FL2: Cheltenham v Torquay United 23rd Feb 2010

Interestingly whilst listening to the game on the radio I jotted down on my phone the things that were being reported. Don't know why really because I have never done it before. Just seemed like a good idea at the time.



Clearly from the commentry it is clear that we were much improved in the second half. The radio made it sound as if we were unlucky not to win in the end.
I was suprised when I spoke with friends after the game who were not as complimentary about our second half performance. They felt we were pretty poor all over the pitch and although improved in 2 nd half were still certainly not as good as the radio made out.

"The quality just isn't there.
 
We are not looking for the front players we are just hitting the ball forward and hoping for the best.  

There just doesn't seem to be any method to our play.

There were two chances to get a foot in but we let him have site of the goal. 

Too easy

I have to say Poor stuff from Torquay

I am not going to lie to the listeners. It is men against boys out there.

It was a lucky goal but torquay deserve to be down and we had two or three chances to clear the ball but didn't. 

We are physically not at the game

Midfield we have been dominated which means the defence has been under constant pressure. 

The defence and gk have done well but you will crack if under constant pressure. 

We need strength but I can't see it on the bench or on the pitch. If I am honest buckle has sold the players with strength. 

I am trying to look for positives but I am struggling to find them. 

If we keep bringing in loanies we won't gel. We are playing as strangers. 

Half time

Torquay came out with a bit of purpose

Decent start.  

Looking more purposeful starting to cut our teeth a bit. 

Better from barnes. Great run. mm over.

I am suprised Nicholson is not in the side. 

Playing far far better. Looking more dangerous. 

All Torquay at the moment. 

We have a lot of posession but we are not creating chances.

Lots of posession outside the box.  

If we get one we will go on to win

All Torquay we really deserve something from this. 

Excellent play by Torquay.

Torquay have penned them in.

Important save from bevan.  Could be important for the season. 

Under no pressure we kick the ball out of play. 

If I am honest the last io mins we have not made any chances. 

Yes! Equaliser!  Could be a vital goal.

Get in! 

Deserved on second half performance. we have forced a lot of posession.

Full time. 

Rescued a dramatic point. We deserved a point. Got our just rewards. Maybe deserved more. 

Vital point. 
  
 
  





   
  

 











Saunders and steve breed



 





However when I spoke to friends after the game they were all of the opinion that although we were improved in the second half we remained pretty poor throughout the game and were suprised when I said the radio infered anything different.

Anyway, for those who may be interested here is the "snapshot" I wrote down from the radio. You

A rare away trip for me - a last minute decision part-based on not being able to bear the thought of enduring a "commentary" that often doesn't tell you which end of the pitch a goalmouth scramble is at, so you don't know whether to will the ball in or out.

Arrived just in time to pop to the chippie nearby for chicken and mushroom pie and chips - you see I take milber's warning that"as the muscle burns out you need some fat to call on" very seriously - and found myself behind a Cheltenham fan having a good old moan about his team.

"If we do score first we just drop so far back that we are just inviting an equaliser". "Funny you should say that..." was my reply. We put the world to rights and agreed that a 1-1 draw was inevitable as someone would probably fluke a goal - undoubtedly from an error - and the lucky team would then drop back so deep that the other team would not be able to avoid scraping an equaliser no matter how hard they tried. Our only consolation was that it appeared that Grimsby suffered from the same disease. Seems like we called it about right.

Greeted inside the ground by Mark Boyce handing out the £5 vouchers and thanking fans for coming - I understand that Simon Baker also put in a stint. I told him to keep it as I'd already had a ridiculously cheap season ticket, but that I thought it was a tremendous gesture. Our board were clearly disgusted at CTFC for ripping us off to the tune of £20 - good to see them standing up for their fellow fans.

Sat next to Barton and not far from Rob and Ricardo - just as I did at my last away day at Bournemouth. My comment after that game that I wasn't too gutted at being robbed because I didn't think we'd need the point may come back and kick me in the balls.

I probably annoyed Barton with my uncharacteristically negative take on proceedings. Cheltenham were very poor and it was very disheartening to see us being able to more than match them on that score. We were absolutely awful in the first half, but just awful in the second half. Branston was our best player IMO.

It was a relief to hear that Grimsby failed to hold on to a lead again and that coupled with our late equaliser stopped the evening being the total disaster it looked like it would be.

We are very lucky that we have two such poor teams as Darlo and Grimsby in our league (that's not counting Cheltenham - who are also poor). We're on target for 42 points and if we keep playing like last night we will struggle to do much better than that. 50 points is usually the safety marker and I'd be amazed if we reach that - but this could be the season that some lucky team stays up with 45 or even less. Let's hope so.

48 points usually gets you safety!

So Mo isn`t a left back then?

We can be saddo`s together then!

Not at all, Jon. Just a gentle reminder from me - desperately trying to be upbeat - that the game isn't over until, well, when it's over.

Eight weeks only since that fine performance at Bournemouth which, we all hope, won't be seen as the turning point in our eventual demise. Speculation, indeed, on Tuesday night as to how history will record the events of this season. Still time for everything from a strong revival - we can only hope, can't we? - to the unspeakable. If it's the latter I guess that - in time - this will become one of the most-discussed seasons in our history (and full, perhaps, of debate about the "revealed history" as opposed to the "hidden history"). As for Paul Buckle, managers have recovered from greater crises than this but - at this moment - whatever their differences (much debated on this forum) it's odd how the stories of Paul Buckle and Leroy Rosenior appear to be merging. How strange, in fact, that the tales of many a Torquay manager start to make for unhappy reading two-thirds of the way through the chapter (what does this say of our club?). Oh, for a happy ending one day. This time? Or not?

Enough for me to ponder back at my B&B in Cheltenham after the game. And, also, a strong sense of déjà vu. Was this the same place where I stayed with my parents in 1970 on the night I listened to Everton winning the championship on the radio and watched Celtic beat Leeds in the European Cup on the telly? If so, I sense those will remain far more vivid footballing memories than Wednesday morning's desultory breakfast table chat about Cheryl and Ashley.