Shildon - FA Cup Replay

sirsmilerIII wrote:

Aled wrote:

sirsmilerIII wrote:

Baggiestour wrote:Sub standard players will not get us out of this league .look at Hemel

Are you referring to the Hemel who spent loads of money on players to get promotion, but are now sitting 3rd from bottom in the conference south by any chance

3rd from bottom of the Conference South though Smiler. Every team needs time to adapt, Gosport looked nailed on relegation candidates pre Christmas last season, look where they finished and where they are now.

If your comment about teams needing time to adapt is correct then why have people been moaning on here.  Don't we need time to adapt as well, or doesn't it apply to us.  After all we're not sitting 3rd from bottom in the league.

glassboypaul wrote:Well said BAZ, we have Berwick, Hales, McCone to come in on Saturday. Possibly Leon and KRD too and maybe even Benbow since he seemed to be happy enough leaping about at half time yesterday.

That alone will really freshen things up for the league games coming up and hopefully our league form will pick up as a result.

I'm not saying I'm happy or all is rosy, I'm saying keep the faith and get behind the players and management team.

I totally agree, with those new players coming into the team there has to be an improvement.  Going out of the FA Cup isn't the end of the world, after all 2 seasons ago we lost to Leamington in one of the early qualifying rounds then came back last season to reach the 2nd round.  We just have to accept that losses will happen, regardless of what division our opponents are in.

You're doing a great job at missing my point Smiler. I re-iterate, it's not our league position that worries me, the performances yes, but we are in a more difficult league than the SLP and to that end, I predicted mid-table this season. Nothing i've seen so far has changed my opinion.

What does worry me, is the performances against the Shildon's and the Blaby's et al. Adapting to a higher standard, as in Hemel and arguably ourselves, is one thing, struggling against teams from lower leagues, especially at home, is another. For all our possession last night, we created very little, and always likely to concede at the other end.

I'm not trying to be disrespectful, but this was Shildon, at home, on a Tuesday night, with some of their better players missing. I think, given the stature of the Northern League and it's assumed 'true' level within the pyramid, there are many on here who have convinced themselves that losing to them was 'ok'. It certainly didn't surprise many of us, but it's poor, very very poor.

Credit to Shildon for their fantastic effort and heroic defending at times, but it's not like we carved them open time and again and they did a smash and grab raid on us. They were the better side, full stop. This was Shildon, not FC Barcelona, and in no way can defeat to them last night be compared to Hemel's adaptation to a higher grade of football.

Atrocious performance last night and coupled with Shildon looking like they wanted it, a deserved defeat. Andre hasn't played a full game all season so no wonder he looked out of his depth for most of the first half and whilst Gary's lovechild played better than normal, he was still running around like a headless chicken on occasions.

To repeat what others have said - this was a team from 2 leagues lower (a la Causeway or Lye) who'd come straight off a 5+ hour coach journey and had a minimal warm up yet still played us off the park for 90 minutes. And as for having a go at the ref at the end, well can we not be honest here - the referee was not even 1% responsible for our defeat last night.

Not buying the "harder league" nonsense - I've seen nothing from the other teams in this league to suggest it's any better a standard than the SL. If we fail to make the play-offs it will be nothing to do with it being a "harder" league and everything to do with us just not being good enough.

Shildon wanted it more than us last night and despite their disadvantages they played to their strengths and looked dangerous every time they came forward. Apart from a 10 minute spell at the start of the 2nd half I don't think we gave their keeper that much to do (three superb saves from him though so kudos to him there). I thought that when Deano stopped that one-to-one effort at point blank it might be the game's turning point but not to be.

One to put to bed now of course and move on. The next few games are very much winnable and we need to get back to winning ways asap.

How can you say Andre looked out of his depth?! He was our best player in the first half and substituting him was a complete mystery to me.

glassboypaul wrote:How can you say Andre looked out of his depth?! He was our best player in the first half and substituting him was a complete mystery to me.

It's all about opinion's,i agree with Dave but i don't blame Andre,the lad never get's a run in his proper position yet he still religiously turns up week in and week out.

You described Richard Sneekes as "tinpot" which was ridiculous but if that's your opinion then you're allowed to say so just as Dave is in regards to Andre.

I think Dave and Aled's post's have been superb to be honest.

If getting the Rushall Olympic manager, the dross hit and hope team, worst side this season, is your/Baggie Stour's idea of the solution then you're entitled to that opinion too! What his undoubted playing ability has got to do with it is beyond me - his achievements as a MANAGER is what is important surely - and that's what I was commenting on. I wasn't comparing him and Gary as a player quite obviously.

And yet you said there was no lack of effort yet agree with DTG who said it was an atrocious performance......hmm I give up!!

glassboypaul wrote:If getting the Rushall Olympic manager, the dross hit and hope team, worst side this season, is your/Baggie Stour's idea of the solution then you're entitled to that opinion too! What his undoubted playing ability has got to do with it is beyond me - his achievements as a MANAGER is what is important surely - and that's what I was commenting on. I wasn't comparing him and Gary as a player quite obviously.

And yet you said there was no lack of effort yet agree with DTG who said it was an atrocious performance......hmm I give up!!

The performance was in the main awful and disjointed but i saw no lack of effort.

Who are you pointing the finger at,which player's were lolling around and not trying?

Sorry but i didn't see that,i saw a poor,directionless performance from a team lacking confidence and a decent game plan but i didn't see people not giving their all.

As for Sneekes,he'd been in charge of Rushall for around 3 or 4 games when they played us,since then they have steadily climbed the table.

I'd like to think we'd allow any manager more than 4 games before castigating him,Gary's had 10 years and he's still got most people behind him.

Like i said,it's opinions,thats what makes football such a rich topic.

Aled wrote:I think too much emphasis is put on the Geddes malarkey. Let's be honest, good player as he was (is), we were pretty poor while he was still in the side. The problem is the fact there are a number of players that are not good enough for this level, and one or two not good enough for the level below.  I'll also suggest, as mooted by a friend of mine this evening, that it's not necessarily GH that needs to go, but perhaps he needs to look at his own back room team. No encouragement, no instruction, complaining to the lino about time wasting. Clueless tonight, and it's happening too often.

Absolutely spot on.

Can you read my mind Aled??

Andre out of his depth?
Everyone around me groaned as they announced he was going off. A guy sat near me who admits to slating him last year was admitting he called it wrong and thought Andre was our best player in the first half. As I've said, I thought he was the one bright spot. Strange how opinions differ.

Thought Andre was very good last night and I completely agree about the tinpot comment. Perhaps not the wording but you cannot judge someone as a manger purely off his football career. I'd be fuming if we let go of Gary for him.

Man of the Match voting was:

ANDRE FRANCIS  9 votes
Will Richards  5
Dean Coleman 4
No One Worth 4
Josh Morgan-Parker 2
Ben Billingham 2
Kyle Haynes 2
Sheldon Keeper 1
(1 outstanding vote, inc in draw)

Winner of the wine was HUGH CLARK.


Thanks to all who took part.

Kyle Hayes was the Shildon keeper, so did he get 3 votes or did you mean Kyle Haynes

Andre being the clear MOTM winner when he only played the first half for Andre; you can't argue with that!

Would like to thank DA and Baggie Stour for having a healthy debate with me and others, and not getting personal. This forum is thoroughly back on track. I fully respect your opinions and long may the healthy debating continue.

oops, now edited

jhazz99 wrote:halesowen managed to win 7-1 when they played a team thats at the same level as blaby and they have being struggling all season

You're on the wrong forum mate, but appreciate your effort in registering just to try and stir it up a bit! Now get back to your own side of the viaduct brummie

Devil's Advocate wrote:


The performance was in the main awful and disjointed but i saw no lack of effort.

Who are you pointing the finger at,which player's were lolling around and not trying?

Sorry but i didn't see that,i saw a poor,directionless performance from a team lacking confidence and a decent game plan but i didn't see people not giving their all.

Spot on. No lack of effort from where I was standing, just a lack of ideas and confidence.

Stourbridge81 wrote:Andre out of his depth?
Everyone around me groaned as they announced he was going off.

Personally, I thought Andre had a poor game and wasn't surprised when he was taken off. Nothing against his effort but he was out of position and didn't look confident IMO. And to be fair, he wasn't the only one to be poor.

Obviously, others disagreed as is their prerogative.

What's the difference between an egg and a wank ? Ha can beat an egg.

Thanks for that rather cryptic post Baggiestour

Sorry, you can't beat an egg

Fair play DTG, some good healthy debate on here after Tuesday. Would be interesting to see what everyone thinks would be our best starting line up with the recent additions - would be a tough job as things stand I feel, perhaps a new thread?

Norton/Shildon v Gateshead - missed an absolute cracker.....

As much as I'd like us to be there, losing at home to a piss poor supported side from the conference is no great loss. Let's hope Shildon get through and have an almost local derby!

Yes, a great draw for Shildon. Apart from drawing a Bristol City, Sheffield United,etc, a tasty local derby has to be the next best thing, even maybe preferable. I'm sure the non league fans in the North East will be anticipating that one with a degree of excitement. A good old fashioned blood and thunder cup tie definitely on the cards.

Aled wrote:As much as I'd like us to be there, losing at home to a piss poor supported side from the conference is no great loss. Let's hope Shildon get through and have an almost local derby!

I think Gateshead had nearly 9000 for their home play off semi final Aled.

Who were all Newcastle. Aled is right, they have very poor support, really haven't missed out on much.

Jack wrote:Who were all Newcastle. Aled is right, they have very poor support, really haven't missed out on much.

And when we got 2000-3000 a huge number of them were Villa,Albion and Wolves fan's who i'd never seen before.

My window cleaner was there,he doesn't even like football but him and his wife thought it might "be a laugh"….oh….. and they enjoyed the pork sandwiches!

It is what it is,i'm sure that on the day if it is Shildon v Gateshead the crowd will be large and Shildon will get a deserved pay day….good luck to them.