rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Nov 1, 2018 21:51:17 GMT
Two months ago, this game could’ve been billed as a club on their way down against a club on the way up. However, since our turnaround under our new manager this is possibly now one of the most anticipated games of the season as it pitches our improved side against the top team in the division.
It has been noticeable there has been an uptick in the crowds in the last month with a bit more optimism as our unbeaten run builds and if around 1000 can travel up to Weston on a Tuesday evening then maybe well over 2000 home supporters will turn up?
Injuries like any club have been a problem for us and those players both fit and considered fit for purpose have barely been enough to fill the sub bench. Unsurprisingly, Johnson is keeping mum on injury updates but hopefully a few with Andrews top of the list are ready to return.
Not that Billericay are injury free themselves with Jake Robinson struggling to be fit as well. I see they were 2-0 down against the mighty East Thurrock but a succession of goals saw them come through 3-2 - maybe they had one eye on this game or their form has not been that convincing in recent games but they will certainly be up for this one - should be a good game and a cracking atmosphere.
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Post by loyalgull on Nov 2, 2018 15:22:31 GMT
The reaction from GJ on tuesday was one of being a bit peeved with the players.He will expect better tomorrow so i fancy us to beat billeracy hopefully.
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Post by stig123 on Nov 2, 2018 16:00:50 GMT
Biggest game of the season so far. Home win would certainly give us a boost for the remainder of the season.
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rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Nov 2, 2018 21:41:21 GMT
Johnson thoughts - will we get a crowd of over 3000? Johnson is hoping for such but 2500 would be a fantastic but obtainable figure imo. Injury updates are being kept secret but it is hoped Andrew will be back to shore up an injury hit midfield.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 3, 2018 9:40:21 GMT
If/when we get promoted we might see a gate of 3000, but after yet another kick in the goolies last Tuesday ~ no chance! As for the match...Billericay had two goals scored against them by Dorking (or somebody) but came back to beat them, whereas we... A single goal either way! Never sit on the fence me!  |
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Jon
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Post by Jon on Nov 3, 2018 12:10:00 GMT
Was very impressed by Billericay when they thrashed Truro at Plainmoor, but expect a much closer game today.
I hope Essuman is fit as I don't rate Wynter and I really hope Andrews is fit - I would play him on the left in place of Kalala.
If both fit, not sure who would lose out on a place in the sixteen. I don't think Nabi's ban kicks in yet.
Assuming Hall is still out, we need Dickson to start in midfield but don't think we will get ninety minutes out of him.
Not sure if Sokolik is ready to return. If he is, he would be capable of filling the Hall / Dickson role for the last twenty minutes or so.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 3, 2018 14:33:51 GMT
I'm disappointed not to be able to go to this game. It's already becoming clear that information on who is likely to be fit or unfit for upcoming games is not going to be made as readily available by Johnson as by some past Managers. I've no real problem with that, though it does make predicting line-ups and formations that much more difficult when we've less idea of the pool of players fit and ready for selection.
There's no getting away from the fact the the results under Johnson have been very good so far, even if some of the Cup games have been against weaker opposition. If (and I'm guessing they did) Bath City put out a strong side and went for it in the Cup, yet still lost against WSM, then it's possible that our opponents of last Tuesday night had already turned a corner, or at the very least got a huge boost to their confidence from that Cup win. I don't think anyone, with the possible exception of Hector, could have failed to be impressed with the Bath City side we saw at Plainmoor. Therefore if we caught a newly invigorated WSM, now on the up, even Tuesday's point wasn't too bad.
Joining Reg on the fence, the other side of the coin makes me wonder whether we might still be a little way short of the top teams such as Billericay ? And I think that might particularly be the case if we are again missing a number of first choice players through injury. If we are then I worry that Billericay might come out on top today. If we had a full and fit squad from Bass onwards, then I don't doubt we have the strength to give Billericay a game and challenge them all the way.
A win, given our injury concerns, and with key players such as Andrews and Dickson maybe not totally match fit, would be a massive signal that we really are already at the level to fight it out at the top, and can only get stronger. I'd love that to be the message come 5pm.
#ClimbingWithClarke #OsborneArena2020
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rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Nov 3, 2018 15:01:57 GMT
Not good news - Edwards and Andrews both out - going to miss them 😱
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Post by Deleted on Nov 3, 2018 15:48:30 GMT
Psycho ! Psycho !
A Cornish cracker from Janner makes it 2-0 to the Gulls.
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rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Nov 3, 2018 15:52:57 GMT
Very well deserved 2-0 half time lead. Very harsh yellow for Reid for a good penalty shout. Billericay don’t look good in defence and very little for MacDonald to worry about so far....
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rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Nov 3, 2018 16:11:30 GMT
Missed a very good chance at the start of the half and MacDonald makes a bad mistake to head out at the edge of the box straight to the opposition for a simply chip in.
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Rob
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Post by Rob on Nov 3, 2018 17:03:36 GMT
2-2 is the new “feels like a loss”.
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rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Nov 3, 2018 17:22:22 GMT
Very disappointing result in the end and I was by the tunnel as the Billericay players Exited the pitch and make no mistake they were absolutely delighted with a draw. We did not handle the wind very well in the second half and I think McDonald was culpable at times as he came rushing out with the ball holding up in the wind. Going the other way too many balls hit aerially straight to their keeper or going out.
On the plus side, absolutely nothing special about Billericay at all and we have a good chance of winding them in over the season. With all those injuries I thought we held up well as a side and paradoxically would have been happy with a draw at 3pm.
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Post by stig123 on Nov 3, 2018 17:39:06 GMT
Despite the disappointment of giving up a 2-0 lead, given our injury problems not a bad result.
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petef
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Post by petef on Nov 3, 2018 17:55:22 GMT
Despite the result being a little disappointing I thoroughly enjoyed the game bar the last ten or fifteen minutes when the time wasting set in and legs began to tire.
Make no mistake I thought we would struggle today after realising that key to recent success players Asa Hall, Opi Edwards and Jake Andrews were missing from the squad.
Essuman was another out injured but thought Winter was an able replacement which proved to be - his best game yet in a TUFC shirt.
First half we were all over them and playing against a strong and gusty wind. Billy had no answer to our pressure play. Not always pretty but very effective and we had them pretty much pinned back for the entire half and cannot remember a single worthwhile chance or effort from the league leaders while we continually created chances. The two goal halftime lead was well deserved - but only half of the story of course.
Early second half and we picked up quite well from the half time break and created chance that would have wrapped up the game but somehow the ball stayed out only for it to go up to the other end where a loopy forward ball was not read by our defenders. MacDonald came rushing out to head the ball out of his area only to see the ball fall to a forwards feet where he neatly clipped it over the head of MacDonald and into the net. It was those crucial few minutes that decided the contest. The eqauliser was pretty soft as well from a corner there big CF was left free to glance in over the flapping MacDonald. The danger then was that BIlly were then in the ascendancy and could easily have gone on to win the game but we showed resilience and were in the end unlucky not to snatch the three points with a number of chances that on another day would have sailed in.
Entertaining it was and for me its wonderful to see a confident team playing with such commitment. Theyw ere all "on it and at it" from the start.
Evans was a class apart and closely followed by a number of others. Ben Winter deserves a mention he played well and his concentration levels were better than I have seen previously.
If we continue to show the same attitude and threat I'm pretty certain we will be up and in the mix it come the end and we will get stronger as the season wears on.
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