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[taxi Phil]

I'm still trying to work out how Ranks got off scot free with shoving their keeper into the perimeter fence at the Golf Road end. Ref was one of the poorest I've seen recently.

[ripleym]

Having recently attended a 'laws of the game's seminar, I deduce that the ball had crossed the touchline when Ranks barged him, therefore out of play and restart with a goal kick rather than free kick.

The ref also seemed to have had enough of his antics, as he made a big point of it when Damian challenged him later on.

[roytonmike]

Having recently attended a 'laws of the game' seminar, I deduce that the ball had crossed the touchline when Ranks barged him, therefore out of play and restart with a goal kick rather than free kick.
The ref also seemed to have had enough of his antics, as he made a big point of it when Damian challenged him later on.

Think you're dead right on this one - particularly the second point.
On the admission prices question - as I read the Trophy regulations the minimum price is £5. I would have thought it reasonable to charge no more than the lower-ranked side would for its home matches - I doubt Leamington charge any more than £10, if that; I'm pretty sure the 'full price'  will have put a number of people off. There do also appear to be a minority of season-ticket holders who don't realise that their tickets are not valid for any cup matches & when they find out, don't attend. I accept the points about nearness of Christmas, time of the month as compared to pay day, etc., but feel the club could have done something to try and make the game a more financially attractive proposition for supporters.
As for the performance - Sinnott was a worthy man of the match, though that's not saying a great deal when compared to the non-performance of some. I'm sorry to say this, but James Lawrie in particular needs a kick up the backside. Far too many misplaced passes; far too easily knocked off the ball (referees below Conf Nat level are not going to show him any sympathy for being comparatively lightweight); and frankly appears far too sure of his place. It might do him good to be put on the bench Saturday, basically to invite him to buck his ideas up. The midfield was poor; Reeves had one opportunity to win it but clearly thought he was offside (as did most of the rest of us, but not the linesman) - play to the whistle, stick the chance away then worry about offside should be the message. I used to think football was a simple game for a winger - get to the by-line, cross the ball, high or low, & see what happens - but our wide players seem to want to cut inside at every opportunity. Clearly I've got the game wrong. Granted, we hit the woodwork several times, there were panic moments in their six-yard box & that amazing one where the ball stuck in invisible mud, but Leamington competed throughout, took the best chance they were offered & had other decent ones. They will feel they deserved something out of the game & who am I to argue with that?
It could be argued, in a slightly bizarre way, that Tuesday next is actually more important than this coming Saturday, for the reasons people have mentioned on this thread. As I won't be at either game I advance no opinion on what the team should be - just the hope that come this time next week we might still be contemplating Sussex-by-the-Sea in January (it's now a hope rather than any kind of expectation, though). Last night, to sum up, just wasn't good enough & I hope the management & players realise that.

[eightiesrobin]

Good point about the wingers. Crowther in particular found himself in acres of space several times, but on every single occasion ran into the congested middle ground, and not so quickly either. His stepover trickery probably looked good on the school playground, but I don't think it does him any favours. It just slows him down and allows defenders to get into covering positions.

When Bowerman plays on the wing he's equally ineffective. Head down and run to the byline with no regard for what's going on in the box.

The wing issue is hardly new though, is it? Since I started going again in late 2013, the right wing has been a neglected wasteland.

[TheCultOfIanTunnacliffe]

On the admission prices question - as I read the Trophy regulations the minimum price is £5. I would have thought it reasonable to charge no more than the lower-ranked side would for its home matches - I doubt Leamington charge any more than £10, if that; I'm pretty sure the 'full price'  will have put a number of people off. There do also appear to be a minority of season-ticket holders who don't realise that their tickets are not valid for any cup matches & when they find out, don't attend. I accept the points about nearness of Christmas, time of the month as compared to pay day, etc., but feel the club could have done something to try and make the game a more financially attractive proposition for supporters.
As for the performance - Sinnott was a worthy man of the match, though that's not saying a great deal when compared to the non-performance of some. I'm sorry to say this, but James Lawrie in particular needs a kick up the backside. Far too many misplaced passes; far too easily knocked off the ball (referees below Conf Nat level are not going to show him any sympathy for being comparatively lightweight); and frankly appears far too sure of his place. It might do him good to be put on the bench Saturday, basically to invite him to buck his ideas up. The midfield was poor; Reeves had one opportunity to win it but clearly thought he was offside (as did most of the rest of us, but not the linesman) - play to the whistle, stick the chance away then worry about offside should be the message. I used to think football was a simple game for a winger - get to the by-line, cross the ball, high or low, & see what happens - but our wide players seem to want to cut inside at every opportunity. Clearly I've got the game wrong. Granted, we hit the woodwork several times, there were panic moments in their six-yard box & that amazing one where the ball stuck in invisible mud, but Leamington competed throughout, took the best chance they were offered & had other decent ones. They will feel they deserved something out of the game & who am I to argue with that?
It could be argued, in a slightly bizarre way, that Tuesday next is actually more important than this coming Saturday, for the reasons people have mentioned on this thread. As I won't be at either game I advance no opinion on what the team should be - just the hope that come this time next week we might still be contemplating Sussex-by-the-Sea in January (it's now a hope rather than any kind of expectation, though). Last night, to sum up, just wasn't good enough & I hope the management & players realise that.

Mike,

Excellent points, lucidly expressed.

Leamington were certainly worthy of a draw, to my eyes.

Mind you, at times that rather deranged goalkeeper did resemble an outfield player who had volunteered to go in goal (echoes of Dave Lewis for Cheltenham Town in 1979).

Crowther continues to flatter to deceive and James Lawrie looks jaded and, as you say, too comfortable in knowing that he will be selected.

It all looked a bit ponderous and stale.

The Colchester hangover needs to be buried ASAP or else we could be heading for a bleak midwinter.

Alas, the only thing that the Leamington players admitted to finding too hot to handle last evening was Richie Bentley's post-match curry.

 







 

[robininstockport]

Agree about Lawrie. Used to perform about 1 in 3 games now it's about 1 in 6.  Get Densmore at rb and Sinnott in cm.
Crowther will always cut in when he's on left because he's right footed.  Still preferable to Bowerman though

[andrewflynn]

In an ideal world we'd have dropped James Lawrie weeks ago, but with absolutely no competition for his place he will continue to be frustratingly complacent.

[ManagementGuru]

Our second lowest ever home Trophy crowd, only being beaten by 332 vs ilkeston Town in 2000, and slightly ahead of Gainsborough in 2004 when Val Owens's stoppage time goal spared us an extra 30 minutes

[eightiesrobin]

Agree about Lawrie. Used to perform about 1 in 3 games now it's about 1 in 6.  Get Densmore at rb and Sinnott in cm.
Crowther will always cut in when he's on left because he's right footed.  Still preferable to Bowerman though

I struggle to think of anyone who is less preferable to George Bowerman, save for Kyle Perry. Crowther has had about 45 games, most of them on the left wing, and it appears that no-one has yet twigged it doesn't really work.

[robininstockport]

 Liverpool must have seen something when they paid £500, 000 for him

[eightiesrobin]

That was as depressing as anything I've seen in the last 2 years. How many chances were spurned tonight? How often was the man in possession in the box facing the wrong way? How many touches do the players want? Why is the passing so slow, and why does most of it go backwards or across? Then resorting to hoofball late on. Genuine relegation candidates unless something changes IMO.

I don't know. Was it that that bad?

Having calmed down, I still feel that yes, it was that bad. It's not so much the result, as the fact that I feel that I've watched the same game about 15 times this season, as well as a fair few towards the end of last season. Sometimes we drop lucky (Barrow, Grimsby, Cheltenham, Barnsley and Boreham Wood) but most of the time we don't. When was the last time we controlled a game from start to finish? Chester on New Years Day probably.

Otherwise it's the same thing, game after game. There is little penetration from midfield, so few chances are created. Those that are created are converted at around 10%.  The same defensive mistakes, the conceding of a goal from absolutely nowhere, the free headers in the box, standing off the opposition. The same huff and puff, the same ponderous sideways passing moves which break down,  never a plan B.

I seriously believe there are two relegation spots left (after Torquay and Kidderminster) and we are right in the mix.  
  

[eightiesrobin]

Liverpool must have seen something when they paid £500, 000 for him

In 1983, Sheikh Mohammed paid a then world-record $10.2 million for a thoroughbred yearling called Snaafi Dancer, based entirely on his impeccable pedigree. The horse was so slow, he never set foot on a racecourse, and was infertile as a stallion.

So there you go.

[PukkaPieman]

Nothing a fully fit Clee wouldnt solve.

[eightiesrobin]

Nothing a fully fit Clee wouldnt solve.

FACEPALM

[VofD]

And how many times did Lawrie give the ball away.That is the trouble with no competition for places, duffers play week in, week out.

Nice to see a few other Lawrie knockers further up this post. Vastly, vastly overated by SinnOUT.