1- 3.<br><br>Shocking defending, but can anyone explain how we didn’t get double figures? I still can’t believe we haven’t given our goal difference a massive boost, let alone lost the game.
We failed to do the basics. final ball - poor. Central Defense was at times non-existant. full backs launching long balls straight out for throws - therefore allowing Kendal time-wasting opportunities.<br><br>It doesn’t help that we’ve now got 2 tricky away games. Although, maybe the way we play - quick passing, getting the ball to the wings - is more suited to playing away from home?<br><br>We need to sort out the back 4 though. Vince needs to decide on who is going to be his first-choice centre-back pairing and get Spearitt back in the centre. Brownhill in at left-back, maybe Adam Foy could do a job at right-back??
Playing three central defenders at the back is going to cost us dear i have said that before, if Jim changes it I hope for godsake that Pritch is not the sacrificial lamb, just because he’s not a contract player.<br>BP should wear the captains arm band, (thats Pritch not Benny)<br>We had lots of chances that we didnt take, I am really dissapointed about todays performance we need to play well at home but its not happening. The players are good enough if they want to be.<br>Totally pissed off<br>No food for me, never eat when we lose at home.<br><br>Sad 1
For me Barras hasn’t shown anything that Pritch can’t already do in his sleep.
That was AWFUL. there is nothing else to add. Promotion? mid-table if we are very lucky. Another dismal season to follow the ones that have gone before is all we seem to have to look forward to, unless changes are made, and soon.<br>WHS
Only saw an hour, but can’t agree on the word awful. There were some terrible defensive moments, and a lot of frustrating wayward passes BUT when you try and play football on the deck at this level, it aint always gonna come off. <br><br>We could quite easily have come away with a 3-3 draw!!!<br><br>Kendal played the game better than us, and exposed frailties that I’m sure Jim will work on.<br><br>Final word on some sections of our crowd- ignorant, fickle, and totally lacking in any respect for any people of any age around them.<br><br>
I agree, some of the language I heard used with kids and ladies close by was disgraceful. Didn’t hear too many derogatary remarks about the players where I was though, people were just disappointed at the performance. That is 8 goals conceded in three games, too many if we are to have any hope of progressing. The attacking play was good, to a point, it lacked really good final passes on many occasions though. The defence was all too easily cut to pieces down the middle for all three goals, something that should not happen even at school boy level. I am no coach but I would not be happy to see goals like that scored against any team I managed, funnelling back centrally is a basic defensive ploy, too often we did not do that and our defenders were caught in wide positions, you don’t score from the corner flag.<br>WHS
I have to agree with what as been said about todays performance, It was what we have been watching for the past few years.<br>I hope Jim gets it sorted quickly, as the witton supporters are very fickle and I am worried that we will soon be below the 200 gate<br>These performances are not helping our group of people that are trying to ask people to pledge money to Jim’s budget.<br>We only have an handful of people subscribing at the moment and they are the same ones that we always rely on.<br>The players must be told in no uncertain terms that todays performance in not acceptable.<br>And new faces will have to come in and some leave our club, before it’s too late again.
Guys<br>To be fair our team was not very good today but lets be honest its one game. We did not play well but still created four or five good chances, the difference being they took theirs and we didnt. The comments made are pretty poor from so called supporters so instead of slagging the team off be constructive. One again WHS has not surpised me with his contribution "Another dismal season to follow the ones that have gone before is all we seem to have to look forward to, unless changes are made, and soon". Changes?? is it not the same team that battered Ferriby four games ago, you werent moaning then.<br>I thought their keeper was outstanding . Yes they deserved the points today and were the better team. We can play much better and I am sure we will.<br>
Definately a bit disappointing.<br>As Mike says above when you take into account the saves of their keeper and especially that one off the line at the end you can’t say we didn’t create chances.<br>However putting them away - 3 times was what Kendal did, and on the break as well.<br><br>Again I’ll never be a manager at this level but 3 at the back - especially that 3 doesn’t work-lack of pace was my concern after some of the friendlies. I’m sure Jim can see it and I hope he makes what will be a tough decision to rectify it. (I don’t know who I’d drop).<br><br>Don’t be quite so despondant WHS - don’t get carried away when we beat Ferriby so lets not get too down after losing to a side who were already above us in the table! We need to pick up again but lets not be expecting a 4-0 at matlock again - they have gone top now and won’t be easy pickings!
We should keep in mind our two victories were against teams that appear to be struggling and maybe relegation candidates. I did say we should not gey carried away after the first two games, but I did live in hope, as I have done for the past ten years. To win a league your defence must be miserly, conceding less than a goal a game, ours, sadly, does not look caopable of that at present. Jim will be given time, this Club is known for it’s patience with managers, but he must put it right quickly if we are to have any chance of promotion, even via the play offs.<br>Oracle claims I was not moaning after the Ferriby game, why should I, we won 4-0!!! I am moaning because that great start has stalled. If you want to be a supporter who never finds fault with your team or manager, fine, best of luck, me? I say what I think, and what I think at the moment is we need Connors back and a back four that is mean as hell!!!<br>WHS
Their first goal was what dissappointed me the most. The players were all appealing for a back-pass that was never going to be given, rather than getting back into position. End result, Kendal going straight up the pitch, from keeper to centre-forward, to make it 1 - 0. Until that point i felt we would run out fairly easy winners. Its a game that has been played pretty much in the Kendal half of the pitch, all of their attacks coming from breakaways. We missed Stevie Connors. Alex Brown and Mark Jones are excellent footballers at this level, but don’t get in amongst the opposition midfield as much as Connors does.<br><br>I’m confident that we can get a result at Matlock. After a few drinks last night, and a good nights sleep, i have renewed optimism. Not sure that i can make the game as i am working till 7, but i may try and rectify that.<br><br>We’ve only lost 2 games, and as of yet i have not seen us outplayed (even with 10 men away at Telford). We could go and win the next 7 or 8 so there’s still time to turn things around. It’s not where you are in September that counts, it’s where you are in May.
The league is not won or lost in September, of course it was very disappointing yesterday and Jim has to sort out a few areas. They had three scoring opportunities yesterday and took them all, Albion probably had ten and took one.<br><br>You have to be positive look to the next game, if you listen to WHS the End of Season Presentation night will be taking place at the end of September by which time we will be out of contention for the League, out of the FA Cup, out of the Trophy and out of the Senior Cup. Negative or what?
Not really negative Rob, we have been out of everything by Christmas for the last five years!!! The Senior Cup is not the Trophy it once was, few teams make a concentrated effort to win it now, the Trophy, FA Cup and league are all that really matter in a footballing sense and in a financial one too.<br>Sadly I will not be able to keep up this banter, (though it is great fun to discuss our different views) as I am in the final stages of completing my thesis for my Research MA. I am also tied up two nights a week rehearsing for "Carousel" with the MCAOS which is on at the Memorial Hall, 9th-14th October. However by November I hope to be clear of both commitments and able to give the team my full time support. I just hope that we are still in all the main competitions by then!!! I would love to have a positive outlook but having been let down for the last ten years at least it is difficult not to have the feeling that "here we go again".<br>WHS
Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. Yes we have been out of the FA Cup and the Trophy far too early in the last few seasons, and it would be fantastic to have a decent run in either this year. However, i still think that the Cheshire Cup win last year was a great achievement for our team. Would love to repeat that this season.
Weren’t we 2nd or something last xmas and to still be in the FA Cup at the third round stage for a team at our level is a bit unrealistic! <br>Lets give it 10 games (another 5) and consider our position then.
Finally got my head together to produce a full report on the match. As you’ll see Kendal didn’t just have 3 shots!<br><br><br>UniBond Premier Division - Saturday September 2nd 2006<br><br>Witton Albion 1 Kendal Town 3 att 268<br><br>Team: Worsnop; Spearritt, Pritchard, Barras, Hockenhull (Brownhill 69); Gahgan (Peers 61), Brown Alex, Jones (Brown Alistair 84), Whalley; Moseley, Warlow.<br><br>Man of Match: Alex Brown<br><br>The team from the Lakes certainly benefited after a hardy crew of Albion workers had spent several hours clearing surface water off the Britannia Carpets Stadium pitch.<br><br>However the end result could have been oh so different had Shaun Whalley reacted quicker as early as the 17th second but he wasn?t able to get to Mike Moseley?s good cross-field ball. Witton?s Chris Gahgan produced a diving save from the highly impressive Ben Hinchcliffe in the 12th minute and from the subsequent corner the ball was somewhat flukely sliced by Paul Sparrow back into Hinchcliffe?s hands. The keeper quickly punted the ball downfield and with the home central defenders way out of position upfield, Dave Foster took full advantage to run on and smash the ball past Jon Worsnop.<br><br>Straight from the restart Albion attacked but from a Gahgan corner Brian Pritchard?s flicked attempt was blocked on the line. Witton through Whalley and Gahgan continued to produce good runs latching on to excellent through balls from Alex Brown but Hinchcliffe was equal to their shooting efforts. However, uncharacteristically this campaign, sloppy defending gave opportunities for Ged Smith and Michael Rushton to extend Kendal?s lead. The half ended when Hinchcliffe?s instinct saw him save low down from Tony Barras?s header from another excellent Gahgan flag kick.<br><br>The start of the 2nd period saw Brown cleverly threading the ball through to Moseley but a weak shot was easily gathered by Hinchcliffe. Mark Jones then chanced his arm but his shot went over. Ten minutes into the 2nd period Town doubled their lead when Smith was given too much room down the left and when he crossed to the totally unmarked Foster the striker was able to pick his spot at leisure. <br><br>Albion countered two minutes later with Whalley again down the left and sending a low ball across the face of the goal that just evaded Moseley. When a corner-kick was partially cleared Brown shot through a melee of players but somehow Hinchcliffe managed to palm the ball away. In between these efforts though Smith and Foster again split Witton?s back line and it needed a good save from Worsnop to deny the striker his hat-trick. <br><br>The result though was virtually sealed in the 67th minute when Worsnop, again totally exposed, did well to parry the initial shot from the left but was powerless when Rushton hammered the loose ball into the roof of the net.<br><br>From substitute Mark Peers? corner Adam Warlow headed over before Albion finally got the better of Hinchcliffe ten minutes from time when Moseley latched onto a Tom Spearritt through ball and pulled it back but, truly summing up Witton?s lamentable afternoon up, Warlow?s effort was blocked on the line by Kieron Walmsley with the ball popping back to the keeper! However the on-loan from Crewe striker eventually got his 5th goal of the campaign in the 86th minute with a deflected shot but it was scant reward and on this showing Kendal certainly look good bets for honours.<br>
Disappointing yes - end of the world no! We didn’t play as well as we can and didn’t take our chances against a well organised team who took theirs. Its not a case of back to the drawing board, but learning from the mistakes. Some of our supporters also need to be more supportive during the game when things are not going well, that’s when the team needs support most. A bit of patience would not go amiss. That said I am sure the players were as gutted as we were and know the result could have been so different. Onwards and upwards…
It is interesting that the defence have come in for a lot of stick and some of it justified. However in my opinion we were swamped in midfield, even though Brown and Jones worked their socks off. On too many occasions we were playing 4-2-4 with the wide players making little or no effort to track back and help the midfield. what made it worse for me was looking at a line of four forwards just standing watching the play go on in the other half of the pitch ( something I remember doing as a child at school). If we continue to play like that then its the same as commiting suicide. No team can afford to play with two isolated midfield players and little cover for the defence at any level.
We miss connors, im also worried about the keeper ? to quiet and at the moment prone to errors, and in my opinion we have players out of position, tom spearitt is not a full back, hockenhull is not a left full back and we lack pace in the cental defence, but we dont need to panic, Jim Will get it right and we have played very well in some games, with frostie back and connors in midfield we will have the bite back to cope with teams like Kendal, I also cant see why peers is left out ? usually offers something during 90 mins that cuts open the opposition, think he gives us more threat than Ghagan, whod be a manager ( well everyone wants to be ? ) keep the faith