Northampton Town v Cheltenham Town

[Si Robin]

Some of these comments are amusing.

Ryan Lowe was complimentary about us throughout, I'm not understanding the vitriol. In fact, I thought the commentary and punditry were excellent.

Outstanding defensive performance although rode our luck with a couple of penalty claims. We got away with a couple. A game with two contrasting styles. Northampton are capable of causing panic in the box quickly but Cheltenham are the better footballing side.

Duff has confirmed that Nichols started because of his fitness levels.

On to Monday. Northampton will throw the wellies at it. We shall bed to pick them off on the counter attack. Next goal will be telling. Objectively, a 2-0 win, with a home leg, with strong players in reserve and the tightest defence in the league, points towards Wembley. Football is funny...

I agree.

[Ihearye]

HP - better speak to his agent then

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

View from the Hotel End, the Northampton forum:

Quote from: Boot and shoe on Today at 22:00:06:

“We haven’t been anywhere near good enough all season and we aren’t good enough now either .
The football is an embarrassment to the town and the football club .
The worst footballing team in the football league .
Shown up for what we are under Curle - one dimensional Neanderthal dinosaurs .
We deserve better.”

http://www.thehotelend.co.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Hubert Parry]

That is a fan who will never enjoy football. If you can't enjoy the fact of being in the playoffs then football is perhaps not for you, especially in the lower leagues.

[Shade]

He's got a point though
Plan A - hit it long/cross into the box.
Plan B - see plan A.

[plymrob]

The Sky focus tonight was a bit too much on Northampton, so the pundits are therefore steered down a path in terms of their response. In terms of tonight's game, there was not enough said about how good we were! I thought Lee Hendrie tried to redress the balance a bit, when he had the chance...

Let's see how it stacks up with Monday's presentation...

(By the way, credit to DV, who I understand (from the 'Grauniad' Link) has been photo-shopped to attend the game. He has responded in the right spirit.)

[Shade]

I have to say, I thought the commentary and punditry was quite even actually. I didn't like Lowe calling Duffo "Duffer" all the time though

[Robin]

Some of these comments are amusing.

Ryan Lowe was complimentary about us throughout, I'm not understanding the vitriol. In fact, I thought the commentary and punditry were excellent.

Outstanding defensive performance although rode our luck with a couple of penalty claims. We got away with a couple. A game with two contrasting styles. Northampton are capable of causing panic in the box quickly but Cheltenham are the better footballing side.

Duff has confirmed that Nichols started because of his fitness levels.

On to Monday. Northampton will throw the wellies at it. We shall bed to pick them off on the counter attack. Next goal will be telling. Objectively, a 2-0 win, with a home leg, with strong players in reserve and the tightest defence in the league, points towards Wembley. Football is funny...

Agree, reading through these comments I am surprised by the hate aimed at Lowe as he was complimentary towards us.

Personally, I thought were were very comfortable last night with Northampton only having one 'real' chance from open play where we got lucky although Oliver looked offside in the build up anyway. The most pleasing thing for me is you could see the hope fading out of the Cobblers and they looked mentally beaten well before the final whistle. Monday is weird now, on one side we must be big favourites to get through but we need to avoid conceeding early and giving them hope. Realistically and without tempting fate if we score first it's sure done and dusted.

At this moment I am expecting a CTFC V Exeter final at the end of the month.

[longmover]

FGR Forum have removed a post congratulating CTFC and questioning why FGR have under performed with their budget.

[everyman]

FGR Forum have removed a post congratulating CTFC and questioning why FGR have under performed with their budget.

COOPER !

[everyman]

that ginger head had the first touch of Jason White

He was causing us trouble though. Glad he went off.

Time for Reg or May?

Callum Morton,on loan from WBA only 20 he would be a brilliant season loan for us reminds me of a young Ollie McBurnie .

[Ihearye]

My dearest wife who has little interest in football. Happened to be in the TV room for the entire match doing some work. Near the end, she lifted her head from the laptop and asked, who is winning? When I told her we were, her comment was that they haven't mentioned that or Cheltenham very much. It always seems to be about the other team and what they are doing or can do.

[Alf]

So Keith Curle thinks they should have had three more penalties according to his BBC comments. How many games have there ever been with four penalties to one team? He’s talking out of his arse. I still don’t think the one that was given was a penalty.
Maybe if he instructed his players to stay on their feet in the box instead of throwing themselves on the ground they may stand a chance of scoring a goal!
He’s probably trying to construct a seven and a half foot centre forward for the second leg to lump the ball to.

[Circa 1887]

So Keith Curle thinks they should have had three more penalties according to his BBC comments. How many games have there ever been with four penalties to one team? He’s talking out of his arse. I still don’t think the one that was given was a penalty.
Maybe if he instructed his players to stay on their feet in the box instead of throwing themselves on the ground they may stand a chance of scoring a goal!
He’s probably trying to construct a seven and a half foot centre forward for the second leg to lump the ball to.

It's just text-book deflection of blame - they weren't pens. All managers do it. If his plan is to turn up and do more of the same on Monday, it'll be the same result again - so i'm quite happy for him to delude himself.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

Curle has also said it was a case of balls not falling for them, and they will do the same tactics on Monday and will score if the balls for them. Not the most inspirational stuff.

I liked Duff’s little dig on Sky that we have defenders who love heading and it doesn’t matter how many balls come in from all angles, they will just head them away. Reminded me of Dan Burn for the hopeless Magath/Jol-era Fulham post match when drawing at Old Trafford, saying he could have played for ten hours heading balls away as it was easy.

[Circa 1887]

I must admit i was struck by our energy to win the second ball last night. It didn't 'fall' for them because we didn't allow it.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

I must admit i was struck by our energy to win the second ball last night. It didn't 'fall' for them because we didn't allow it.

No doubt Duff made sure we were prepared for that. Given the way Burnley play, I doubt there are many better coaches outside of the Burnley set-up than Duff when it comes to training for second-balls from knockdowns and set-pieces at both ends.

It feels cheating in a way to have pretty much current Premier League training and sports science expertise in League Two, but we’ll take it!

[Hubert Parry]

So Keith Curle thinks they should have had three more penalties according to his BBC comments. How many games have there ever been with four penalties to one team? He’s talking out of his arse. I still don’t think the one that was given was a penalty.
Maybe if he instructed his players to stay on their feet in the box instead of throwing themselves on the ground they may stand a chance of scoring a goal!
He’s probably trying to construct a seven and a half foot centre forward for the second leg to lump the ball to.

It's just text-book deflection of blame - they weren't pens. All managers do it. If his plan is to turn up and do more of the same on Monday, it'll be the same result again - so i'm quite happy for him to delude himself.

I would have been annoyed if we were not awarded those penalties. We got away with at least a couple last night.

[Si Robin]

The handball was extremely lucky, given the free-kick given against Adams a few minutes beforehand.

[Robin]

I thought the JDH foul was a pen on replay although in real time I thought it was a free kick to us. The other claim was a joke, Goode just threw himself to the floor once he felt Boyle hold him for a couple of seconds.

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

Goode should have a second yellow for diving. Ref bottled it.

[Hubert Parry]

I thought the referee was generally excellent.

[Ihearye]

that ginger head had the first touch of Jason White

He was causing us trouble though. Glad he went off.

Time for Reg or May?

Callum Morton,on loan from WBA only 20 he would be a brilliant season loan for us reminds me of a young Ollie McBurnie .

On last night's showing I would have to disagree. In a different team who knows. Apart form running after the ball constantly. The only positive contribution was his cross for the one on one. That came about by a misjudged jump for a header which left him clear. Doubt he will ever be brilliant

[Ihearye]

Goode should have a second yellow for diving. Ref bottled it.

Should not have been on the pitch after his Broom tackle

[everyman]

re Callum Morton,only a fool or a misguided observer would judge a footballer on one performance !

[Ihearye]

re Callum Morton,only a fool or a misguided observer would judge a footballer on one performance !

That's me put in my place, obviously unlike yourself I have only seen him twice. both times against us and niether time would I have swapped him for one of ours. He has had one decent month in an average team. Take it those must have been the matches you watched him in. Guess the more informed of us all, have seen him a lot more and recognise he is destined for brilliance.

[everyman]

re Callum Morton,only a fool or a misguided observer would judge a footballer on one performance !

That's me put in my place, obviously unlike yourself I have only seen him twice. both times against us and niether time would I have swapped him for one of ours. He has had one decent month in an average team. Take it those must have been the matches you watched him in. Guess the more informed of us all, have seen him a lot more and recognise he is destined for brilliance.

You took that well ! It`s all about opinions isn`t it ?

[paperboy]

Amusing match report from that well known rag The Nene Enquirer.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/nenequirer ... blers/amp/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Alf]

So Keith Curle thinks they should have had three more penalties according to his BBC comments. How many games have there ever been with four penalties to one team? He’s talking out of his arse. I still don’t think the one that was given was a penalty.
Maybe if he instructed his players to stay on their feet in the box instead of throwing themselves on the ground they may stand a chance of scoring a goal!
He’s probably trying to construct a seven and a half foot centre forward for the second leg to lump the ball to.

It's just text-book deflection of blame - they weren't pens. All managers do it. If his plan is to turn up and do more of the same on Monday, it'll be the same result again - so i'm quite happy for him to delude himself.

Exactly.

[Ihearye]

re Callum Morton,only a fool or a misguided observer would judge a footballer on one performance !

That's me put in my place, obviously unlike yourself I have only seen him twice. both times against us and niether time would I have swapped him for one of ours. He has had one decent month in an average team. Take it those must have been the matches you watched him in. Guess the more informed of us all, have seen him a lot more and recognise he is destined for brilliance.

You took that well ! It`s all about opinions isn`t it ?

Am always happy to give way to anyone who has more evidence than myself, hence my opening 'on last night's performance'. If you are judging him over more matches, fair play.

[Jerry St Clair]

Any idea how subs will work on Monday?

All the games I've seen so far have the subs in designated seats in the stand behind the dugouts. That doesn't seem like it would work at Whaddon Road as there's no easy route down to pitch from the seats. And presumably they can't stand in the Paddock 'cos our cardboard cutouts will be filling it.

[Hubert Parry]

That's a very good question. Temporary benches beside the dugouts? Switch to the Colin Farmer stand?

[RegencyCheltenhamSpa]

At the game last night the subs were sat in the empty stands sat 2m apart. I assume that will be same on Monday. Only question is whether they will sit up in the main stand or go behind the goal.

[Ihearye]

logistically may be easier to be in the Hazlewood

[Andrew GCAFC Fan]

Good Half Time score, looking good. Pardon my ignorance, where are the Play Off Finals being played? Is it still at Wembley?