Town V Hednesford Saturday 3pm

Must win?

I think we will... I think... I don't know.

Boston V Brackley as well, so one of those will drop points.

Come on Town, 3 points please.

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There all big games now if you want the play-offs, want a cup winner’s medal; want a contract for next season!!!!
Are you up for it?

Is Bolder starting his suspension??

If not he better put one hell of a shift in...Bottom line is we need to control the midfield from the word go and have some confidence to keep possession, if Bolder isn't playing we wont keep possession at all....If we stay strong at the back also we will win this. Hard to call because they have lost Durrell but have some really good quality throughout the squad.

Im going 2-0 Harrogate - We need to turn up in force and really make the place noisy, because a 12th man could be the difference.

Certainly need to win it, lose and we could be 11 points off the play offs at 5.00 pm tomorrow. That would be curtains. I'm optimistic, but then I always am...no hoofball please Simon!!

Interesting: Heds' match preview from t'internet.


Match Preview: Harrogate Town (A)
Fri Feb 7th at 12:09 pm
Hednesford Town make the journey to the picturesque Yorkshire town of Harrogate for a vital Skrill North match tomorrow, with their outlook anything but rosy after a hugely difficult period both on and off the pitch.

Injury to Jamey Osborne, expected to keep him out until at least next weekend, the transfer of top scorer Elliott Durrell to Wrexham and the recall of Nathan Blissett from his loan by Kidderminster Harriers have all taken their toll on the Pitmen squad but the news, made public on Monday, of midfielder Kris Taylor’s struggle against testicular cancer, has put those troubles into real perspective.

Taylor, such an impressive passer of the ball and with a wand of a left foot, will be sorely missed by his team mates on both a personal and professional level as Rob Smith explained in midweek.

‘As you would expect, the squad have rallied round Kris. It has been a shock, of course, but he knows we are all right behind him and he will get over this. The whole football world has been superb and I personally thank everyone for their good wishes.’

While the news regarding the former Walsall and Manchester United player makes the thought of football pale into insignificance, there is still the small matter of a play-off campaign to secure for Hednesford and Smith knows his players will have to dig very deep in the run-in after a traumatic January.

‘No team can cope with the loss of four key players for different reasons in the space of two weeks. We will have to look at how we approach games but we know we are going to have to dig very deep over the next few weeks.

‘There is no way we can win this league with what has happened to the squad recently, in my opinion it’s Telford’s or Ferriby’s to lose, but we have a third of the season to go. If we concentrate on ourselves and try and win at least half of those games, we could achieve the goal of the play-offs. It seems everything is contriving against us at the moment but we will keep working hard.’

With Osborne definitely out and Neil Harvey also unable to play due to a recurring hip injury, the trip to the CNG Stadium is a game which, in Smith’s view, is one of, if not the most difficult games remaining for his team.

‘Harrogate have players not even getting in their 16 who would walk into most teams, so that tells you all you need to know. They are top of the form table for the last ten games and still have a good chance of making the play-offs. It is the hardest game on paper that we have left, leaving aside Boston away and with our current problems it could not be more difficult, but we know our spirit alone sometimes carries us through so we will go there and try and make it as difficult as possible for them.’

If Taylor’s scoring exploits against Altrincham, with the weight of such troubles on his mind, are at all indicative of the spirit in the Hednesford camp at the moment, which Pitmen supporter would bet against another famous away win to go along with superb victories this season at Solihull, Bradford, West Auckland, Altrincham and Telford?

Hednesford Town Form – LWWWWD
Previous Result – Hednesford Town 1-1 Altrincham – The Skrill North – Saturday 1st February 2014
Next Fixture – Solihull Moors (H) – The Skrill North – Saturday 15th February 2014
League Position – 2nd

Harrogate Town Form – LDWWDW
Previous Result – Harrogate Town 4-1 Ossett Albion – West Riding County Cup – Tuesday 28th January 2014
Next Fixture – Guiseley (H) – The Skrill North – Tuesday 11th February 2014
League Position – 8th

Great win.

Clayton on debut clicked straightaway and Hall showed what he can do with some service. On the strength of our win and Guiseley losing at home, the game on Tuesday will definitely be off.

You can run but you can't hide.

Oh, before the thread gets hijacked, sack the Manager. Yawn.

S.

Well that was impressive. I normally pick out 1 or 2 player who i think played well but today everyone across the board chipped in true team performance.
I made a post a week ago about attacking issues highlighting some points which looked to be address and bang 3 goals from width

Simon out what?????????????

Gareth192001 wrote:Well that was impressive. I normally pick out 1 or 2 player who i think played well but today everyone across the board chipped in true team performance.
I made a post a week ago about attacking issues highlighting some points which looked to be address and bang 3 goals from width

Simon out what?????????????

Leave it long enough and this thread will be hijacked by a minority who have a well known agenda. I can't understand why they don't just start a Sack the Manager thread for their own amusement.

S.

It was boring last season and this season i think people just need to get out more

slicker wrote:Great win.

Clayton on debut clicked straightaway and Hall showed what he can do with some service. On the strength of our win and Guiseley losing at home, the game on Tuesday will definitely be off.

You can run but you can't hide.

Oh, before the thread gets hijacked, sack the Manager. Yawn.

S.

Slicker, you are a poor, misguided fool much like our manager.

town supporter wrote:

slicker wrote:Great win.

Clayton on debut clicked straightaway and Hall showed what he can do with some service. On the strength of our win and Guiseley losing at home, the game on Tuesday will definitely be off.

You can run but you can't hide.

Oh, before the thread gets hijacked, sack the Manager. Yawn.

S.

Slicker, you are a poor, misguided fool much like our manager.

I am surprised you think our Manager is poor.

Isn't that your problem, that money buys you influence, football clubs and opportunity. Welcome to the real world.

S.  


S.

town supporter wrote:

slicker wrote:Great win.

Clayton on debut clicked straightaway and Hall showed what he can do with some service. On the strength of our win and Guiseley losing at home, the game on Tuesday will definitely be off.

You can run but you can't hide.

Oh, before the thread gets hijacked, sack the Manager. Yawn.

S.

Slicker, you are a poor, misguided fool much like our manager.

Thread hijacked.

S.  

What a great win. Hopefully that will give Hall some confidence. The starting xI looks like it is taking shape, Nelthorpe was my worry when I heard the line up, but he carried on as he did against Ossett and did well IMO. Clayton is a natural winger, think we've been missing somebody who can put a good cross in. Hopefully that sorts out the issues with all the trials of various people in that spot.

It's part one of three this week. If Guiseley is on- what a match that will be. Histon on Saturday are off colour and got beat 4-0 today. I'd be very happy with 7 from 9 from the 3 if we can do it. Keep going Town there is still 15 games left- a third of the season, we can still get there. But either way W10 D2 L4 last 16, we're going in the right direction, and becoming more consistent. Just one more class striker for me and we're there.

Hoping to reconfigure my travel plans for the weekend and get to Histon on the way north for school half term .... a point at Guiseley (fingers crossed for all 3) and a win in Cambridgeshire will be just the tonic as we try to dislodge the flood water down here!

TownUltra wrote:What a great win. Hopefully that will give Hall some confidence. The starting xI looks like it is taking shape, Nelthorpe was my worry when I heard the line up, but he carried on as he did against Ossett and did well IMO. Clayton is a natural winger, think we've been missing somebody who can put a good cross in. Hopefully that sorts out the issues with all the trials of various people in that spot.

It's part one of three this week. If Guiseley is on- what a match that will be. Histon on Saturday are off colour and got beat 4-0 today. I'd be very happy with 7 from 9 from the 3 if we can do it. Keep going Town there is still 15 games left- a third of the season, we can still get there. But either way W10 D2 L4 last 16, we're going in the right direction, and becoming more consistent. Just one more class striker for me and we're there.

I think Nelthorpe had one of his poorer games today i think Adam was very strong but the width oh the width so good it was untrue. Also dare i say it a little bit of a partnership between the strikers

Brilliant results today from the lads, was only able to catch the 2nd half as I had work until 4 (Managed to sneak out at 3:50pm.)

I may have missed all the goals but I was filled in on the details from my dad and brother, was delighted to hear Chris Hall grabbed himself a couple, certainly sounded like an impressive first half display.

I can comment on the 2nd half, however, just seemed a solid display. Made even more impressive as it was over the 2nd place team. We played well, could've nicked another goal in the 2nd half but wasn't to be. Defended superbly well and was great to see us see out a game pretty comfortably.

Keep it up lads.

Good and effective crosses put into the centre today and with positive results. Well played Chris Hall -should have had a hat trick. Pleased to see Clayton back and thought he did well. Adam N. threw himself into the fray wholeheartedly. What a partnership - Matt and Killer. Quite a few Hednesford fans sat behind me. Gave me a headache with persistent shouting but good spirited and credit to them for making the journey. Sorry to hear about their player Kris Taylor - best wishes to the lad.

Come on Town !

Yeah I thought solid today, obviously against a weaker Hednesford Town but it just goes to show what happens when we use the width, shame we don't use it more often and whip balls in.....I actually thought our ball retention was quite poor, we played a lot of hoofball and lacked a bit of confidence in the middle of the park...But on the flipside we beat the 2nd place team whilst playing mediocre so we have to be chuffed with that.

slicker wrote:

Gareth192001 wrote:

Simon out what?????????????

Leave it long enough and this thread will be hijacked by a minority who have a well known agenda. I can't understand why they don't just start a Sack the Manager thread for their own amusement.

S.

Ok it's getting tedious now, we're never going to agree, I accept that.

But with regards to yesterday's win, which I realise will have some of you jizzing into your socks, explain to me how we have one of the best squads in the division, how we can beat North Ferriby, beat Hednesford, beat Telford, beat Altrincham and yet we're not in the mix for automatic promotion. Tell me why we're not doing far better? For me and a few others it's obvious.

I maintain my position. Simon should be given next season to see if he can deliver a playoff place but if he fails again there's no way he should get beyond that. And that is being very generous. A decent manager would have this team in the playoff places. A really good manager would have this team in the top 3. A top class manager would have this team leading the way. An inept manager would have this team flailing around and hanging on by a thread to their playoff hopes.

Despite what TU would have us believe we're not actually in that great form. Last 10 in the league is WWLLLDWWDW. So we've only won half our games, which is par for the course with this manager. Still 7 points off a playoff place with 15 games to go. All this talk of us being on the up, we're building towards something...it remains to be seen. Will we improve on last season's position? Unlikely. Will we build some more in the summer? Or will it be just a case of more unnecessary tinkering? It seems obvious to me what's coming. A mixed bag of results between now and the end of the season and more of the same constant changes in the summer and beyond, forever going around in the same circles. And I wonder, if we do actually spend big in the summer and then improve, how much can you put it down to the genius of the manager? People are happy to defend his first 3 abysmal seasons on the basis that he had no money to spend. So there's surely an argument to say then that the slight improvement of the last two years is not down to Simon at all but mostly down to a more substantial budget.

I realise Slicker that you and a few others don't like debate or to entertain other people's ideas and opinions. Everything is black and white in your world and very simple. You also seem pretty content with the way things are, as do the majority on here, so to continue with these arguments seems pretty futile. I'm going to leave this topic and come back to it in precisely one year's time and we'll see if you're as smug and derogatory and what excuses you're offering up when we're still floundering outside the playoff places.

Nothing like DK and TS to bring me down to earth after another great win against a good side. At least I had Saturday evening and Sunday to be happy   

One must do ones best to maintain a sense of humour - good post Paul      

Dark Knight wrote:

slicker wrote:

Gareth192001 wrote:

Simon out what?????????????

Leave it long enough and this thread will be hijacked by a minority who have a well known agenda. I can't understand why they don't just start a Sack the Manager thread for their own amusement.

S.

Ok it's getting tedious now, we're never going to agree, I accept that.

But with regards to yesterday's win, which I realise will have some of you jizzing into your socks, explain to me how we have one of the best squads in the division, how we can beat North Ferriby, beat Hednesford, beat Telford, beat Altrincham and yet we're not in the mix for automatic promotion. Tell me why we're not doing far better? For me and a few others it's obvious.

I maintain my position. Simon should be given next season to see if he can deliver a playoff place but if he fails again there's no way he should get beyond that. And that is being very generous. A decent manager would have this team in the playoff places. A really good manager would have this team in the top 3. A top class manager would have this team leading the way. An inept manager would have this team flailing around and hanging on by a thread to their playoff hopes.

Despite what TU would have us believe we're not actually in that great form. Last 10 in the league is WWLLLDWWDW. So we've only won half our games, which is par for the course with this manager. Still 7 points off a playoff place with 15 games to go. All this talk of us being on the up, we're building towards something...it remains to be seen. Will we improve on last season's position? Unlikely. Will we build some more in the summer? Or will it be just a case of more unnecessary tinkering? It seems obvious to me what's coming. A mixed bag of results between now and the end of the season and more of the same constant changes in the summer and beyond, forever going around in the same circles. And I wonder, if we do actually spend big in the summer and then improve, how much can you put it down to the genius of the manager? People are happy to defend his first 3 abysmal seasons on the basis that he had no money to spend. So there's surely an argument to say then that the slight improvement of the last two years is not down to Simon at all but mostly down to a more substantial budget.

I realise Slicker that you and a few others don't like debate or to entertain other people's ideas and opinions. Everything is black and white in your world and very simple. You also seem pretty content with the way things are, as do the majority on here, so to continue with these arguments seems pretty futile. I'm going to leave this topic and come back to it in precisely one year's time and we'll see if you're as smug and derogatory and what excuses you're offering up when we're still floundering outside the playoff places.

A win percentage of 50% a disappointment ?

Only North Ferriby and Hednesford are higher than us on that measure.

There is no debate to be had with you or TS on the Manager. I think however the audience has decided on that one for the moment.

Your singlemindedness would make Kim Jong Un blush.

S.

If there was money to be made setting up a business that wazzed on people's fires you would have to submit your business plan to Peter Jones DK. You'd be properly in the mix.

TownUltra wrote:If there was money to be made setting up a business that wazzed on people's fires you would have to submit your business plan to Peter Jones DK. You'd be properly in the mix.

  

S.

slicker wrote:

A win percentage of 50% a disappointment ?

I was talking about our recent form which is nowhere near as good as TU says. In Simon's wettest dreams he has a 50% win record.

Anyway see you in mid table next February