intensity one
- We were so far ahead before they scored and again in control after Davison's goal. We should have won
- Gladwin is still weeks away. Training on the pitch after the game.
- Will analyse the preparation and then look at it as a collective
- Missed opportunity today. Got to make sure it doesnt cost us later in the season

Schoolboy errors then.
Today's attendances

https://www.espn.co.uk/football/fixtures/_/date/2021000319

We did miss Reed today, any team would in this league.  East did play well, but that is not the point - take a (min) Lge 1 player out of a Lge 2 side and you are going to miss him.

However I agree that Reed wasn't the reason we lost today, that sits with the defensive line and the chances missed.  You can badly miss a player in a side irrelevant of whether the gap that he left in the team wasn't the reason for the loss.  He might not have won us the game today, but if you are saying that we didn't miss him at all then I am not sure what you have been watching.

If Cooper and Tomlinson had been fit I think promotion was likely. Is there any chance that Tomlinson might be able to play a bit before the end of the season?

funnily enough I'm 99% sure Hawes said he thought Tomlinson was close..

let's hope that's right

Would make a massive difference if he is fit.

It thought he was the one Garner was alluding to as being a maybe for today after the Sutton game…

yeah me too DV.

then I heard Gladwin was at Crawley ...

But then Garner says Gladders is weeks away, and Hawes mentioned Tomlinson

I thought Garner had said both Tomlinson & Barry were close

I’ll be honest I’m confused what point you’re making. You seem to be disagreeing by agreeing with me.

We didn’t not win that game because Reed wasn’t on the pitch. There will be times where Reed is the difference. But today wasn’t one of them. We’re more than a one man team.

Hopefully a few more now we’ve got a two week break…

oh I missed Barry. too busy moaning in Twitter

Just looked at the table. Was expecting us to be further away from autos than we are. 2 points off, plenty of mileage in the season yet, so shouldn’t get too despondent. Just so frustrating when you know that you don’t have to stretch your imagination too far and we’d be in a much better position. Gah.

This is Swindon. Nearly but not quite.

When when fuck up we do it very well :banana:

Just got back from Crawley, and still struggling to fathom how we lost that.

The surface was poor - very uneven - which impacts more on us than Crawley because of our preference for passing. We also thought the wind may have impacted a little. However, we should have own that comfortably - we were on top until the defence nodded off on the first goal - the man who crossed had acres of space because we gave the ball away, and giving a free header on the six yard line is criminal.
Second half we dominated, and at 1-1 had enough chances to have been out of sight. McKirdy ought to have had a hat trick and Williams and O’Brien also had good chances.
At 2-1 JML should have equalised too.
Both the second and third goals came from us giving the ball away - so individual mistakes in both penalty areas cost us today against a limited Crawley team.

I share others’ exasperation with the ‘diving’ , and we do make a meal of some challenges. however I don’t think it is a binary thing - while I thought it wasn’t a penalty when Williams went down as the defender won the ball, I also thought it was Williams momentum which caused him to go to ground - so not a dive either. The trouble is that referees (and fans) seem to forget this middle ground.

Finally, musical instruments have no place in a football ground. The constant thud of that drum was incredibly irritating- at least those watching on iFollow could turn the sound off!

What a blown chance that was. First 25 minutes I thought we were gonna win comfortably. That Williams chance goes in and we'd have strolled it. Then,through shocking defending,we concede and collectively droop. Second half we started as we did the first,equalised with a quality goal and dominate for 20 minutes again. So many chances missed McKirdy forcing a point blank save but really should have scored. Davison with his hold up play and perfect lay off sets up the best chance of the game. Unfortunately it falls to JML.What a soppy effort that was. McKirdy then misses another great chance and then we gift them a third. Didn't understand all the  subs to be honest,JML came on to audible groans.

Hat makes it even worse is they had more players out injured than us.

Agree with most of that.
Should have converted a few more chances and wasteful at times.
Struggled to penetrate their midfield that simply set out to stifle our play. Thought our passing was a little off the pace this afternoon.
All led to a disappointing day but nowt we can do now, onto the next game. Most Depressing thought of today thinking we may have to go back to grounds like that, bastard drums en all.

I still think it’s a collective problem defendively. The defenders are being tasked with being quasi midfielders with initiating attack’s as their primary job not actual defensive duties. It’s fairly obvious by now that there is very little defensive coaching, everything is geared for getting forward. All very laudable but it produces results like this even against very limited opponents.

All very laudable describes things well but it's also our downfall when yesterday a 0-0 boring defensive display was what was needed just to get points on the table.

Well, that’s what we are going to have to accept under Garner. Stoic defensive displays aren’t in his playbook.

I’m still convinced yesterday’s defeat was down to missing a host of chances then the defensive frailties. Pop one of those early chances in and it’s a game changer. Pop one of those chances in at 1-1 and we win the game.

It’s all very frustrating but when you’ve got CBs marauding forward into the opponent’s half it’s always going to be a precursor to a defensive howler vis everybody is out of position. It is what it is.

I know we have personnel issues at the minute, but this is why 5-3-2 or 3-5-2 works better than 4-4-2 for me. You’ve simply got more bodies centrally. Both in an attacking and defensive sense. The amount of times we don’t have someone in the centre circle looking for the ball when playing 442 astounds me but with a narrow 3 ideally reed Payne Iandolo that wouldn’t happen. More options from a throw in too as we rarely retain the ball in the opposition half. And don’t even get me started on the high line we try to play when the opposition has a free kick-keep doing that and we will concede again and again. Trying to head it away when running backwards is a lot harder to do than running onto it. Any oppo doing their homework on us, could easily undo us with a set piece in our half with a bit of intuition.

It seems not an easy watch

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=aTXjbdNo-Uw

Reed is always in the centre circle looking for the ball. It’s what he does all game.
Not yesterday obviously.

Perhaps I should’ve said when reed drops deeper to pick up the ball. There’s no one central for him to pass it to. Whereas with 2 other CMs you’d expect him to have that option.

Oh yeah, huge lack of movement and availability from any of the midfielders when Reed drops back and picks up the ball. Inevitably it ends up going to a defender.

I don't agree with 5-3-2 being better than 4-3-3 (that's how I see it) for us

with 5-3-2 we served to endlessly piss around passing around the back either going nowhere it cocking up.

we still do that, but imo far less.

that said, there's no reason not to mix it up l. And to be fair we have a bit switching between the 2.

yesterday was just one of those frustrating days at both ends

100%

Be interested to see how true that actually is. Looks like we are losing just as many games and winning just as many. There seems to be this weird idea that we were struggling with the previous formation when we were probably around the same position in the league

Not too downhearted after that.
Losing when creating chances is a bit better than losing and not creating anything.

A couple of weeks to sort things out and maybe have one or two available again for Rochdale.
Still in the hunt for a top three finish but need to make sure of a play off spot first.

Have a feeling that Rovers, at least, might be peaking too early.

Agree, totally, should have easily won 3:0, but individual errors cost us.  Also, with six first-teamers out, there was a much weakened bench.  Two weeks to get players back and work on defense for the run-in.  Tranmere away was a blessing in disguise, yesterday might be as well. We have to play on end of season pitches, must learn to adapt to inferior surfaces.  Reed missing lowers confidence in the rest of the team, have to counter that for Rochdale,  Yes, East had a decent game, he's not the problem.  Finally, no player out for a post-match interview, hopefully they were having a good row, words needed to be said.  Finally, cut out the stupid diving, stay on your feet!

I think if you probably looked overall our record with each formation probably don’t differ that much.
We need tailed off under the 352 hence the change and the switch to 433 gave us a bit of a spring…but…I imagine overall you’re right, very similar records.

The Colchester and Exeter collapses didn’t help the 352. Win both of those and no ones asking for a change anyway

Swindon defeats this season (all comps) and formations played.

4-3-3
Swindon 1-3 Bradford
Crawley  3-1 Swindon
Swindon 1-2 Carlisle
Swindon 1-2 Port Vale
Swindon 1-2 Salford

3-5-2
Swindon  1-4 Man City
L Orient   4-1 Swindon
Mansfield 3-2 Swindon
Tranmere 3-0 Swindon
Exeter C  3-1 Swindon
Barrow    2-0 Swindon
Swindon  1-2 Exeter
Swindon  1-2 Colchester

needs P W D L F A

:)

Played 13 in total😀

Still right in the mix. Seem some odd comments in the last couple of days. We lost and a shit result but created a lot of chances and could have easily won. Just got to keep going and put points on the board. Think we're good enough to get in the playoffs

I think we're top 3 without injuries & suspensions just need a couple back for Rochdale and to cut out needless bookings.

Seems to me and forgetting the ‘look where we were etc’ that we have proved to be a far better team in both halves of the season even with the forced changes than we dared hope for. Therefore I suspect we’re all guilty up to a point of building our hopes up that we could escape this shitty league at the first attempt against all the odds. Clearly it is not going to be that cut and dried, aint football a funny old game? Who said that? 🤔

The calorifically challenged xx person (for you younger folks) identifying as a microwave oven has not started to sing yet but is warming up in the wings. The autos may turn out to be a bridge to far but the lottery of the PO’s are there for the taking.

We now have two weeks free of competitive action to train, train, train, get our fitness numbers back up to strength and watch how the other teams fare.
Don’t you just love this game?

If there's one thing consistent about us this season, it's inconsistency. You could flip a coin to guess our results each game. Away form was good in the first half of the season and you could bet we were going to probably get a result. Now, I have no idea week to week.

You could be right about a "bridge too far" but the same lack of consistency among all the other candidates gives us hope I think

Not read back yet, my thoughts on Saturday.

I thought for the whole we actually played very well. Like Sutton on Tuesday Crawley were a little patched up and apparently 3 out of their 4 back line were actually midfielders. As with most games this season we started really well and Williams should have scored in the first few minutes. Crawley were chasing shadows and it only seemed a matter of time before we would take the lead. Sadly, as with most of our games this season we conceded an absolutely pathetic goal. To leave their leading scorer unmarked 5 yards in front of goal is unacceptable and is happening far too much. If you look at the replay there isn't a player within about 3 or 4 yards of him. Jojo made another superb stop to keep it at 1-0 but I felt at half time like we would go on to win the game confortably or we would lose 3-0. Crawley were playing us like they were away, allowing us to have the ball, soaking up pressure and looking to break and cease on any mistakes.

We started the second half well, Payne and Williams were beginning to run the show in midfield and the latter played a great ball to Davison, the keeper hesitated and Davison scored superbly. After that, it looked like only one winner. McKirdy had the chance but the keeper (more luck that judgement in my eyes) made an unreal save. After that, McKirdy, who was always involved, started to give the ball away consistently with underhit passes. Not blaming him at all for our defeat but I felt that this gave Crawley a bit of a foothold when it seemed they might buckle. I'm not massively sure if the defence can be blamed completely for their second goal, it was a total fluke that the shot which was blocked went off the post and fell nicely for Nichols to finish.

Even after that we were creating the better chances, how on earth JML never scored is beyond me, got to do better from that position. The third goal was clearly from us pushing for an equaliser but even then Jojo was really unlucky not to save the shot and it to fly out of the reach of Jack Payne. That was never a 3-1 defeat in a million years, on another day we'd have won that game by 3 or 4 ourselves. The first goal was what hurt the most, how can any professional team leave a player so badly unmarked so close to goal? I thought Payne looked somewhere back to his best, Davison had a good game, often working hard to pick the ball up in midfield, and he used it a lot better than he has before. McKirdy flitted in and out, I thought he was almost unplayable early on but then seemed to get sloppy and a lot of his passes went astray. I also thought Williams played well, I just wish he would get on with playing the game more and stop with the gamemanship to win free kicks, referees I think have got wise to him and he needs to use his obvious talent better.

let's look at the positives. We have a 2 week break where we can get all our injured players back as close to match fitness as possible. The players are going to be seething after Saturday and now looking to put everything right for the last few games of the season. We haven't yet had our winning run of games yet this season, Mansfield and Bristol Rovers are surely coming to the end of theirs, we can time ours to take us at least into the play-offs, it's still very much all to play for!

He used to entertain me when I first got into Soccer AM but i'm the same as you, I think he needs a spot of Vagisil to get rid of the irritating cunt. I wonder how today's teenagers and twenty somethings find him?

I have heard he speaks very highly of you.... :D

Soccer AM went down the shitter even before Bullard arrived.

About 1998 I recall.

No idea when Bullard started appearing on there but I used to enjoy it until about 2006 when it just went to rat shit and haven't watched it since, pretty much around the time Lovejoy left, whoc I didnt rate but he held the program together.

I think I may have given up on it a little before or around then too JJ. I guess it's aimed at a younger audience anyway so there will always be the generations that get bored of it and are replaced by the next one so I'm sure it has a regular following. It must be doing something right it is still being aired!

Been out of circulation with kids parties etc over the weekend, but just watched the 'highlights'.

Did we have a ceremony after the game to celebrate the number of times we granted them the freedom of out 6 yard box!

Yes you are probably right mate about the age range.

Had no idea what Helen Chamberlain was doing now but a little shocked to see her main just is working for the Independent Family Returns Panel for the Home Office. Thats a heck of a change in careers, as for Tim Lovejoy I had no idea he was even still on TV having never watched daytime Sunday TV.

Went downhill after Jutty appeared on there with his football shorts on !.

ha. I occasionally watch a little bit of Sunday Brunch. It's hit and miss but there is a bit of interest for everyone on there. I'm not a massive fan of his, but he has carved out a good career for himself to be fair.

It’s that that kills us…

I've been watching Sunday brunch for years but feel they try too hard these days and it's getting a little boring.

That reminds me, was there a stag party or something at the game on Saturday? It looked like there were 11 guys all lined up in full kit wanker garb.

I assume that was the team of Louis Reed's that we all dream of.... as seen on Twitter!

Yeah I kind of avoid Twitter after we lose, it seems to bring out the single digit IQ doom merchants.

The same lads who dressed up as Butchers and Pigs at Forest Green, turned up at Coventry in a horse box and drive the service bus to away games.
Know the Brothers very well, absolutely class and just up for the crack.
Equally a Son of my Mate travels with them.

Always raise a smile.

We've been given 600 tickets for Harrogate

needed an extra for Harrogate.

not happening (rightly so)

the Walsall tickets are going on sale too.

A bit annoying Rovers were given 1400 at Northampton where we had around 950

They may well live to regret that,  certainly a bigger bunch of yobbos than our well behaved fans.

Remember this was just after Stevenage where some of our less bright fans decided it was ok to act like pricks

Both good points made above.

STFC ticketing .. garbage this year.

can't assign people from your network tickets even though they have the right number of points

Yes same problem, only workaround for me was logging on separate profiles on different devices at same time and buying individual tickets, fortunately for Walsall game timed it so that seats are next to each other. Club should have prioritised fix for this as inconveniencing the very people who they most need to stay loyal.

Same here it’s awful.
Just fallen out the phone queue as well.

Had same problem too. Only wanted 2 tickets for each game so had to log in on 2 accounts consecutively and purchase in separate transactions.

yeah, it's seats together that's the issue.

can do 3 terrace tickets from 3 accounts. didn't get timing right when I tried seats

It may not be a problem at Walsall. When we were there for the cup game, it was 'sit anywhere'.

Could only get 2 seats anyway, they are together.They may have sold out I guess.

I don't mind the terrace, preffer it. On my own on my own on my own.

Walsall steward told us it was allocated when we asked if we could sit anywhere. I mean, people did anyway but...

I'm going to Walsall, but my ticket is not next to my season ticket supporting friend, but it sounds like the away end is likely to be a sit where you like I suspect.

Managed to get my 3 terrace tickets for Harrogate and 3 tickets for Walsall.
Was informed that all seats for Harrogate sold out.
Phoned back later and was 5th in queue, 20 mins later was on.
This Morning after the web site was not working for assigned holders was 29th in queue and lost connection at 9th, well pissed off.

Really need to sort out this fiasco for next season.
The young lady mind who I spoke to in the Ticket office very polite and helpful.
It’s difficult when you live miles away from the Ground.

Just Hartlepool to go for the full set. Expecting that to be simpler.

I'm sure the club want it fixed too. And the staff are pleasant.

It's powered by Ticketmaster, you'd think they would be able to cope.

Having said that, they were bloody useless when the Reading festival ticket fiasco hit (disappearing bar codes). At least STFC don't take double digits service fees then totally ignore you for the privilege (once you get hold of them).

I promise I didn’t do it on purpose 😂😂

After trying to book tickets on the internet this morning I called about about 3.45, straight through and bought the ticket.  I’ve spoken to the same person all four times I’ve called over the past year, I assume it’s more than one person in the ticket office

I owe you a pint of a soft drink of your choice sir!

I wonder if the club will consider opening the Stratton bank for home fans against FGR if we're still in the mix as demand will be high.

But aren't the massive club Forest Green going to bring enough to fill it?

Perhaps the meaty smell from the Bank bogs will deter them  :)

700 in the Arkells will be plenty for them😀

Even more reason to open it for Town fans😀