Daventry 1 AFC 0

Lucky old Daventry, we should have been out of sight by halftime, dropped deeper & deeper till they scored, they had a bloke sent off & Meady missed a penalty. Ricky ran his socks off but it was just not our night! And I think thats the first time we've seen a team start with 3 at the back all season.

Another dire result

Is this going to kick our play-off hopes into touch?
I hope not!

AFCMan wrote:Another dire result

Is this going to kick our play-off hopes into touch?
I hope not!

Lets try and put things into perspective for a second.

In the last few weeks we have won two and lost three, all against teams above us. But we knew we had a run of really hard fixtures coming up, and whilst Hitchin lets not kid oursleves, fully deserved to spank our botties, we were so unfortunate to lose (courtesy of some incredulously absurd decisions at Slough I think it was) and last night we were desperately unlucky.By miles the better team,their keeper was MOM which always says a lot, Rik got another penalty which again we missed (HOW MANY POINTS HAVE MISSED PENALTIES COST US BTW?) and apart from a ten minute spell in the second half we pretty much dominated.

The point being there is no need to push the panic buttons just yet. We have got another hard game Saturday who are notorious for being consistently 'inconsistent' but once we have played them I think if one checks the fixture list we have to play all the teams currently occupying the bottom ten places, so the possibility of us ending in one of the top five places is still realisitic, and just reaching the play offs regardless og what happens thereafter would be a huge achievement

Not only that we could also have gone unbeaten in these last five games and points wise been worse of, so it's not all bad!

Hi all,well said MH, we should give all concerned a lot of credit wilst on our new adventure in this higher grade of football, the corner stone is getting layed for the future with all that being achieved, Bas.

Ok,,points well taken, lol.

It just seems to me that we had that extra 'something' last season that seems to be missing this year.

Wether it's losing some good players, not being able to keep hold of the ones we've had in (Felix and Blakey spring to mind, although some were on loan), injurys, whatever...the 'spark' and fantastic atmosphere that surrounded the team and club last season seems to have dissappated somewhat this term.

But, like Bas said, it's a whole new ball game this time, a higher standard of football and we've seen a few times so far that we're more than capable of holding our own at this level.

Onwards and upwards!!

I think we just need a bit of composure when we are under pressure, clear the ball and it comes back at us, would it do the same if we passed it? Recycle is a term I would like to see a bit more of. I think we are in an excellent position for 4th or 5th.

"It just seems to me that we had that extra 'something' last season that seems to be missing this year."
Is it your moooostache?

DB wrote:I think we just need a bit of composure when we are under pressure, clear the ball and it comes back at us, would it do the same if we passed it? Recycle is a term I would like to see a bit more of. I think we are in an excellent position for 4th or 5th.

"It just seems to me that we had that extra 'something' last season that seems to be missing this year."
Is it your moooostache?

I think the team is undoubtedly missing one thing...last seasons level in the NL pyramid!

I think you have a fair point about composure, but I would soften what appears to be a justifiable comment, by replacing composure for experience or more accurately lack of experience!

Darbs and Miller apart, how many from what is, lets not forget an incredibly young team have the experience of higher league football?

It does count for so much.
Against Slough was a perfect example when with Miller being taken off, Darbs out through injury and the skipper limping off, of our lack of experience really showing. For the last half an hour, many players went missing, all as you suggest were simply hoofing the ball into a forward line that didn't shut down and worse gave the ball away too cheaply when they did get it, and where the midfield simply sat, camped in their own half waiting for the inevitable clearance to come straight back at them as a consequence

Thats what I call inexperience served with a good 'dash' of nerves. No-one wanted the ball, and no-one was prepared to hold on to the ball

I don't think it was like that at all Tuesday, another day we would have won comfortably, playing exactly the same way and the use of the word unlucky (penalty apart)actually in this case is a well chosen one

I do however add one caveat to that by saying, if you going to clear your lines or simply play it long then it needs to be channelled or using diagonal clearances so the defenders have to turn and where as a consequence the forwards can be given a chance, as the old saying rightfully suggests, to defend from the front, and more the midfield have to simaltaneously show the willingness and determination to push on to support them in that quest

Stop the ball coming back so quickly and that composure you speak of, will not even be needed, as in its place will come breathing space

I rarely speak about Miller, but one of his strengths is his capacity to hold the ball up, but its got to be on the floor, if the ball as you rightly point out is arrowed 40/50 yards down the throats of two 6' 2" defenders then as is happening, it will inevitably have one consequence, it will and does come straight back

Its why experience is a much needed commodity and in truth, that can only be acquired through being involved and then learning from a wide range of footballing adversities and matches...and I am sure they will learn, but it will take time, and I think its only fair that everyone gives them that time, regardless of howq utterly frustrating it can be at times watching