Forum | The Final Countdown - Matchday #44 by wessex_exile

Forum index | Previous Thread | Next thread

The Final Countdown - Matchday #44 16:22 - Apr 19 with 1087 views

Well, here we go, after a poor performance against Crewe, and definitely a missed opportunity to gain all three points with the Penalty that Time (and players) Forgot, we still find ourselves back in control of our own destiny – it’s in our hands! If the U’s were poor, spare a thought for lacklustre Crewe, who despite still having a chance of the play-offs, just didn’t seem to want to turn up (a bit like their fans, where were they all?). Three attempts on goal, just one on target and only 38% possession – yes they worked very hard to keep us out, but up front they didn’t seem to want to even bother.

It was impossible to see the red card incident from my vantage point in S2, but fortunately much less so for the 4th official right in front of it. Watching the highlights in slo-mo, Flanagan clearly wins the ball, and in the ensuing tumble Lunt for reasons unknown clearly kicks out, literally leaving stud marks on Tom’s midriff (as he was showing to anyone who cared to look). When the 4th official calls the referee over about something he’s seen, you know you might as well start walking down the tunnel. As for the penalty, yes it was a poor effort, but penalties do get saved, these things do happen – Read could have blasted it towards the bottom corner and pantomime villain Marschall could still have saved it. I’m more interested in the actual decision. Credit to Samson for not giving up on the byline, and as goes past the falling Knight-Lebel the ball definitely hits his arm, but more ball to hand if I’m honest. However, and this is the moment, I’m convinced the referee’s decision-making was swayed by the universal roar of “HANDBALL!” from the South Stand. However, the goal wasn’t to be…

Image: Steve Brading

And so on to Matchday #44, and in a special mini-series of as yet indeterminate length, time to review the games of those still in with a half-decent chance of making the play-offs. When I say decent chance, I’m going to include 11th place Crewe, even if they looked like they were already on the beach yesterday (pun intended). Mathematically, I could go done as far as Swindon and Bromley, but with only three games to go they’ve almost certainly got too much to do, even if the former under Ian Holloway are going like a train at the moment – expect them to be up there next season.

Port Vale v Grimsby - Easily the hardest fixture any of the play-off hopefuls are facing on Easter Monday, this will be on the back of an unexpected 4-0 battering at home to the aforementioned Robins. Reading the The New Fishy post-match comments, it would appear that Grimsby were as poor as Swindon were good. They’ll be smarting about that, possibly more so than the 2-0 lead they gave up at the same time as we were banging in two at Newport, and you must assume David Artell will demand a reaction.

Trouble is, they visit a Port Vale side who will be smarting just as much and determined to get back to winning ways to stay on course for the title. Bad enough to concede three at relegation-threatened Carlisle (who are in really good form at the moment), but having pulled two back in the second half, the Valiants had their own injury time penalty to snatch a point. Tolaj struck it well, albeit at a good height for ‘keeper Breeze, who guessed the right way and pulled off an excellent save.

As I see it, Port Vale are in a four-horse race for both automatic promotion and the title, with Doncaster Rovers (more later), Bradford City and Walsall. I’m being charitable here, Walsall are in complete disarray and any talk of Matt Sadler being voted Manager of the Season (yes, he’s been nominated) is farcical. Forecast: Port Vale 3 Grimsby 0

Chesterfield v Bradford City – After a drab 0-0 at Plough Lane, which didn’t help either side that much, Chesterfield are three points outside the play-offs with the best goal difference of those in the chase. It’s also worth noting that Chesterfield didn’t register a single effort on target to trouble former U’s Owen Goodman. Although they were playing better quality opposition, this has to go down as two dropped points for the Spireites, but at least they didn’t miss a penalty in the process.

On Monday they face a Bradford City who will want to bounce back from dropping two points at home to Notts County last Thursday (although I thought County were the better side tbh). This will be a tough game for both sides – the ProAct will be packed to the rafters with Bradford City filling their end (and probably could three times over if the tickets were available) – and the tension may well be a factor. Who will be up for it? It should be Bradford City, after being starved of promotion for so long, but it will be close. Forecast: Chesterfield 1 Bradford City 2

Morecambe v Salford City – Four points adrift and an inferior goal difference must surely mean any lingering play-off hopes for the ‘Ammies will hinge on how they will perform on Easter Monday. Fortunately for them, they visit near relegation certainties Morecambe – eight points from safety and three games to go, Morecambe could win all three and still be relegated.

However, unfortunately for Salford, we can’t overlook they lost 2-1 at home yesterday to another of the relegation candidates, Accrington Stanley – their consolation goal coming from an Adelakun penalty – hey, at least he scored it I suppose. If nothing else, after a six game unbeaten run, it demonstrates that propensity for Salford to shoot themselves in the foot occasionally. How will they fare on Monday? It probably depends on which Morecambe turn up, the go down fighting never say die Morecambe, or the f’ck it, we’re doomed so let’s just get this over with. Forecast: Morecambe 1 Salford 2

Crewe Alexandra v Milton Keynes Dons – Honestly, after the lack of self-belief on display yesterday from both their team and their (largely absent) supporters, still including Crewe in the play-off mix seems fraudulent. However, position-wise they are near identical to Salford, only separated by goals scored, and a bit like the U’s, quite a hard team to beat. I think they’re done already, but anything less than a win on Easter Monday will confirm they stay in League Two next season.

Obviously we know about their game on Good Friday, but on Easter Monday they take on an MK Dons side who just wish the season would end now. There’s no chance the franchise will be at risk of relegation, and after four defeats on the bounce, under new manager Paul Warne they’ll be buoyed by a drab 0-0 stalemate at home to Newport. An experienced manager at this level, I think Warne will instil enough self-belief in his team to take all three points at Gresty Road. Forecast: Crewe Alexandra 1 MK Dons 2

And that just leaves…

Doncaster Rovers v Colchester United – It’s a close call who has the harder fixture on Easter Monday, and I’ve gone for Grimsby on the back of their 4-0 drubbing, but in truth this will be a really tough game for the U’s as well. With Taylor out for the remainder of the season and no news (that I’m aware of) on Harry Anderson, we find ourselves sweating on positive news about Jack Payne. We certainly missed his creativity in the middle of the park yesterday. The good news was seeing Teddy Bishop back on the pitch, and JK Gordon did well replacing Oscar Thorn.

Doncaster are another in the chase for the title and/or automatic promotion and were virtually the only team in the top half of the table to take all three points on Saturday. In style too, brushing aside Tranmere Rovers with a Luke Molyneux hat-trick at Prenton Park. After two draws on the bounce, they now have the top of the table in their sights and a chance to put right what they got so horribly wrong in last season’s play-offs.

In our favour, apart from the 1,000+ who will travel to the Eco-Power Stadium, we do tend to play better against better sides, we have a resilient defence that is clicking really well, and of course we have Mr Clean Sheet Matt Macey between the sticks. I think we have enough about ourselves to prevent Doncaster from scoring, just do we have enough of the right sort of walking wounded to do anything at the other end? Forecast: not a chance I’m jinxing this

	Up the U's
Poll:	How will we do in 2016/17
Blog:	Knees-up Mother Brown #24

The Final Countdown - Matchday #44 on 16:30 - Apr 19 with 1086 views

gerry_us

Chicken

The Final Countdown - Matchday #44 on 20:18 - Apr 19 with 961 views

durham_exile

The Final Countdown - Matchday #44 on 16:30 - Apr 19 by gerry_us
Chicken

Wessex the only score prediction I would change is MK Dons.

They are so awful that even Crewe will defeat them on Monday

I thought we would detail the Railwaymen and am still disappointed that we didn't win

However everyone needs to step up on Monday for the really difficult game at Donny Rovers.

Doncaster 1 Colchester 3

More to come in the pre-match write up.
I have tickets for Doncaster, Salford and Barrow and three wins will be very welcome indeed. Even persuaded my sons to come too.

Up the U's

Durham_exile

The Final Countdown - Matchday #44 on 21:36 - Apr 19 with 928 views

wessex_exile

The Final Countdown - Matchday #44 on 20:18 - Apr 19 by durham_exile

I just feel the new manager bounce will get MK Dons out of their current fug, and Crewe showed so little ambition on Good Friday. I'll definitely take your Donny prediction though. I have tickets for Donny and Barrow, not certain I can make Salford, but I hope we meet up at some point for the other two.

Failing that, there's always the play-offs

	Up the U's
Poll:	How will we do in 2016/17
Blog:	Knees-up Mother Brown #24

The Final Countdown - Matchday #44 on 22:13 - Apr 19 with 907 views

durham_exile

The Final Countdown - Matchday #44 on 21:36 - Apr 19 by wessex_exile
I just feel the new manager bounce will get MK Dons out of their current fug, and Crewe showed so little ambition on Good Friday. I'll definitely take your Donny prediction though. I have tickets for Donny and Barrow, not certain I can make Salford, but I hope we meet up at some point for the other two. Failing that, there's always the play-offs

Definitely Wessex I would hope to meet up and Gerry will be at Donny too.

We could well play Warsaw in the semi final.

Wimbledon at Wembley.

Anyway in the meantime Up the U's

Durham_exile

The Final Countdown - Matchday #44 on 22:30 - Apr 19 with 904 views

gerry_us

The Final Countdown - Matchday #44 on 22:13 - Apr 19 by durham_exile
Definitely Wessex I would hope to meet up and Gerry will be at Donny too. We could well play Warsaw in the semi final. Wimbledon at Wembley. Anyway in the meantime Up the U's

Well I sure won't be going to Warsaw for the play-offs.

The Final Countdown - Matchday #44 on 22:36 - Apr 19 with 898 views

durham_exile

The Final Countdown - Matchday #44 on 22:30 - Apr 19 by gerry_us
Well I sure won't be going to Warsaw for the play-offs.

I reckon we will polish them off.

Up the U's

Durham_exile

The Final Countdown - Matchday #44 on 09:11 - Apr 20 with 826 views

wessex_exile

The Final Countdown - Matchday #44 on 22:36 - Apr 19 by durham_exile
I reckon we will polish them off. Up the U's

	Up the U's
Poll:	How will we do in 2016/17
Blog:	Knees-up Mother Brown #24

The Final Countdown - Matchday #44 on 15:25 - Apr 20 with 735 views

noah4x4

The Doncaster website suggests that the Belle View Bar will NOT be open for away fans. This is a real shame as we have always been made welcome.

I fear this is the legacy of Wrexham’s horrible fan behaviour last season as this is now happening too often. Ironically, one of the two locations where we get the best on-site welcome might be exiting the league (Carlisle & Tranmere). Incoming Shrewsbury leave us drinking outdoors in the rain and Cambridge is just awful.

Not sure where our fans can get a decent drink pre-match.

The Final Countdown - Matchday #44 on 18:58 - Apr 20 with 662 views

wessex_exile

The Final Countdown - Matchday #44 on 15:25 - Apr 20 by noah4x4

That’s a shame if so, that bar at the ground was pretty okay last time I was there. They even had a very civilised queuing system.

	Up the U's
Poll:	How will we do in 2016/17
Blog:	Knees-up Mother Brown #24

The Final Countdown - Matchday #44 on 08:32 - Apr 21 with 528 views

wessex_exile

The Final Countdown - Matchday #44 on 15:25 - Apr 20 by noah4x4

I’m not sure if it counts as a decent drink, but there’s a Beefeater a little further down Stadium Way on the opposite side to the stadium. I appreciate the walk might not be as easy for some though. I’m coming by train, so if I have time I’ll grab a pint at the Railway Pub next to the station.

	Up the U's
Poll:	How will we do in 2016/17
Blog:	Knees-up Mother Brown #24

The Final Countdown - Matchday #44 on 13:06 - Apr 21 with 428 views

wessex_exile

The Final Countdown - Matchday #44 on 15:25 - Apr 20 by noah4x4

Latest tweet from DRFC, Belle View is definitely open to away fans. Don’t blame the messenger if they’re wrong though.

	Up the U's
Poll:	How will we do in 2016/17
Blog:	Knees-up Mother Brown #24

The Final Countdown - Matchday #44 on 14:49 - Apr 21 with 382 views

mfb_cufc

The Final Countdown - Matchday #44 on 22:13 - Apr 19 by durham_exile
Definitely Wessex I would hope to meet up and Gerry will be at Donny too. We could well play Warsaw in the semi final. Wimbledon at Wembley. Anyway in the meantime Up the U's

Walsall make it 12 games without a win, after their bore draw at Newport in the early game. They are going to be the team everyone will want to play in the play-offs.

mfb

Forum index | Previous Thread | Next thread