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Post by ohtobeatplainmoor on Feb 14, 2009 17:03:25 GMT
COuldn't make the match today due to a long standing prior engagement, but great to hear us get some goals again and get the win that was desperately needed. Shame everyone else won so emphatically but the main thing is that we build-up a bit of momentum again.
I wondered where Benyon's future lies (probably at Sid James Park if they could afford the compensation!) but to hear him play well and score is encouraging.
Im looking forward to reading about the rest of the team and their performances later - glad they were more 'Dr Jekyll' than 'Mr Hyde' today!!!!
I was contacted but someone at the match to be told that Green wasn't best pleased today and left the ground before the match.
I guess it isn't really a surprise that he wasn't happy, hopefully he works hard to win his starting place back, although I'd be quite happy to see him head-out on loan for a month or so to score some goals.
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Post by aussie on Feb 14, 2009 18:05:44 GMT
I hope someone can teach our Tim to shoot, thats twice in five days he blasted the ball well over the the crossbar from a couple of yards out. I know he scored two today but one was a pen and the other was a header, he just doesn`t seem to be able to score with his feet from open play, so frustrating to watch! Elliot has come on leaps and bounds in my opinion and should not have been subbed, if Buckle wants to give Eyesdown a run out then he should have taken Sills off as he looked jaded at that point, but we all know he just wont take his mate off under any circumstances, I can see why Green might be feeling pissed off and why Elliot was getting frustrated earlier on in the season. Elliot has scored nine goals this season and has hardly played, everyone was wondering where the goals were going to come from well theres your answer, if he was played more he obviously would score more.
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Dave
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Post by Dave on Feb 14, 2009 18:26:17 GMT
Before todays match I had a meeting firstly with the head steward, a very nice man called Steve and a second meeting with the grounds safety officer, I will do a thread on that meeting later tonight. You can only beat the team put out on the pitch to play you and Altrincham looked a very poor side today and you wonder why their recent results have not been too bad, this was another game we really should have won by six or seven goals. I was pleased Robertson kept his place in the team and at first thought he was in for Woods(I chat to much and miss the team being read out) but soon realized it was Hodges who had been dropped to the bench. I was also unsure of the forward line up of Sills and Benyon and before I get told they got three goals between them, I think who ever played up front to day would have scored. Benyon soon showed he was really up for the game and maybe had something to prove to Bucks, his running and work rate was there for all to see, but his control of balls played up to him was the best I have ever seem from him. As early as the first 5 mins he had a good ball played to him by Wroe and Benyon turned and got a good shot away. Carlisle also had a very good game today, there was one thing he did late in the second half that I will explain later that was hard to explain his thinking, but on 10 Min's he sent in a great free kick, only for Sills to head over.Then on 15 Min's Nicol did some good work out wide on the left and placed the ball on to Dsanes head, it was a sitter but Dsane missed the target completely. Around the 17 Min's mark Carlisle took a corner and sent a good ball into their box, Sills unmarked had to almost stoop down to head the ball into the right hand side of the goal.Dsane was not that good again today and in my view got even worse as the game wore on, he had the chance to score on 25 Min's, but his shot was a really tame effort. It was all Torquay in the first half and on 40 Min's the ball found Benyon just a few yards out, he should have put it away but the keeper saved it and as it was Benyon was flagged off- side so it would not have counted.On 43 Min's another good ball was sent in the box from a free kick, but Sills header was saved with ease. We came out for the second half unchanged and on 5 Min's Benyon made a great run out wide on the right and sent in a great ball to Sills who really should have scored. Then another good ball found Sills who did a nice turn on the edge of the box, but he lost his balance a bit and just when their goal was there to score he hit the ball high and very wide. On 10 Min's the really impressive Carlisle played the ball toward Hargreaves who in turn sent a good ball into the box for Benyon to run onto, Benyon was brought down by the keeper. Sills stepped up to take the penalty and drove the ball down the middle with the keeper diving to his left, two nil and looking good for a few more goals. Around 15 Min's and a top class ball by Woods found Carlisle who sent in a ball to Sills but somehow the ball ended up running for the keeper to collect.Robertson showed on the 25 Min's mark why we need a big defender for set pieces etc and he won a good header in the box, he headed it downward but the bounce took it into the keepers arms, if he had got it to the left or right he would have scored. Onto Carlisles silly moment, he was running across the pitch and it looked along the edge of the box, you expected him to go a few more yards and shoot with his left foot, but he hit a strange ball back toward the corner flag and there was no players anywhere near the corner. On another day he would have got some stick for such a wasted ball, but as he had played one of his best games for us, the fans seemed to have forgiven his only mistake of the whole game. Benyon got the reward his hard work deserved on30 Min's, he ran onto a good through ball, the keeper cams out and seemed to have the ball but lost control of it and Benyon reacted well to put the ball into the net.Dsanes game continued to get worse and on 32 Min's Carlisle knocked yet another great ball into the box, Benyon headed it down to Dsane who blasted the ball over and into Torquay harbour. Just after that Benyon found himself just inside the box on the left hand side and hit a good hard shot that the keeper saved by his post, but Benyon was showing signs of getting tired as you felt it was time for him to be taken off. One min later and Sills had another good chance but he as well blasted the ball over the bar. Then out of the blue(great ELO track  ) Altrincham pulled one back a good cross and a top class finish into the top corner of the net, just for a while afterwords, you felt they may get a second, but if they had it would have made the game look close and believe me there was only one team in it today. The game still had plenty of chance in it and we did not take any, but we won by three goals to one and it could be the platform needed to get a good run going. Crowd of only 1760. very disappointing and while I know it was two game in one week, we really need and deserve to see bigger gates at Plainmoor. |
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Post by aussie on Feb 14, 2009 18:34:19 GMT
but we won by three goals
Sorry Dave I think you`ll find we won by two goals or did I miss one somewhere?
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Dave
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Post by Dave on Feb 14, 2009 18:44:11 GMT
Thanks aussie, I have now done an edit on my post |
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Post by Swanny on Feb 14, 2009 18:53:56 GMT
First game I've attended since the Coventry game and I was keen to see us again after our recent hiccups. What sort of performance could I expect ? When I took my seat I was pretty shocked to hear Green did not even make the bench, and then told that Green went off in his car after finding this out before the match, obviously not a happy man. It seems Green is the latest player to be frozen out by Buckle after similiar occurences last season.
I was gutted to hear this and had a bad feeling about the match. Like many other supporters I believe Green has much to offer especially his pace. Fortunately Torquay ran out comfortable 3-1 winners thanks to Benyon seizing his opportunity and the Green situation did not come back to haunt us. Crowd 1,760, about 30 from Altrincham, sponsors MOTM Benyon.
Before I mention Torquay I have to say how very poor Altrincham were. They offered virtually nothing all game and 3-1 flattered them somewhat. In a subdued Plainmoor, Torquay dominated the first half in territory and Benyon had a decent shot just over. Then Sills got the beakthrough doing what he does best. A corner floated over from Carlisle was met by a Sills header from short range - 1-0. This was just the boost the team and indeed the crowd needed, and Torquay gained in confidence. Altrincham had one opening just outside the penalty area but screwed his shot just wide. Our marking looked wide open on that occasion. Apart from that Woods and Robertson did well in the middle of defence.
Torquay improved further in the second half and were more or less camped in the Altrincham half and at times the approach play was very impressive. The passing was generally good and the movement of the team. Wroe's range of passing was very impressive, but there were still plenty of frustrating moments especially from our crossing. The culprits typically being Carlisle, Dsane and Nicholson. There were plenty of chances and Sills finishing on the deck was poor.
The big difference today was having a goal poacher, namely Benyon. Time and again he was there in the box "sniffing" for any opportunities, and it was thanks to Benyon for our second and third goals. For the second goal, it was 50 / 50 between Benyon and the keeper to get the ball. The keeper slightly caught Benyon, Benyon made sure he went over - penalty. Sills sent the keeper the wrong way from the spot after 55 minutes.
Torquay and fans alike were now comfortable and started to enjoy themselves. There were countless attacks from Torquay and Benyon, unlike others, has a knack of hitting the target and at least making the keeper work. From another 50 / 50 between Benyon and the keeper, the keeper sort of had the ball then let it slip, and Benyon slipped the ball home from an angle.
For the last 10 minutes Benyon went off to a fine ovation and was replaced by Christie. Christie to his credit got stuck in and involved. He had one good bursting run which ended up him going to ground and appealing for a penalty. With quicker feet Christie may have scored from another opportunity from close range. At least we have "sniffer" Benyon to do that.
Altrincham's late goal was a real beauty, a volley from 25 yards out into the far top corner. Fortunately that was just a one-off.
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chelstongull
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Post by chelstongull on Feb 14, 2009 19:01:44 GMT
Word of praise today for the Ref and his two officials. Best officials I can remember at Plainmoor for many years.
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Post by aussie on Feb 14, 2009 19:04:13 GMT
Good shout Chelston, totally agree on that one, makes a nice change to the dross we usually get stuck with!
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rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Feb 14, 2009 19:42:55 GMT
We have had that ref before this season, against Chipstead if I recall correctly. Wouldn't mind having him again  Some great match reports already A much improved performance albeit against a not very impressive side. In fact, for a time in the second half, thought we might have ended up with a hatful of goals. I was initially left scratching my head a bit with Hodges on the bench and Green not even in the match day squad! However, respect to Buckle who has picked a winning side and ended our goal drought. |
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Dave
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Post by Dave on Feb 14, 2009 20:03:42 GMT
If Green did leave the ground after learning he was not even on the bench, then we must fear for his future at Plainmoor. Buckle has showed before with Dsane and Phillips that he will not tolerate such actions. The real question is why after such a great display against Coventry he has not made the starting eleven or even got on the pitch. There may well be other issues with Green that we are not aware off, but what ever the reason I would be unhappy if todays events means he will not get picked for the team again. I don't buy any arguments that playing Sills and Benyon was the correct move, yes Benyon played very well and got the rewards he deserved, but I feel any one of the strikers picked should have got on the score sheet today. Why even little Dave R would have scored if he was out on the pitch today, just ask Phil(chelstongull) about my super fast pace as I dashed the last 10 yards to my car after the game  Lets hope when Green comes back for next weeks training that he and Bucks can have a chat and sort things out for the good of the team and the club, Green can play a big part in our push to secure a play-off place and its better to have him fighting for a place in the team, than no longer caring what happens to him at the club. |
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Post by Budleigh on Feb 14, 2009 20:23:54 GMT
Bit of fun on the touchline when the Torquay bench noticed a mis-shapen ball and tried to keep it when it went out of play and get another thrown on. Didn't wash with the fourth official who wouldn't listen to the argument and got quite arsey. It finally came over to the dugout and disappered whilst another rolled onto the pitch!
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chelstongull
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Post by chelstongull on Feb 14, 2009 20:26:26 GMT
Why even little Dave R would have scored if he was out on the pitch today, just ask Phil(chelstongull) about my super fast pace as I dashed the last 10 yards to my car after the game True  |
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merse
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Post by merse on Feb 14, 2009 20:41:57 GMT
Bit of fun on the touchline when the Torquay bench noticed a mis-shapen ball and tried to keep it when it went out of play and get another thrown on. Didn't wash with the fourth official who wouldn't listen to the argument and got quite arsey. It finally came over to the dugout and disappered whilst another rolled onto the pitch!  I followed that on the commentary and did wonder if it was being preserved as the "Tim Sills Hat Trick Momento" but that turned out to be a damp squib anyway. Any truth in the rumour that a "previous administration" ordered that any player on two goals should be withdrawn to avoid the possibility of such expenditure? |
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tufc01
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Post by tufc01 on Feb 14, 2009 21:16:52 GMT
The first thing to say is that Altrincham were poor today, but take nothing away from our performance we fully deserved to win, possibly by a few more goals. I for one was pleased to see Benyon given a start, as i had said in a post prior to kick off. I still believe that he offers more than Green and if it is true that Green has thrown his toys, then even more credit for Benyon to have bided his time with a lot more maturity and dignity than Green. I also think that after todays performance he could be given a run in the team and deservedly so. Whilst some have said that anyone could have scored today, i think thats doing a bit of an injustice to Benyon. He worked hard, looked sharp, was well up for it, showed some fantastic ball control and fully deserved his Man of the Match award. There were a few pleasing things from todays game, not least the way we started so brightly. The first 15 minutes was great to watch, the lads were so up for it and it showed. They played with a bit of passion, composure and something we haven't seen for a while, confidence. Some other players performances to note; Robertson: I thought he had a great game. Defended very well and brought an extra dimension to attack. Not only did he go forward for the set pieces but several times in the second half he went forward looking to support the forwards. I can see why he was preferred to Ellis and even Hodges. Another who i would like to see given a run in the team. Mansell: Another good game, particularly in the second half when him and Carlisle had acres of space out on the right. He created several overlaps and provided a lot of ball for Carlisle, who if he had cleared the first man with his crosses a few more times might have had half a dozen assists. Other than that i didn't think Carlisle had a bad game. He creates space and gets himself in a position to cross, just needs to clear the first defender with them. I also like the way he chases back. Him and Mansell are the ideal pairing on that right side. Wroe: Always looks in control and has a great passing range, against poor teams. I might be a bit harsh on him to say he sometimes struggles to get into games against teams with a strong Midfield. Today he was good. Woods: Since he got back into the team he has been playing very well. His distribution today was very good, if it was anyone else i would say it was beckham like, but i still don't like him so i will say it was very good. The thing i like about the rejuvenated Woods is that he looks a better 'defender' now. Doesn't seem to get caught out of position so much (Obviously i missed the Southport game, where the video evidence suggests he still has donkey like tendencies) and he has cut out dragging opponents to the ground ala Exeter Boxing day. Dsane: Salisbury sound like they need a new right winger The ref deserves a special mention for having a good game. I liked the way he let things flow, in particular he could have (some refs would have) blown for a free kick on Hargreaves, but waved play on and a few seconds later we got the penalty. Onto the penalty. I had a great view of the incident and hand on heart can say that you wont see a more clear cut penalty this season. Benyon knew what was going on and had the presence of mind to put that quick half stride in to nick the ball past the keeper, knowing full well that he would be taken out. The goalkeeper got NONE of the ball and ALL of Benyon and to those stood around me who think it was lucky, may i suggest that you watch the replays on next Fridays BSP highlights program. The result was never in danger and they grew in confidence as the game proceeded. The second half saw some lovely football as we truly dominated the game. Overall, a good performance and a great result. Already looking forward to Kettering next week. |
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Dave
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Post by Dave on Feb 14, 2009 21:41:12 GMT
tufc01, my remarks about any forward could have scored today, was not meant to take anything away from the hard work of Benyon that got fully rewarded by him scoring himself in the game. I just feel that due to some great play in many parts of the pitch by the whole team and the chances that were created, any player in the box forward or defenders could have grabbed a goal today and therefore it would not have mattered who had started up front today.
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) Altrincham pulled one back a good cross and a top class finish into the top corner of the net, just for a while afterwords, you felt they may get a second, but if they had it would have made the game look close and believe me there was only one team in it today. The game still had plenty of chance in it and we did not take any, but we won by three goals to one and it could be the platform needed to get a good run going.
