Previews and then comments for the latest Pitmen match ONLY ... all other posts onto the appropriate thread. Yellow and red cards will be awarded for off topic postings!
Would be nice to get some team news, i.e. who is injured etc . We had two players go off on Monday crocked and it would be good to know how they are getting on. The previews are fairly sterile these days.
I don’t even bother reading them anymore. What you want is team news (injuries, suspensions, unavailable for any other reason etc) not just facts and figures about previous games and the opponents current record.
We’re on our way, we’re on our way, to the EFL, we’re on our way (26/01/24)
Lee K wrote: ↑Fri Jan 05 2024 7:22 pm
I don’t even bother reading them anymore. What you want is team news (injuries, suspensions, unavailable for any other reason etc) not just facts and figures about previous games and the opponents current record.
Match previews used to look like this when I was part of the 'Programme Proofing Team', before a certain person moved in with a bulldozer!
Lee K wrote: ↑Fri Jan 05 2024 7:22 pm
I don’t even bother reading them anymore. What you want is team news (injuries, suspensions, unavailable for any other reason etc) not just facts and figures about previous games and the opponents current record.
Match previews used to look like this when I was part of the 'Programme Proofing Team', before a certain person moved in with a bulldozer!
A very good win today. I arrived at the ground slightly concerned about the number of missing players and the fact the bench looked a bit light. As it turned out everybody had a good game - special mention to Morley who had what I thought was his best game for us. Kelly is turning out to be an excellent left back and is one of only a few who were with us back in August. Ali had another tremendous game in the middle and I thought he and McQuliikin complemented each other perfectly.
Good to see Boothe nip in for a smart goal. He was much improved on recent displays and he played the number 9 role to excellent effect.
As usual Verma is the player who excites the crowd and he scored another fine individual goal - it is becoming a habit and as long as he is playing for us we stand a great chance of staying up.
Another marvellous turn out today and I hope we see many at Kidsgrove next week. It will be a tough game, but we need to get something from it as we then have a break before City of Liverpool come to town - they are on a good run themselves.
Final word for the ref - what a shambolic display. Verma was on the end of two awful, potential leg breaking tackles in the first half. After bottling both decisions the ref decides to have a word with the Widnes manager. I've not seen that before and he should simply have doled out the deserved red cards. He treated it like a kids match at times.
To cap it all Verma celebrates his goal , hugs a few people in the crowd and surprise surprise the ref books him. Interesting to see Williams get booked for kicking the ball away. Two visiting players did the same near the end , but they got no card. An awful display and luckily Verma didn't get his leg broken, but he is being targeted every week and officials don't seem to be too bothered about it.
We were very good value for the win yesterday. There was a massive gulf in class between the two sides, with Widnes offering nothing. They were however adamant on kicking lumps out of us, with two horrendous tackles on Verma in the first half that should have resulted in straight reds. Referees need to start offering the correct level of protection, otherwise he’ll get a serious injury at some point.
There wasn’t a bad performance from anyone yesterday, but Ahmed Ali was my MOTM. He strolled through the game and seems a quality signing from the two games I’ve seen him play.
If when the new owners take over we are in a position to do so, we should get Verma on a contract ASAP. It is blatantly obvious this lad will play far higher up the footballing structure.
Regarding the match previews. I agree it would be good for them to include player updates etc. but this information can only be shared if it is provided by the club, which currently doesnt seem to be the case.
Good performance first half but disappointed with the second. We stood off them and let them play and until we scored the third the match could still have been in the balance if they were any good.
Two clean sheets in a row shows things are improving at the back. It was good to see Morley show what he is capable of with some excellent crosses - it’s just a shame it’s taken the manager to drop him for 3-4 games for him to realise he needs to put effort in and produce to be in the team.
Ryan Boothe worked hard but he is limited and Mellors-Blair (I know he didn’t play) is not the answer. If we had a good striker we’d be fine and I’m hoping Demetri Brown will be back and fit soon because he does have what we need.
The midfield played well but I thought James McQuilkin was the star man - an all action performance similar to what he was doing last season and what he hasn’t really done this season. Ali and Thompson are good footballers and kept things ticking over in midfield in a dominant performance from us for the most part.
The other teams have been slow to make up their games in hand but I reckon by 10th February we will know exactly where we are as we have a weekend off in January and a weekend off in February, plus other midweek games where the other teams will catch up on their games but as long as we keep winning our home games like we are and picking up bits and bobs on the road then we will be fine.
We’re on our way, we’re on our way, to the EFL, we’re on our way (26/01/24)
What a win on my birthday! Interestingly I think they played in a very similar style to how they did at their place. Hit it long and physically outmuscle our players without the ref noticing that half of them were fouls (we need more of this as we are too nice at times). The difference is we are playing as a team now and it showed in the first half. The defence also looks a lot more organised than it did a few months ago and I did not think I would be saying that at any point this season. I think my player of the match would be Ali. He has the bite in CM we have been missing for a long time and he actually organised the team as captain. I know we were only out of the relegation zone for around half an hour but it genuinely feels like there has been a shift in morale since Harris came in and that is brilliant to see. UTP!
: Morley, Williams, Verma
: 687
UTP