Halesowen - away

Having lost two of last season's best players and two defeats this season to their more 'illustrious' and 'wealthy' neighbours, Halesowen and their fans were really up for today's game. Early hard tackles and confrontations seemed to throw us out of our stride and we never really got going in windy conditions which seemed to suit them. But we did have our chances in the first half which we failed to take. I won't even comment about Karl's penalty miss.

We started the second half in a much brighter fashion and had some half chances but it came as no surprise when Halesowen went further ahead, and deservedly so.

Playing Sean and Tom together from the start didn't work with Sean looking lost on the left of midfield. We missed Chris's direct running.

All-in-all, another disappointing performance against a team that defended well, bossed the midfield and took their chances.

While Workington losing offers us a glimmer of hope but, with the pressure really on, six points out of the last eighteen is worrying.

Thought Gary got team selection totally wrong today. Why didnt we stick to 4 4 2 that has serviced us so well this season.

Lait is our second top scorer and surely you dont leave players out like that. If he wanted Tonks in side then Dodd should have been left out. His crosses into the box are poor for someone who gets himself into good position.

If Gary wanted to play two wide then we should have gone with the team that started the season and Geddes should have been on bench. No one is too big to be dropped.

Also with all the money we have spent our bench doesnt look that good. Hull a good defender. Vincent and Whittall have done nothing special to make the team.

Richards upfront needs to be rested as doesn't do enough and is too slow laying balls off. Scarr hasnt been the same player since he went on holiday.

Play offs now out of our hands but Gary if you want to make them some big decisions need to be made.

Silly team selection today - can't play Geddes and Tonks in the same team in my view, and even if you could, why change a winning formula! Given Lait had our only shot on goal in the same game last year very strange to see him benched.

Hawley has been class for us this season but has missed golden opportunities in our biggest games, Eastleigh, Ashton and today. It's all very well banging in two or three against a bottom side but you need a striker for a big occasion and he has not come up with the goods when we needed it most.

Really disappointing performance and result in front of a huge crowd.

We will struggle to make the playoffs now and some of that is our own making. It doesn't help small clubs like Ashton throwing money around etc.

Always hurts to lose to the brummies and their brain dead fans and today was no different.

We now need to go to Ashton and probably win which will be next to impossible, but we need to play much better than we did today to have a chance.

Why is going to Ashton and winning next to impossible?

Yes we we are having a bad patch but a bit of perspective about the season and how long is left, ay lads?

Cannot understand why Geddes didn't take the pen yesterday, after all he scored virtually every one during his first spell with us.

On another day all of those chances that we missed would have gone in which was very frustrating. As was the referee who booked their keeper for time wasting in the 90 minute, when he'd been doing it from virtually the start of the game.

We've already beaten them twice this season and we are still higher then them in the league. So I say just let those brummie inbred's have their moment of glory, and let's concentrate on the remaining fixtures. After all we can still get to the playoffs, where as they can't. And we should never say never until it becomes mathematically impossible.

Plus if we win a game then stick with that team unless there's any injuries, don't go swapping and changing things as it always seems to end in disaster.

Man of the match voting was as follows:

DAN SCARR   7

Tom Tonks  5

Kristian Green
Seat Geddes.    } 4
Junior Smikle.

Justin Richards   } 2
Matt Gould.      

Matt Dodd
Stuart Pierpoint
Chris Lait.              } 1
George Bowerman
Leon Broadhurst
Richard Drewitt

PHIL CLARK won the wine

Thanks to everyone who took part

Not much to add - whyohwhyohwhy does Hawley taked the penalties now when Geddes probably scored more than anyone else at any level in the country during his first spell? Why do we persist in hoofing the ball, particularly in that wind, when we look so much better playing it on the floor?

And did anyone else not know that our ground's got three sides? I heard it often enough yesterday - and no matter how many sides it's got, at least you don't have to queue for ten minutes to use a toilet. What that place is like when it's anywhere near full I dread to think.

So frustrating to lose to such a crap side who had very little to offer other than effort.

We were the authors of our own downfall though,a theme that has been consistent in the last month in that we grab a draw or a loss from the jaws of victory down to casualness,overplaying and lack of concentration at vital moments.

The chances we missed yesterday were of pub football standards of finishing,the Dodd miss on half time was carelessness in the extreme.

I'm also getting more than peed off with this circus that's taking place when we get a penalty,it has the feeling of "it's my ball and i'll take it home if i can't take it"……i'm not seeing much "team ethic" in these situations,personally i don't give a "Daffy Duck" if the player winning the penalty has been accosted with a stick of rhubarb….it shouldn't be about HIM,it's what's best for the team!

I'm never convinced by Hawley or Dodd when they get spot kicks,Hawley's body shape is all wrong at the moment of impact and yesterday's pen was as bad as i've ever seen.

As Sean ran to collect the ball ( after the pen was awarded ) i screamed at him to take the kick and to not let Hawley grab it but i suppose with Sean being a "new boy" again he doesn't want to rock the boat but he did look mightily pissed off at half time and dear old Leon did a good consoling job on him with the arm around the shoulder.

I also hope we're not getting into "Sacred Cow" territory with certain players again like we have in the past,Lait and Junior seem to be the continual "fall guys" when it comes to being dropped or subbed and for me they've been two of our best performers this season and against The Smeltz our play fell apart once Junior was taken off.

I think it wouldn't hurt for Hawley or Richards to be rested at this stage and i agree with Stoursi about our 4-4-2 formation or if not a 4-4-1-1 as i'd like to see Tonks alongside Leon in midfield with Geddes playing off either Hawley or Richards in a more advanced role where he proves so dangerous.

Lait is such a hard worker that i'd be loathed to take him off at any stage even if he's not having his best attacking day but i think it's time to give Vincent more game time so maybe Lait could switch wings to accommodate him.

That said,i thought Dodd was much better yesterday and was getting his crosses in far earlier which was causing havoc at times.

With regards to penalties though,Geddes HAS to be the main man in that department,management are hiding from the truth in this regard,they KNOW he is a virtual banker from the spot and he should be re-instated with immediate effect regardless of putting other people's noses out of joint,if they don't like it then tough titty!

I do feel the Ashton game has become "must not lose" now,if we fall 6 points behind the top 5 at this point of the season we can all start thinking about booking a holiday for the end of April.

I am confident though that with the right attitude and team selection on Saturday we can win at Ashton,they were organised and effective but by no means special but we must match them in midfield this time so i'd drop Richards or Hawley and play Dodd and Lait wide with Sean,Tonksy and Leon in the middle and then rotate the centre forward during the match and utilise Hawley,Richards and Vincent if need be as the focal point.

If we are losing in the second half i'd go shit or bust and throw Scarr up front because his heading and finishing ability is very good for a defender and he would cause problems.

Let's get back to basics and make sure EVERYONE understands the importance of Saturday's result.

I can't go Saturday but good luck to everyone performing and traveling.

GET THE RESULT!!

Very disappointing as it was 12 months ago. Had them on the ropes at times but it's all about taking your chances, which we haven't done in several games and it proved costly again, anyone can miss a penalty but the obvious candidate not taking them for whatever reason is curious.

I thought Tonks inclusion given the conditions was the right thing at the start of the match but in hindsight it didn't work, great strike for the first goal and once we went in at half time 1 down and missed chances the writing did appear to be on the wall that it wasn't going to happen. I had Smikle down as man of the match and didn't agree with him being taken off, him and Lait do seem to be the ones to make way more often than not, when they are not the most obvious candidates to be subbed/dropped. I would like to see Vincent get a start but don't see it happening.

I'm not writing us off yet, it's been a great season and there's plenty to play for still, Ashton will be very tough, hopefully we can learn from last Monday and get a result, in the last six games we have produced excellent football at times, created numerous opportunity's but we have to start putting the ball in the net, it's as simple as that - if only it was as easy as that.

Have to say the crowds and atmosphere at these number 9 derbies (or 130 if your mother worked for Midland Red!) has been phenomenal, I was shocked at the 1642 on boxing day last season and it's risen each league game since. On the subject of crowds ours have been very good again this year but for midweek I would say Tuesdays not Mondays please.

According to our Twitter there was trouble at the match! I didn't see anything except their lot being their usual obnoxious selves - a couple of the Brummies even got thrown out for possessing even less brain cells than usual!!

Roll on next year; I'm convinced we will win the war even though we have lost a few battles against the Brummie wankers in recent years

Anyone seen their forum? (Not a place for intellectuals)

They accuse us of having digs at them - this from a forum that puts an asterisk in our name; possibly the most pathetic thing ever seen on a football forum...

Fair play to them for winning, they deserved it and it hurts. Think us fawning over how they were so brilliant and deserved it so much on our official Twitter hurts even more though...

glassboypaul wrote:According to our Twitter there was trouble at the match! I didn't see anything except their lot being their usual obnoxious selves - a couple of the Brummies even got thrown out for possessing even less brain cells than usual!!

Roll on next year; I'm convinced we will win the war even though we have lost a few battles against the Brummie wankers in recent years

Disappointing to see a Stour fan using such inappropriate language on The Stour forum, the sort of language and rhetoric normally found on the forums of Premier & Football League sides when their fans discuss local opposition. No body likes loosing a local derby game but no place for this kind of insult on a non-league forum.....in my opinion.
If another team's fans wish to conduct themselves in this manner that's their business but surely non-league supporters (& SFC fans in particular ) are better than this. It's one of the reasons I took to following non-league in the first place, that and no segregation, respect for each other & great football played in a great atmosphere.

I agree with some of your sentiments OC but in some respects you are being a bit naive I'm afraid.

I gather lots of nonsense has been going on on Facebook over the last week,both sides equally to blame and trouble was brewing during the match which you'd have noticed if you'd stood in the shack end at Halesowen on Monday.

After 15 minutes my good mate Neil and I moved out of the "melting pot" and to quieter areas,I could feel that things were about to "kick off" and I wasn't wrong.

There was some fisty cuffs which resulted in a gobby Yeltz fan having his nose re-arranged so that it covered 3/4's of his face and I'm glad that my sixth sense had taken me out of that area but in truth it was bad match planning by Halesowen,there needs to be home and away ends at these Derby matches so that the more raucous lot can stand behind the goals whilst families and old boys stand in mixed areas down the sides of the pitch.

I saw plenty of Stour faces that I'd never seen before yesterday and most of these faces were aged 15-25 I'd guess,

I'm afraid to say it's the nature of the beast these days in the social media leads to loads of crap stirring in the lead up to the game and once you add a holiday day,hours of drinking time and a nice sunny day then you are going to get some trouble and thus clubs need to police and segregate more.

It was interesting to see the police in attendance "hiding" at the quiet end of the ground when we all knew where the hot spot would be,not good enough by local plod in my opinion,unfair to leave the rough areas to the stewards and volunteers!

Old Codger wrote:

glassboypaul wrote:According to our Twitter there was trouble at the match! I didn't see anything except their lot being their usual obnoxious selves - a couple of the Brummies even got thrown out for possessing even less brain cells than usual!!

Roll on next year; I'm convinced we will win the war even though we have lost a few battles against the Brummie wankers in recent years

Disappointing to see a Stour fan using such inappropriate language on The Stour forum, the sort of language and rhetoric normally found on the forums of Premier & Football League sides when their fans discuss local opposition. No body likes loosing a local derby game but no place for this kind of insult on a non-league forum.....in my opinion.
If another team's fans wish to conduct themselves in this manner that's their business but surely non-league supporters (& SFC fans in particular ) are better than this. It's one of the reasons I took to following non-league in the first place, that and no segregation, respect for each other & great football played in a great atmosphere.

Give over Codger. Nowt wrong with what he said. You carry on saying what you like Paul.

I can't stand this 'Non league is better than that' looking down on Football League supporters.

Stuff em. I can't stand their club. They can't stand us. How it should be. It's football not cake baking.

Old Codger, I don't understand why non-league football is expected to be a haven of no bad language, clapping the opposition all the time and cheering on local rivals.

It is the stance our Twitter seems to take and it does get irritating sometimes when we thank Halesowen for beating us again...

I am sure you swear at football matches like we all do as it is part of the game - so no reason why I can't type what I would say out loud.

glassboypaul wrote:Old Codger, I don't understand why non-league football is expected to be a haven of no bad language, clapping the opposition all the time and cheering on local rivals.

It is the stance our Twitter seems to take and it does get irritating sometimes when we thank Halesowen for beating us again...

I am sure you swear at football matches like we all do as it is part of the game - so no reason why I can't type what I would say out loud.

In reply to your comments GBP I will just say that my comments were directed at language on the Stour forum, a point I made not once but twice. I have no problem with what goes on at matches & naturally a local derby will induce greater passion than would normally be expected. I may be older than most but I still have some of my faculties!
It also occurs to me that it has not been that long ago since Admin issued instructions to keep it clean on the forum following a prolonged outburst of inappropriate posting. I assume that instruction still stands.
I also do not accept the analogy of cake baking v football, the game may not be cake baking but neither is it war.
On the separate subject of match days, I do not see why non-league football should not be very proud indeed of the family atmosphere that I believe exists at all grounds and which drew me, and I suspect many others, in the first place.
We may hold differing views on this subject but should I ever bump into you, or anyone else in this post, I would gladly buy you a pint & have a natter.

Old Codger wrote:

glassboypaul wrote:Old Codger, I don't understand why non-league football is expected to be a haven of no bad language, clapping the opposition all the time and cheering on local rivals.

It is the stance our Twitter seems to take and it does get irritating sometimes when we thank Halesowen for beating us again...

I am sure you swear at football matches like we all do as it is part of the game - so no reason why I can't type what I would say out loud.

In reply to your comments GBP I will just say that my comments were directed at language on the Stour forum, a point I made not once but twice. I have no problem with what goes on at matches & naturally a local derby will induce greater passion than would normally be expected. I may be older than most but I still have some of my faculties!
It also occurs to me that it has not been that long ago since Admin issued instructions to keep it clean on the forum following a prolonged outburst of inappropriate posting. I assume that instruction still stands.
I also do not accept the analogy of cake baking v football, the game may not be cake baking but neither is it war.
On the separate subject of match days, I do not see why non-league football should not be very proud indeed of the family atmosphere that I believe exists at all grounds and which drew me, and I suspect many others, in the first place.
We may hold differing views on this subject but should I ever bump into you, or anyone else in this post, I would gladly buy you a pint & have a natter.

Just for your information OC.

Jack is "Admin"…he set the forum up as a naive young teenager and at times i know he regrets ever having bothered.

The truth is that the site isn't policed as such anymore as Jack has far more important things to think about now such as getting pissed,chasing Sheffield women of low moral virtue whilst trying to squeeze in six hours of university work in-between these activities is not easy

I always liked the fact that this forum allowed things to be aired and the fact it got up the noses of the "Thought Police" who are officially involved at the club made it even better and the fact that the "PC" brigade now frequent the official Twitter site is a bonus.

The thing is with an unofficial forum OC is that it will attract all sorts and will at times be controversial,the language might get a bit "ripe" at times and opinions will be varied but as always there is a bottom line…..

that is that nobody is begging anyone to read or contribute and thus if people don't like the content then all they need to do is stop looking and contributing