Where were u today Robbo - Pritch was asking also ?
At Church lighting a candle for us - keeping the faith good and proper!!!
Ste, I will be there and asking for your £1 for the half time raffle. I have great faith in Mr. Deeley, he WILL get us up the table, of that I am sure.
WHS.
I don’t think you’ll be taking many £1s this Tuesday WHS!!
Just heard, Eastwood game is off, they have a cup replay. I will "sting you for £2 on Saturday instead Robbo!!.
WHS.
I had all my money invested in Icelandic banks, i was gonna give Witton the interest!!!
Yes an improved display (could we have done much worse though than recent matches?)
Given the lack of 3 experienced lads the 11 selected stuck to their task reasonably well.
Without being negative on a nother day Hednesford would have hit 6 but for Smiths excellent work yet again. However we were very unlucky with the “0”. Some good chances created which is encouraging against a top of the table side.
I feel I’m back where I was 2 weeks ago saying how well we’d played when there was less expectation. The players need to learn they have to apply themselves in the less glamourous matches as well. A 2 week break from league now and hopefully time for Nige to do some work on the training pitch with them.
Hednesford Town Team:
Stuart Brock; Sean Platt; Anthony Maguire; Decio Gomes; Danny Harvey; Tom Marshall; Mark Briggs; Elliott Durrell; Tyrone Barnett; Ross Dyer; Ross Draper©
Subs: Sam Hall; Chad Sheppard; Scott Stamps; Adam Burley
Witton Albion Team:
Greg Smith; Paul Donnelly; Gary Scott; Brian Pritchard©; Garry Burke; Dan Schwarz; Tony Dunne; Mark Drew; Lea Thompson; Ross Thaker; Steve Smith
Subs: Neil Smith; Zane Goulbourne; Nick Linford; Geoff McGraw; Dave Millington
Nige Deeley started with a 4-5-1 formation, with Lea Thompson on his own up front, and Tony Dunne as a midfield stopper in front of the back four.
The game was 8 minutes old when a late tackle by Paul Donnelly on Sean Plott resulted in Sean being substituted by Sam Hall.
On 16 minutes, an under hit back pass be Garry Burke should have been converted, but for some heroics by Gary Smith.
On 22mins, Mark Drew broke down a Hednesford attack, but the ball got stuck under his feet, and his attempted clearance was blocked by Elliott Durrell, who squared it to the unmarked Tyrone Barnett to slot it home.
1-0 to Hednesford.
From the kick-off, Lee Thompson chipped the keeper for Witton, only to be ruled off-side.
On 24 minutes, Elliot Durrell shot wide from 8 yards.
On 30 minutes, Ross Dyer blasted wide with only Greg Smith to beat.
After 40 mins, following good work by Lee Thompson, Ross Thaker mishit a shot wide from 7 yards.
On 48 Minutes a brave double save y Greg Smith kept Witton in the game, after a poor clearance by Paul Donnelly.
On 50 mins another double save by Greg Smith from Tyrone Barnett kept Witton in the Game.
On 58 mins, a poor clearance by Gary Scott let in Hednesford, but the attacker was brought down by Garry Burke. The penalty by Ross Dyer was parried by Greg Smith, but he couldn’t keep it out.
On 61 mins, Nick Linford, new signing from Nantwich Town came on for Mark Drew.
On 71 mins, a double substitution, Neil Smith and Geoff McGraw came on for Tony Dunne and the injured Paul Donnelly.
Geoff McGraw harshly booked on 75 mins
The last 15 minutes showed heavy Witton pressure with Dan Schwarz and Ross Thaker going close.
Im struggling to see how so many of u put that we played well. In the game i watched we gifted them several more chances than they took with sloppy defending from us. We never strung any passes together. Failed to attack the ball on they few occasions we did get it in the box. Bar greg smith, thaker, tommo, and donelly the rest really need to pick their game up. We were ran ragged by them and have to agree with some comments on their forum that they ‘should have had 6’ for example. It even got to the point where their fans cheered every pass they played to each other, as they could they kept the ball so long. Though they only had 20-30 mins i didnt even get excited by the new boys, oh dear
danny i love your positive attitude zzzzzzz
Positivity is hard 2 find when u lose so many games and several of your players play with a lack of passion. If constant defeats creates positivity 4 u im sure wil be jumping round the room when we get relegated.
No problem WHS, call round the club shop and i’ll have a couple of tickets off you. Nige and his players will get it right they just need time, there’s a long way to go yet.
Danny - In any game in this league, there are going to be spells when the opposition is doing well. I absolutely agree Hednesford played some good stuff and for a period in the second half we were under the cosh - but that’s no more than I would expect from a team at the top of the league playing with bags of confidence
For our part we have to stay positive and SUPPORT the team. It was easy last year - lets see how many stay the course now its got a bit harder - and let the management team do their job - they know what’s needed. I am sure Nige is hurting as much as we are!!
I’ve calmed down a bit now, so:
Greg Smith - Yet again, if it hadn’t been for Greg we would have lost by more than two. He got a hand to the penalty, and was possibly unlucky not to keep it out. Made some very good saves.
Gary Scott - Did alright defensively but didn’t get much chance to get forward in the first half. Made a good run into the box in the second half which nearly resulted in a goal. One of the few players to really show some passion.
Garry Burke - Yet again played a back-pass that nearly resulted in a goal but for some great goalkeeping from Greg. After this every time he played a back-pass hearts were in mouths. For a man of his height he really should have won more defensive headers.
Brian Pritchard - Similar to Burke, didn’t win enough headers. Only one dodgy moment I can think of when he lost the ball in his own half, other than that, played really well, and didn’t look as though he had been out injured at all.
Paul Donnelly - Shrugged off the ball by his taller, stronger, faster opponent too many times. Caught out of position a few times when he had come forward and they counter-attacked.
Dan Schwarz - Did alright considering right midfield isnt his natural position. Possibly not fast enough, but did well as a stop gap.
Mark Drew - Played quite well in my opinion. Got robbed on the edge of his own box for the first goal, but did well going forward. Unlucky to be substituted I thought.
Tony Dunne - Didn’t see much of him during the game, but what I did see was good. Made some good tackles and disrupted the Hednesford attack a few times.
Steve Smith - Improved as the game went on but wasn’t fast, fit or strong enough during the game.
Ross Thaker - Strong in attack, and covered back well. The Hednesford defence seemed to wise to his tactics as the game went on, but still caused problems. Didn’t get the ball enough though.
Lee Thompson - Did well despite the lack of his own goal scoring opportunities. Provided some good lick up play with the midfield when they did get forward, particularly Drew and Thaker.
One further point: The Hednesford number 4 was excellent. Big, strong and fast, he ran the defence and prevented us getting many goal scoring opportunities.
Overall we were too small, too weak, and too slow to really compete yesterday, but we didn’t do that badly in the end. If it hadn’t been for their number 4 we could well have been more in the game.