Thetownend.com

A toughie on Saturday. Both sides with only 1 defeat this season, but Cobblers are second thanks to 7 wins.
Sam Hoskins is one to watch with 11 goals in 10  ::)

Swindon 1-3 Northampton att: 8,873 (610 away)

Does the team pick itself? I'd like to see
                                Brynn
 Hutton  MacDonald   Clayton  Blake-Tracy
            Gladwin    Reed   Darcy
            Wakeling  Jephcott Williams

That is how I would pick it but I feel Lindsey will go with.

                           Brynn
 Hutton  MacDonald   Clayton  Blake-Tracy
            Gladwin     Reed   Williams
        Wakeling     Jephcott      Shade

Probably right mate,although he did bring Shade off quite early.

Piece of piss, 4-1

Or,he may pick the same starting 11 only with Reed back in for Khan. At least Williams,if selected, will be fresh after yet again failing to see any action for Wales

Should be a really good game on Saturday, both sides will be chasing promotion this season. Probably our first 'proper' test of the season. I imagine there will be goals in this one.

Agree and if we can keep them out or limit to 1 goal we have a great chance and cements the feeling of a good defence.

Almost certainly this if fit, possibly Lavinier at RB.  Darcy has to start after Saturday, Williams is miles better than shade.

I would go with that, but for whatever reason I think Lindsey thinks Shade is a better option than Williams, although I feel he may be the only one who thinks that as Williams is blatantly far better than Shade.

I wonder if eventually Shade will go to being an 'impact' player off the bench. Against Donny he was murder in the first half but pretty good second. He's very much a marmite player, I actually think there might be a decent player in him but needs a year of coaching. He's only just turned 22 so still very much one for the future. If we can get the same balance on the left as we have on our excellent right hand side we're going to be a real handful for teams this season.

Oh I am sure there is a player in there somewhere, he is strong, big and quick but his final ball is often scuffed badly, its like he needs to just learn to connect with the ball properly, a bit like Keshi in his early career with us  in a similar position.

If he can find that decent final ball he will be a decent player I am sure.

0-0 in front of 8,889 with 895 Cobbs there.

Khan MotM.

I was trying to think of a comparative player and initially thought of DJ but then had a word with myself. Yeah, he is a bit like Keshi, but bigger and stronger, the comparison with scuffed shots and poor decision making at times is a good one :)

isn't he suspended mate?

Yep :) see previous predictions when we have won :)

Ah! Is it your lucky charm?

Shhhhhhhhh don't tell everyone :)

Have to keep a close eye on Sam Hoskins, scored 11 goals from 10 games so far this season, more than half their entire total of goals so far, and all from an attacking midfield role too.

They have ex Town players Ali Koiki and Akin Odimayo in the squad too.

They also have ex Town players Colin Calderwood as assistant manager and Marc Richards as 1st team coach.

Form of his life!

Exactly 20% of his entire tally for them in 7 years!

Not bought tickets in a while but bought 2 for the Colchester game which I note you have to download and print off. I assume the PDF is emailed to myself? Haven't received any confirmation as yet. How long does it normally take to arrive? (I've checked my junk etc)

Usually instant in my experience, you get a confirmation email followed instantly by another with the match ticket(s).

Also I don’t print the ticket as can scan directly from your phone or add to Digital wallet etc.

Yeah I think I might have fucked it up somehow as no money has come out of my account - ignore me, I must have not completed the purchase. I'm a buffoon sometimes.

All sorted now and your right, confirmation came instantly. In the end, the issue was between my chair and my desk.

^This^

"Poor. Just blokes talking about a football match" Eh?  ???

http://www.thehotelend.co.uk/

Can't link the thread, just look for Swindon in Cobblers Corner.

A team of extreme shithousers. Dislike the fuckers. Always have.

Hope we dick them with a right dodgy pen. Didn’t they score one at the CG that was about 10 yards offside a couple of years back?

Stock up on milk bottles!

Are they? Can’t remember much of that last time. I assume they have done a better job of squad retention than we did, so their good start isn’t really a surprise.

Hoping we keep the leagues top scorer quiet. 11 in 10 is ridiculous, completely unlike any of his other seasons, not really that young at 29 either. Weird, hope he has a stinker.

Clean sheet and win please. COYR

Just a load of blokes talking Cobblers.  :bye:

Putting the boot in as it were.

I think their manager Jon Brady has slightly changed the way they play this season to be a bit more expansive. Last season they were solid (except when they came to the CG) and relied on a lot of goals from set pieces. This season it appears there are more goals at both ends for them and they are pretty potent going forward, they definitely seem to have got the best out of Hoskins. And Danny Hylton is just coming back from injury I believe so we really need to be on our toes at the back.

Didn't we play them after they were just back from COVID in their squad last year?

Big test this, win, lose or draw I just want to see us be competitive against a high flyer to cement the feeling of progress.

ps, any news on RHM's injury?

Bob’s orange said 10 weeks out  :crash:

We did, they looked absolutely exhausted second half. Great time to play them. There was also that clip of Harry celebrating in front of the away fans and a Northampton fan in a motorised wheelchair took offence and went 'charging' towards him which was amusing.

I posted in the squad thread, RHM could be out for as much as 10 weeks unfortunately.

oh wow, the 'cantparktheremategate' match, of course 😁

not got to the squad list post yet, ouch, that's shit

Swindon 1 Northampton 2 Att: 8,890  (790 cobblers)

2 - 2

Wakeling, FBT

Att: 8,419

MoM: Hutton

1-1 kissing your sister tie....

I’m going to go with a tight 2-1 win, Wakeling and Gladwin to score.  9600, 756 cobblers

Beware of their set pieces & wanting 10,000+

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cLK7Gz-bIoM&t=407s

So short goal kicks. Can't go under it, Can't go around it, Got to go through it!

I see. I think I know what's happened, he's got the coaching manual mixed with Bear Hunt somewhere.

:) :)

 :clap: :clap:  
Not sure about getting a crowd of over 10,000 either😀

We will win this

Swindon 4-2 Northampton
 :pint:

piece of piss 2-0.

Due a draw 1-1, I'm always wrong anyway.

Thought that Lindsey seemed a lot more at ease in the pre match interview.
Maybe a sign that he feels more comfortable in the job or just that Hawes gets on his tits more than Hodgetts does.

We'll need to do our bit tomorrow & hopefully rediscover the atmosphere from the back end of last season.

Probably the 3 wins on the bounce I expect…

Any coincidence we’ve improved since McKirdy left. Seems a bit perverse but . . .

Was thinking the other day that Mckirdy hasn't really been missed.

Lost some flair & goals maybe but gaining a team that might prove to be greater than the sum of its parts.

Something has definitely changed. We’ve slowly morphed into a decent team. Back 3 dropped and Lindsey being somewhat forced into various starting XI changes and we’ve happened upon the current team. Not sure Reed would have started if Khan wasn’t suspended. That’s a sign of how we’ve progressed.

Been thinking this myself. We missed him badly when injured/suspended last season (and this) but now that he's gone, it appears there is life after McKirdy.

Related, saw a tweet of Hibs' team photo with McKirdy looking rebellious. Their fans seem to have taken to him.

Always puts a shift in.

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

Anyone jumping on the M4 for the game today, it’s closed between junction 15 and 16. Might be re-opened by the time you need to leave. But worth keeping an eye on.

Well we missed him against Stockport and Gillingham but the arrival of Jephcott has alleviated the loss of McKirdy

yeah, smart motorway upgrade. it's a shit. last week there were 2 or 3 hours queues in reading

obviously less of an issue for footy this time, but the trains being on strike doesn't help anyone traveling to the smoke

Me too, and you’ll be happy to hear I’m predicting a 2-1 defeat

Cant come today as Im working in Glasgow.  So Im going to see Partick Thistle Vs Greenock Morton.  Ill keep you all up to date on that and then bang on for ages about how we should sign so great young player Ive seen.

Oh and I have no idea what the score will be today.  Its all too positive at the moment so Ill go for a 0-1 loss with Wakeling getting injured and out for 3 months.

Tight 1-0

That's the spirit 🙂

Surely some on here get the score prediction right. Going for a positive 2-0 win with Gladers and Wakeling scoring. 8,843 in attendance and 892 Coblers.

Always hard to tell as so much changes, formation, individual player form. If McKirdy was unpopular then I suspect that would be the prevailing narrative. FWIW I suspect the last 3 games would have yielded the same result with him still here as well.

Lots of chat in the Loathed Stranger presser about their set piece threat. Developing some confidence in our defence now. Hopefully we deal with “direct” threat well today.

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Fd_ELo4WYAAUDph?format=jpg&name=4096x4096)

Thats the best available side for me, Williams ahead of Shade and Reed returning for Khan.

Top scorer Hoskins out injured today.

Yep, exactly the lineup I'd have gone with.  Come on Town!

Never been right before! An omen. Good or bad remains to be seen

Like that

Baudry injured?

Fucking cycled in. I'm knackered.

Best available side. Well done the manager.

Why is the Northampton crest painted gold?

Bodin on comms. Good

What a horrible kit. Half sky blue, half dark brown.

This!

Gladwin robbed in the middle but we get away with it, corner to them.

Town playing with the wind behind us this first half, that goal kick really held up in the wind.

Anyone else getting a weirdly choppy stream?

Wakeling with a nice pass but Gladwin was never going to get to thatahead of the defender.

Yep.

We are getting out muscled all over the pitch so far.

Keeps going into loops

Cobblers miss a great chance after the corner.

125th anniversary kit apparently...

Yeah 3 seperate times so far.

Williams with very loose control there int he middle puts us under pressure.

Bodin not quite got the memo about not talking over attacks.

Great ball from Wakeling to Hutton but his cross is cut out just in front of Jephcott in the box.

Northampton definately far more physical than us and winning most of the 50/50 challenges, their style is coping better with the conditions so far, we look dangerous on the break though.

Town win the first corner after a deep cross from Gladwin.

Their keeper is a real flapper at that corner.

Couple of good balls into their box by Town but we cant get a header on the balls. Wakeling with a few lovely through pases so far.

Town get away with some poor marking at the back there.

Crikey.

refs a 10 so far!

FBT gets away with madness at the back and Brynn just gets to the ball first instead of a penalty.

Looking at the replay I think that should’ve been a penalty.

Clayton wasn't it? Think he gave away two pens in ten seconds whoever it was...

Reed long pass goes well over Huttons head but nice idea.

FBT was the original mistake that put us under pressure.

It was more penalty than not penalty i think.

Are Clayton and FBT swapping over for the aerial ability here?

The usually solid FBT is playing quite poorly so far.

I like Gladwin but he’s a liability in possession sometimes.

Williams so near to releasing Wakeling out wide with a 40 yard crossfield pass.

Gladwin is at his best when he doesn't have time on the ball, if he moves it on quickly more often than not he plays a good ball but if he takes 2 touches he is often caught in posession.

Looked a nailed on penalty to me. They are far more dangerous than us at the moment.

They are definately creating more good chances than we have so far.

Clayton is also have a fairly poor game by his standards so far.

Ref is giving pretty much nothing all over the pitch, he's consistent. Think it would probably favour them as the bigger side in the long run.

FBT with a nice break there but Jephcott delayed his run too much.

Orient 0-2 Newport  :eek:

Jephcott tripped 35 yards out central.

Wind behind us this could be a shooting chance.

pass to Hutton who crosses it and its handball so the free kick moves sideways 20 yards.

30 yard shot easy save for Brynn.

Wakeling with a great dribble and run in the box, close, corner to Town.

Nice defending by Darcy on the huge striker.

Fairly end to end by both teams but little quality in the box from both sides.

Not sure Ali Koiki will love being referred to as old aged 23...

I was thinking similar.

Koiki was a good player for us

Wakeling easily our best player this half, chasing everything and at the heart of anything good from us.

Gladwin cross but Darcy cannot get a touch in the box.

Darcy's jumped over a ball that would have hit him and gone in there..

2 mins added time.

Happy if Koiki has to go off, hes the only player of theirs that would even make our side.

frankly a slightly dull game of few chances and two teams trying but cancelling each other out. the wind tunnel isn't helping

I do think jephcott is isolated and yet we haven't got enough control in midfield to move anyone forwards imo

Careful PV. You’re letting your loyalty blind your judgement a bit.

koiki is off.

On this showing Northampton are a very average side who are big and strong but lacking much quality.

Danny Hylton coming on for Koiki.

Decent half. Northampton look a well organised passing side with plenty of physicality about them as well, they look the best side we've seen this season apart from inside the box, where you can really tell they're missing their focal point. Put Hoskins back in this side and they look like they'll be right up the top end of the division. Hylton coming on for Koiki shows that they recognise the problem is up front.

We've not been miles off it here, look threatening down the right in particular with Hutton and Wakeling our two best players, getting a bit of joy in between their midfield and defence. Think Reed is struggling a tiny bit with the size of some of their midfielders, not a particularly bad half on the ball but not really imposing himself.

Will be interesting to see how much difference the wind makes in the second half. Would be happy with a point as things stand. Referee a bit... patchy. Spent ten minutes in Mad Max mode and then went to being quite finnicky. Same for both sides though.

HT 0-0

Anyone lost comms?

Yep audio gone completely for me.

Even first half.
Not much threat from either side.

Suspect that we've shaded possession.

Yeah comms have gone just crowd noise.

Oh they are back now.

Away comms are fuming at the "non-pen"

55% possesion, they shaded shots 4 to 3.

It was damn close and on any other day would have been given. This ref though is very inconsistant.

It was definitely one you'd want at your end. Striker didn't really seem to appeal for it though, which I suspect might not have helped.

Have we had a pen this season?

Who takes them now?

1, Gladwin and he missed it.

Gladwin long pass to Jephcott out to Hutton who crosses it too deeply.

That was never a foul on the defender by Jephcott, he was all over Jephcott and totally misstimes his jump and fell on his back.

Williams to Hutton back to Williams but he scuffs the shot, a great chance for Town.

Gladwin caught on the ball while having the time to shoot and they hit us on the break.

Wakeling with a lovely tackle and wins the ball, beats his man and gets a cross in that blocked for a corner.

It looks like the wind has dropped a bit this half.

Not the best tackle from Reed that.

That was never a yellow that was a blatant dive after a small amount of contact, definate free kick though.

Game of opinions innit :D

Clayton very poor ball to FBT which nearly cost us a goal with the throw in it gave away.

Watch it on replay, Reed barely touches him and he falls like hes in the Olymipic swimming team.

Bit concerned whether we have a potential match winner on the bench

Williams pushed over, hes great at winning free kicks!

We dont need them, we have them on the pitch now!

Reed off for Iandolo.

Apart from a couple of through balls, this has been Gladwin 21-22. After running the game last week, he’s so frustrating.

Nice

1-0 Williams!

Yeesss!

Worried about 2nd yellow?

What a finish, lovely pass from Wakeling.

Really good set up that, brilliant work.

Jonny fucking Wills!!!!!

Told you!

Love that guy!!!!!

A finish like that shows that Jonny is a league above this.

Northampton will look at the complete failure to track his run I'm sure, but it was an excellent finish.

I've said it before ad nauseam. He is the best player we've got. Phenomenal for this level

Each time we get a throw in FBT looks like hes going to throw it into the box and then plays it short.

Lovely cross in from Hutton to Jephcott but his header hits a defender for a corner.

FBT inches away from contact on the corner at the far post.

Yellow for FBT for a silly challenge on the striker, just outside our box.

brain dead free kick given away for that

1-1

1-1

Stupid free kick to give away. It absolutely was a free kick too, just took the guy out when he'd never have got to the ball.

Faintest flick into the corner.

Fucksticks

Fucking needless, stupid free kick to give away.

Silly by FBT there giving that away.

Shot from 20 yards just wide by them, Brynn had it covered, the ref gives them a corner.

We haven’t won yet!

Brynn comes but cant claim the corner and touches out over the attackers heads.

Where was the touch on that? The ref’s making it up as he goes.

Statement still stands ;)

Poorest ref we have had in about 8 games.

We are losing grip on this in the last 5 mins.

It doesn’t if we don’t win!

Think we have one more in us

So close from a FBT crossed own goal. Corner to Town.

But maybe so do they

Att: 9,789 (614 cobbs)

Iandolo with a winner off the bench to make light of my fears?

Good challenge by Clayton just outside our box.

Darcy looks most likely to score for me.

Shade on for Jephcott.

Jepchott has chased everything today.

FBT wins a corner.

FBT much improved second half, dumb free kick aside.

FBT has been a lot better this half.

:D

Gladwin good low cross, defended for a corner to Town.

Corner c'mon

Nice block by Clayton to give away a corner.

I think I can feel the Northampton manager's fine for the post match interview coming already

So much pissing around on the edge of the box when we should be shooting.

Brennan on for Clayton, weird one.

Yes, three interplaying out left doesn’t work with only three in the box.

They're not crossing because Northampton have too many big men in the middle. Our goal came from exactly this kind of probing, we're trying to pull someone out of position so we can break into the box. We could shoot from 25 yards all the time but it's a low chance of success against a decent keeper.

That was literally how we scored...

1-2

balls

1-2

Looked like a foul on Iandolo at the start of thatmove.

Fuckin disaster

Ugh, that was a bit shit

Bollocks

Disappointing

AK coming on for Cobblers.

Disappointing after changing the back 4 for no obvious reason

LINDSEY OUT

Has to be a fitness issue surely.

Why the fuck wasnt Hylton booked there for timewasting?

Got to bury that.

Brennan free header unmarked totally but he misses.

Well yeah I suppose,but it didn't look an obvious injury. With a point in the bag it seems drastic to change a defender

Not sure Brennan had much to do with it really, got robbed in midfield, left back lets them get a cross in and right back has lost his runner. Defensive change feels more a coincidence than anything else.

Deflating

MacDonald looks in a lot of pain.

Macdonald looks proper hurt here. Shit.

Not saying he was directly involved but it's bound to cause some unsettlement at that stage of the game

Hylton is a proper cunt.

Definately.

MacDonald looks winded.

We still have that problem of going to pieces for a while after conceding.

FT 1-2

Disappointing.

Disappointing but not devastating. Northampton look a good side, put Hoskins back in there and they'll be in the autos conversation for sure. Subs maybe weren't the best, but I can see the logic with a game on Tuesday, just didn't pay off. Just need to win that one now.

We'll play worse than that and win this season. In fact, we already have!

Tough opposition. Never going to be a piece of p***.

Think today is the first time we’ve missed mckirdy. Northampton looked a decent side, solid at the back and some throat going forward. We just didn’t have enough to break them down and create clear cut chances. Needed a bit of a spark that just wasn’t there. Enough to beat most teams in this division but not enough to beat the better sides.

I Didn't see or hear the game so were they well organised without any stand out individuals?

Jephcott didn’t do anywhere near enough today. Doesn’t really hold the ball up, not particularly quick either. Maybe drop him and out wakeling in the middle and shade out right b

We won’t finish above Northampton this season & I don’t think many teams will either.

Don’t think we need to be slashing our wrists over a defeat against one of the better sides

Fair enough,but you make those sort of changes when the points are in the bag surely? Don't see it as a reason otherwise,personally

Koiki looked good when he was on, Bowie had 15 minutes or so where he looked like Messi but didn't do much outside of that period, Pinnock the second goalscorer was bright. Hylton was a handful - if you have a squad where you can have your leading goalscorer out and still put Danny Hylton on the bench, then you'll be more than competitive in this league.

Fair points, thanks tor the review.

Only listened to commentary but I don't remember hearing Darcy mentioned second half. How did he play?

Shit defending

Linked up nicely with Williams/FBT/Gladwin in those triangles down our left hand side. Didn't do much off the ball that I remember, good or bad, I can see that he wouldn't have got many mentions. 

Darcy was ok, quite involved in the final third but like the rest of the team couldn’t do anything to unlock their defence.

Cheers

result aside..

Positives are we completed well against a strong and well organised opposition, albeit with a player or two missing.

negatives are we didn't create much at all, and got unpicked by silly goals. Jephcott was isolated on his own up top.

didn't really enjoy the game. it was largely dull until the first goal. That's not to say there was any lack of effort from us. Just the way the game played out
----
Both Clayton (hamstring) and jephcott (groin) were withdrawn, and MacDonald looks to have fucked his arm/shoulder. But of a worry for Tuesday if you factor in Gladders/Williams not being used much for two games in a week (though that was last year)

Wasn’t how I saw it. I thought Jephcott worked hard, but didn’t get the service. He still provides a focal point, and draws defenders towards him, giving space down the sides. Disappointing yes - we didn’t quite click today, but we weren’t awful either. Strangely, I feel better five times over after that, than after Gillingham. Northampton were well organised, strong and will do well. So might we, let’s get back on it on Tuesday.  

Shit

Missed the extra physicality of Khan today.

Losing today was not the end of the world but puts added pressure on to Tuesdays game followed by a hard away game next week end.

Agree with that, we fell into their trap of playing the ball around and keeping possession which allowed them to fill the box and negate passing our way through apart from the one well worked goal. Would have taken the point and then moved on to Tuesday to keep the run going but alas it was not to be. Thought that Khan in midfield might well have made a difference on what I have seen of him so far.

Lindsey didn't help by saying in his pre-match interview that we don't cross the ball very much for a league 2 team and that we  ook to pass the ball  until we get an opportunity which sets to any team we play defend deep and get numbers back.

Disappointing. Very average game, wasn’t too bothered by the lack of entertainment at 0-0. Wakeling and Clayton the standouts for me,  class from Wakeling to set Williams up. Game went down hill when he took Reed off. Darcy looks busy and gets about but find him having to run back to chase mistakes/catch up a lot, missed Khan today imo. Gladwins worst game of the season. FBT shocker conceding that free kick, absolutely no need. Crap from Iandolo too losing the ball for the second, but why on earth is he coming on in a game like this. He’s nowhere near ready/fit enough is he? Hutton’s crossing pretty poor, give Lavenir a go on a Tuesday. Individual mistakes and poor subs is why we lost today imo. Northampton be around the play offs, lucky their main man Hoskins wasn’t around today….

Tuesday a win needed, anything less than a win and I feel you can kiss a temporary goodbye to all the momentum gained from the last 3.

Post match - two things of note:  how many more times can we work on defending the back post in training and Reed nearly getting sent off again.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-8q_mtBuEZA

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PcyoOikYZ8Q


Northampton perspective

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KURj4dA7PaY&t=73s

Some of our fans really fucking annoy me.
We had a dickhead sat behind us who managed to start slagging Gladwin off in the first minute and continued to do so for most of the game.

He wasn’t great today, but to get on his back right from the start is just madness.

For anyone who hasn't seen the goals
.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yqy1ON1N0Io

That's a shocking miss by Brennan

Disappointed with the result? Yes.
A way needs to be found to increase Jephcott's touches in the opposition box stats.
That's where the goals will come from.

Downhearted? No.

Can the team compete for the play offs? Based on recent evidence, yes.

Does the team have that certain je ne sais quoi of a top three side? No, not yet.
I suspect that if Northampton had scored first then they would have held on for the win.
But having taken the lead then protect the clean sheet and if the opposition equalize then don't lose the game or find a way to win it, that's what teams that end up in the autos do.

Very good attendance but in the main pretty quiet throughout.
Do we want this or not?

I hadn't realised how quiet we were until a 'come on you reds' when we got a corner. We'd all been sitting in silence.

In fairness the TE did have a bit of atmosphere going early on, but the cagey, tactical first 60 minutes really sucked the life out it.
-------

incidentally I thought they had a stonewall pen in the first half. a push on their man as Brynn came to gather

but equally there was the tube their defender protected the back by sitting on it in their box. I think it would have been an indirect free kick though

Was Colin Calderwood on the touchline and if so was there any appreciation given🤔

A little disappointed we couldn’t hold on to our slim lead however in general think that the team is showing signs of starting to gel and we’ll play a lot worse sides than North Trumpton.

Disappointed to lose as I thought neither side really deserved to win that game. we competed well but didn't create enough clear chances / work their keeper. For all our nice play we didn't get enough good balls into the box.
Two poor goals conceded, although I thought we should have had a free kick at the start of the move which led to the winner.

Northampton very physical - we were out muscled at times - there were echoes of defeats against similar sides last season - PV and Bradford immediately come to mind. Possibly had Khan been available it would have helped a bit in that aspect of the game.
Jephcott came over to the bench and asked to come off - he pointed to his groin, so that was an injury substitution.
Reed was clearly walking a tightrope - having been booked, he got a long talking to for telling the ref that their man who fouled Williams should have had a yellow too (he had a point but the length of the conversation suggests he may have overdone it a bit), so probably right to substitute him (had he got a red we'd all have said "why wasn't he substituted?").

if we can get 6 points form the next two games and we will be back in the mix.

I haven't found yesterday's "rate the ref" thread - but i thought first half he did ok in trying to let the game flow, but after half time he became inconsistent in his calls (not booking their man for a foul on Williams shortly after the Reed booking being the obvious example), and he was shocking in his approach to the usual time wasting from Northampton.
5 out of 10. 

I had no issue with Reed being taken off, he was all but asking to be sent off.  However, Iandolo isn't fit, is he?  he was so far off the pace of what was a slow game in the first place.

We tried to play football and largely succeeded. We lost a game that was on paper as tight as a gnats chuff. Northampton were a physical side and used it when they needed to. On another day we could have scored more and made a better fist of it. Did we deserve to lose? No. Did they deserve to win? No but that’s not how it works is it? Thought the ref was below par overall. Walked away feeling deflated but hey, there’s another chance to bounce back on Tuesday. What fucked me off is the feeling that in May we could be looking back on games like this and think what if. I hope we don’t but supporting Swindon is a cruel mistress at times.

I’m adamant that the cheque book will come out in January so all Lyndsey has to do is keep us in touch with the top three into the new year. Got 30/1 and a 1/4 on an EW bet for promotion before the Cobblers, I’ll take the 1/4 odds on a place today if offered.

nowhere near match fit imo.

not really a surprise given her missed all of preseason, and has only played a bit of pizza cup and a sub appearance.

still, I guess they see him in training more

Fit yes, otherwise he wouldn’t have been in the squad. Match fit? Probably not. In order to get him match fit he has to play matches, a conundrum for sure. How would you deal with that?

Havent read back.

2 and a bit hours to get in from Calne on the bus...all he planets aligned.

Cobblers are a good side, organised, hard working and attack with purpose.

Dunno about the free kick that led to the first goal but they skied a sitter before that.

Shame really as they were creaking just after we scored. That was a nice goal too.

When we went a goal down we seemed to up the tempo and skip the needless extra three passes...too fucking late. This is Divvy 4 football and we dont need to knock it about 30 times, just to lose it.

I left disappointed but not gutted.

Lets see what we dish up v the Taffs.

He missed a Pen to them for sure.

His downfall was that he booked the back tackles but didnt deal with the constant trips and pushes to break up play (we do it too at times of course) Cobblers did that expertly, have to speak to the Captain and state, 'next one, goes in the book'. He did fuck all.

How badly injured was MacDonald after he fell heavily on his arm towards the end of the day? Looked potentially a bad one.

it's a bit of a quandary isn't it

given the lack of reserve games I'd say ease him back in when things aren't so tight.

but yeah, does that ever happen?

there's also the issue be was the best man for the job in the bench, on paper.  Had khan been available it would have been different.

I'm not blaming him for defeat by the way.