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Post by another_ruined_saturday on Feb 13, 2016 11:55:49 GMT
what a novel experience it wiĺl be to see their ground in daylight! novel perhaps, but not, i suspect, much of a feast for the eyes still. it's done something outside here, but not much of it - the ground's slightly damp. i would advise everyone who's going to periodically check their twitter though, as they have previously announced games being on but then the actual match ref has called them off. should just be a precaution doing that though, as the weather has done nothing much over here.
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Post by another_ruined_saturday on Feb 13, 2016 11:58:34 GMT
who's the county player in the 'dizzy blonde' shirt in their twitter pic? i recognise him but have no idea of his name, and that shirt's only from last season...and i was at the game.
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Post by bringbacklenwhite on Feb 13, 2016 14:24:11 GMT
And, after the last couple of seasons' postponements, what a novel experience it wiĺl be to see their ground in daylight! Some places are better seen in the dark .................................. like Blackpool.
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Post by harrogatehatter on Feb 13, 2016 14:57:35 GMT
That's a podgy Kyle Jacobs.
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Post by hatter_in_macc on Feb 13, 2016 17:26:25 GMT
My 'on-the-whistle' report... for those of you that can bear to read it without falling asleep!
*****************************************************************************************************
Two of the lowest-scoring sides in the Vanarama National League North were unable to add to either of their respective tallies, following an encounter that produced a fair result - but will not live terribly long in the collective memory.
The Horsfall Stadium passed a pitch inspection in the morning - thereby enabling this fixture go ahead on the originally-scheduled date for the first time in the modern era. But the surface was clearly cutting up shortly after kick-off - and that, combined with a stiff breeze, led to a first half that was low both on quality and goal-scoring opportunities.
The one effort by either side that was to be on target ahead of the interval saw Michael Potts played through by former County striker, Lamin Colley, before shooting against the outstretched leg of County’s on-loan ‘keeper, Dean Henderson. The Hatters, for their part, were restricted to two snap-shots in quick succession from John Marsden that flew high and wide.
County’s formation was tweaked for the second half, enabling John Marsden and Jamie Menagh to use the full width of the pitch - and, with Kay Odejayi introduced ten minutes after the break, the Hatters presented a rather more effective attacking threat, while Sean O’Hanlon and Chris Smalley stood firm in central defence to repel any breaks by Avenue.
The final ten minutes of the contest were almost, however, to produce a sting in the tail - courtesy of Colley who had plied his trade for the Hatters earlier in the season.
The Avenue front-man, who failed to score in a competitive fixture whilst at Edgeley Park, twice came very close to making County regret his departure by striking, first, the left upright with a shot from the edge of the box, and, subsequently, the bar with a header following a cross by the influential Jason St Juste on the left.
Result: Bradford Park Avenue 0, Stockport County 0.
Teams:
Avenue: Stewart (GK & C), Patterson, St Juste, Turner, Qualter, Priestley, King, Dean, Chilaka, Potts (Chippendale, 81), Colley.
County: Henderson (GK), Connolly, Roberts, Montrose, O’Hanlon (C), Smalley, Menagh (Smith, 84), Anoruo, Brodie (Odejayi, 55), Marsden (Russell, 79), Ledsham.
Bookings:
Avenue: Turner (66); Dean (90 + 3).
On Target: Avenue 6, County 1.
Off Target: Avenue 5, County 4.
Corners: Avenue 7, County 5.
Offsides: Avenue 1, County 1.
Attendance: 678.
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Post by gazz on Feb 13, 2016 18:15:15 GMT
Every point counts, so I'll take this as another game where we didn't lose. They all count towards keeping us afloat in this division. If we can keep getting points away from home I'll be happy with that, if we can add a couple of home wins to steady the nerves we can then start looking forward to Jim building his team for next season. Excellent write-up so soon after the game, Maccy!
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Post by harrogatehatter on Feb 13, 2016 21:31:02 GMT
Excllent write up. Not sure how you managed to get so muh from that dire game.
O'Hanlon was my motm closely followed by Connolly. I thought both wide men were poor and the misfiled created very little. Most of our play was aireal to Brodie the Odejai.
All in all a very forgettable game which we could easily have lost thanks to two lapses at the back.
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Post by another_ruined_saturday on Feb 13, 2016 22:35:23 GMT
That's a podgy Kyle Jacobs. course it is! he was my player of the season in 13/14 and i've already relegated him from my mind. like you say, it was from his post-injury timbered up days, when he'd replaced his buzzcut with legoman number 4.
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Post by another_ruined_saturday on Feb 13, 2016 23:02:31 GMT
managed to get my car stuck in the mud on that long road behind the stand for the second successive season - fortunately a couple of county fans assisted my mate with a push as my wheels were starting to spin. it's sort of my summation of the BPA experience. muddy, wheels spinning, but little forward motion to pique the interest.
pre-match, the pitch didn't look desperately bad. a bit bobbly in places maybe. in play, it quickly cut up into the boggy cabbage field we have so enjoyed in the previous couple of seasons. made me wonder if the reason BPA seem to rely primarily on big strong players is that there's no point sending out a tricky winger to try and carry the ball on its untrue surface. BPA seem to me to be a team bereft of number tens, but with an abundance of number sixes.
i hadn't recalled with enough clarity the cold wind that courses the length of the stand there either, despite having experienced it a couple of times before. made it quite an uncomfortable matchday experience, and worth turning the heat up in my car after until its fittings began to crumble into ash.
nothing much happened first half, except for henderson making one decent block from colley. i assumed he'd notch against us and increase his goal tally to a remarkable 1 in 76, but he wasn't looking that threatening. i even decided, late in the second half, that all was ok - that he'd had his threat in front of goal packaged up and transported to bradford with him from its short-lived spell in SK3. then he weaved in from the right and beat henderson with his shot, which fortunately came back off the post. a few minutes later he won the car in the crossbar challenge with a header, and can consider himself unlucky.
county had one or two off target free kicks, and one, from smith i think, that drew an expectant 'ooh' from the county contingent only to plop safely into the midriff of their 'keeper. the main thing for county was that we got a few corners in where it would get blocked or not properly cleared at the first attempt, but these all eventually fell to a BPA player.
not much else to report - the match broke the run of whoever shoots to the left hand goal in the second half wins the game, and i now have the full set of results from the three times i've been to the horsfall. you're still a million miles away from the pitch, such that i expect to see theatre glasses clamped to the back of the seat in front. the game is still played by big lads on a bog. the chill wind still blows none of us any good - particularly those of us like myself with a deep cold. more than anything, the final whistle just brings the feeling that "that one's done then", and little else.
menagh won some free kicks, but was far quieter than at harrogate, as was brodie. the defence was for the most part, solid, as was henderson, although he wasn't gainfully employed very often. we didn't create much through the midfield, and that's the second successive game in which i haven't seen much from anoruo. i suppose that all explains both of the 'nil's we got today.
now who's up for brackley? we've decided that it will be contingent on the weather - if it's nasty it can sod off, otherwise we'll have a run out.
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Post by gazz on Feb 13, 2016 23:07:23 GMT
BPA seem to me to be a team bereft of number tens, but with an abundance of number sixes. Another excellent report, mate, and that ^^^ is an absolute classic line! Cheers for posting, ars.
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Post by harrogatehatter on Feb 14, 2016 9:41:24 GMT
Great report a-r-s. You have more patience than me to write so much about a none event such as yesterday's game!
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Post by another_ruined_saturday on Feb 14, 2016 12:44:20 GMT
cheers gents. i know i appreciate it when i haven't gone to a game and fudge, ceefer, MHH or another poster puts a report up, so i'll keep doing it when i've been.
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Post by stuinedgeley on Feb 14, 2016 15:33:31 GMT
we have gained an away point which in some fixtures is not an easy thing to do. Any manager rebuilds a team from the defense forwards. Another clean sheet is a boost for the squad particularly the defensive players and keepers. Jim has a long run up to next season to sort out what is required to achieve a possible promotion or playoff chance at least. We must not be complacent that relegation is out of the question - we are at this point 14th and while its great to see jim making the changes he needs it is also essential we get to at least 52 points ( my estimation not a calculated fact) to remain in this division. We must WIN some matches this season with the squad we have already.
I do feel Saturday showed the defense is working better and much more harder to keep that clean sheet and well done to those players who made that possible !
Support with confidence but never arrogance and we will be doing our part to help the team.
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Post by gazz on Feb 14, 2016 16:32:47 GMT
Excellent post that, Stu.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 15, 2016 7:28:39 GMT
i hadn't recalled with enough clarity the cold wind that courses the length of the stand there either, Until Saturday I'd thought Boundary Park was the coldest ground in the country. Wrong! It probably also lays claim to being the hardest ground to get away from, particularly if you're parked the wrong way round!
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