FL2: Torquay Utd v Oxford Utd 17 August 2013 - 3pm.

Bodin moved to give the right back more protection !!! There's a phrase to instil fear. Another draw, I reckon.

To be fair, when they played at Wimbledon, they regularly swapped flanks anyway.

Oh dear, another long season of struggle ahead if this performance and result is anything to go on.
Very few positives to take from today against a pretty average looking Oxford side that always seem to get he better of us these days. the writing was on the wall in the first 30 seconds ewe=hen we passed to them straight from our kick off and were wide open again at the back.
My main gripe is the tactics that promised so much forward thinking attacking football is just not materialising mainly because we are playing to wide men from the start who rarely threaten and cannot defend. In essence two redundant players who contribute little at both ends of the pitch.
Before the start of the season I was having doubts about a combination of two midfield players in Mansell and Harding( who I reckon thinks he is a poor mans David Beckham) who were intended to be the creative influences and stop opponents playing through us in the center of the pitch. Well they have performed exactly as I expected, two "Plain Jane" work horse midfielders who are struggling with redundant wingers on either side of them and who supply little relief from any average midfield set of opponents. Worryingly Oxford were no great shakes either and we only lifted our game once again when we had gone go behind which shows a total lack of confidence on the pitch. Sure we had some bad decisions again today there second goal resulted just after a blatant foul on Downes and a crazy decision not allowing a free kick goal to stand after the defensive wall had crept forward and were not ten meters away. Predictably Mansell took the retaken kick and annoyingly floated it gently over the bar. Now when did Mansell last score from a free kick? So why did he take it when Ball had produced a goal from the first?
An expected defeat perhaps but disappointing all the same and sad to only see some fire when we went behind. My conclusion is hat you cannot keep carrying players and although Billy had a reasonable first half but just faded away once again in the second, Cameron was also very poor and ineffective, and it looked like men against boys at times in certain areas of the pitch. Cruise was disappointing having been given his chance gave the ball away to many times Nico is getting worse with age. It was blatantly obvious that there was none who could lift us at important times of that game today. Chappell did fine when he cam on and had a simple tap in for his goal Ball has flashes of quality but has little pace and looks to be struggling for fitness on occasions though again only seemed to come to life when we went behind.
As much as I am loath to say it we surely must return to three in midfield, mind you I think we only have three midfielders in Harding Mansell and Lathrope. Oh hang on there's Craig, surely he stands a chance of a starting spot? and sacrifice a wide man. Lathrope would also start ahead of Harding who has shown very little since his arrival. Its merely shuffling the pack I know but Knill needs to find a system that gets performances and results as the current one is not producing the goods and doesn't look like it ever will. And yes Rene Howe is still a big loss.

Certainly very disappointing to go down to our first home defeat but we weren't outclassed by a good Oxford side and conceding first is not helping matters although we were very unlucky to then not equalise and concede further. Compared to the previous home game, Rice was not as busy although did not have much chance with any of the goals.

So we lined up with that hinted by supergulls earlier, Cruise was at right back and did very well there, though for the first minute Oxford were able to pressurise our goal and an early ball in to their right wing on the edge of the area could have seen a goal if he had the confidence to hit it first time. However, the rest of the first half was generally quiet with just a few things of note. We picked up two yellows very quickly. Cameron for a late challenge although only the first bad one of the game which didn't hurt the Oxford player - a bit harsh I thought. Secondly, a through ball left Rice in two minds as to whether to shepherd it out or catch it. Choosing the latter, pressure from Smalley and not a little contact saw him take it over the line, Rice clearly thought he had been pushed and kicked the ball towards the corner flag in disgust, forgetting that the corner was to be taken from the other side and hence picking up the yellow, again a little harsh.

However, just before half time, we had two goal mouth scrambles that could have seen us take the lead. The first saw a cross from the left just evade their keeper and headed back across the face of goal (by Bodin?) and was just intercepted by their defender before the onrushing Torquay player (Harding / Ball ?)had an empty net to aim for. Then in injury time, Nicholson has a shot (sustaining an facial injury in the process) that was blocked and came to Cameron whose shot was well saved and the ball then pinging around the area, eventually cleared with the referee giving a free kick. A real pity that we couldn't score in a quiet half that I think we shaded and with Rice not having to make a save.

So onto the second where we conceded very early on. From Oxford's first attack, a corner was conceded and the ball dropped down by the near post and was forced home to the rapture of the previously mute Oxford fans! However we countered with almost the best bit of individual skill that we may see this season. Callum Ball was able to receive the ball in the penalty area and flicked the ball up in an almost Gazzaesque manner performed in that Scotland match almost 20 years ago to give him a split of time to volley the ball which went crashing against the crossbar and out for a throw in. We had other pressure with Clark making a good save from a long range shot into the top right hand corner. Not that Oxford weren't a threat with Potter being kicked in the head by Downes as he tried to clear a bouncing ball, resulting in Constable coming on. However, after winning a free kick on the edge of the area, the game turned for the worse.

The referee had some trouble with the wall which wasn't back far enough and then with Hawley in it. Unfortunately he blew in the act of the free kick being taken but definately a split second before, with the ball struck into the corner of the goal and disallowed to the fury of the home end. As is always the way, once the danger was over for Oxford, a long ball saw Constable being able to out muscle our defender and get goal side with an superb strike into the far corner of the goal leaving Ricey with no chance!

To counter, Knill came up with a double substitution with Lathrope and Chapelle replacing Harding and Cameron. Shortly after we then pulled one back with the Oxford defence caught napping. the ball went out on our left just past the half way line and an alert ball boy immediately threw a replacement Ball, to Ball I think who in turn threw the ball down the line to Hawley, in what would normally be an offside position who was able to take it to the edge of the 6 yard box and cross the ball to Chapelle to execute a simple tap in at the far post. Game on or so we thought....

Unfortunately, as we continued to press, an overlap was created on the left side which put their player clear on the left side but with a narrow angle and although his shot was well saved, it came out to the same player who was unfortunately able to finish the job. This did knock the stuffing out of us a bit, Benyon came on for Bodin but didn't get a sniff and we were unable to sadly force an opening with too much to do.....

Hi all,just read the previous posts,well I still can't fathom out why the free kick wasnt allowed,what a difference that would of made at 1-1,we would of been in the ascendancy then,seems we created enough to even win the game,as was stated in a previous post,we weren't outclassed.......I am trying to get something positive out of this,we will play alot worse this season and.win the game.....by the sounds of it to the guy in the middle was a numpty,but we have had alot of them over the years ha ha.......so even though we all disappointed by this result we will come back stronger. Si

I'm sorry James but looking at the BBC stats, Oxford had 6 shots, 4 of which were on target with three going in and the fourth being one second before the third goal. Not sure how you can argue that Oxford could have been more clinical with all the chances we gave them?

I would agree with you more or less on the first paragraph.

Superb post, sums it all up in my opinion. Knill asked for ten games before we really judge this lot and im happy to give them every chance. Newport away is the tenth game......