Did we play 4-4-2 or 5-3-2 and how did the new players look ? Thanks in advance.
We started 5 3 2, then changed to 4 4 2. Hooper up front looked lively, mobile and took his goal well, the centre half sorry cant remember his name was bullied a little bit by Morpeth’s 9 but stuck to his job . Talking to the lads after the game a few said they felt heavy legged after a long lay off so I’m guessing they are not fans of a mid winter break.
Thanks DW
Myself and Jack Byrne’s mum Sara were also there. The supporter they are talking about was not a supporter but out player Chris Noone, who was there to support the team. He received a lot of abuse from the Morpeth bench. They were horrendous and the referee was garbage. Both Morpeth fans and ourselves could not believe what we were watching at the end of the game with the mass scuffle on the pitch, totally caused by their physio going for Danny McKenna. They were animals.
Sorry Jo, it’s taken as read that you were there. Their bench & players were allowed to get away with anything they wanted by an awful referee. From the 1st minute, their number 10 & 4 were telling the ref what decisions to make & I’m told by a player the ref knew all their players by name so I’m guessing a local ref, who refs them regularly. The physio of Morpeth should face a lengthy suspension.
The referee was apparently from Durham. They don’t tend to appoint officials from long distances in that part of the country just like they don’t bring them all the way down here, same reason I suspect as to why we get a lof of Merseyside officials. That is unless it’s an FA designated game such as the FA Cup, where the officials could come from practically anywhere.
It may be the case we get officials from Merseyside, but they seem to be fairly neutral. This fella was so biased it was obvious he reffed them regularly. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think he affected the result but to travel that distance you want your team to get the same level of protection & decisions on the pitch as the home team. Morpeth were physical but when Billy Smart or Josh Wardle got physical it was a free kick to Morpeth for the same challenges they were getting away with. As I said previously, 10 & 4 for Morpeth reffed the game and the ref was scared of giving decisions against them because of the abuse he was getting off the Morpeth bench.
I can accept officials having a bad game like players do but to be weak & scared of players & managers of a club is a joke.