Well I have just got back from Plainmoor where I was very impressed with the Chelsea boys. Top quality pass move football played on the deck, even there keeper didn't hoof the ball once today! They never really looked in any danger against us gulls who where full of effort but just wore down by chasing the ball for long periods. I think this added a bit of pressure when we had the ball and we starting trying a bit to much, in a kind of desperation to create which never came off. The referee certainly didn't help matters.
Poke - Played well, for the most part very solid. seemed to be a bit of miscommunication between him and the wall which resulted in the Chelsea goal, but to be fair was a good strike.
Mansell - Did OK put himself about a bit
Todd - Very Solid, won most of his headers at both ends of the pitch but non of his attempts at goal troubled the Chelsea keeper
Hargreaves - Still very reserved about him in this position, got skinned a couple of times, but put his foot in for a good tackle a couple of times too, won every header and could of scored an own goal but for good reflexes from poke... hmm
Hodges - Very Good defensively, couple of good crosses, showed his experience. switched to center half when Hargreaves came off and wondered a little
Carlisle - Disappointed with him today, been very impressed with him so far but today he just tried a bit too much every time he had the ball, lost possession endlessly and didn't get his head up enough
Wroe - Good Vision but nothing really came off for him today and wasn't involved enough for me
Thompson - Didn't really do anything wrong, this lad is a very good player but we didn't have enough of the ball for him to influence the game as much as he would of liked
Stevens - Showed glimpses of some good stuff, took the Chelsea boys on and kept the ball well, drifted out of the game a bit in the second half
Green - It seemed we were switching between 442 and 451 with green coming out wide on the left and Stevens moving inside, This made it harder for Chelsea to knock it around but made Green pretty much ineffective, looked half a yard off the pace all afternoon and overall very poor
Sills - If we had of scored today, Sillsy would have scored it, most of his headers won made the keeper work and put himself about a bit once he came off (for Benyon) ended the chances of an equaliser
Subs
Nicholson (for Hargreaves) put some good balls in
Benyon (For Sills) Chelsea were just too strong for him to make an impact, some Nice touches
Carayol (for Stevens) Took on players well and made in impact in his short time on the field, If Sills had of still been on the field, he may of made more of a difference
Official Man of the Match: Poke
My Man of the Match: Stoch (Chelsea no 7) Scored the goal skinned everyone of the field, great feet good to watch
Overall a good game to watch ( Mainly because of the Chelsea Movement and football) Frustrating from a gulls perspective, Should have kept the ball better, moved a bit better and cant really remember someone having a shot at goal
About time someone told you it'sBidEford not Bidiford Dave, but more importantly get a message to your son that the game tonight is at Barnstaple! ;D
