Match Day Thread A Semi By The Sea Pilgrims v Chairboys 9th May

The lads played out of their skins ok disappointed to conceded 2 late goals but who would have thought we would be 3.0 up I'm happy

 

we have made that much more difficult for ourselves than it needed to be - for 80 minutes we were superb, then one wonderful strike and one that we should have defended better! still its a good win, and weve got the advantage for the second leg. It appears the referees decisions even themselves out within the match tonight - Plymouth were very lucky to finish with 11 players I think!

 

Agree with that mate

 

Away win I will settle for that

 

Right then, am I happy or sad with that?

 

Well played Wycombe for 80 minutes anyway. The Ref wasn't that clever it's true and yes it was obviously a handball before the goal and that isn't sour grapes it's fact. It was obvious to everyone in the crowd and how the Ref couldn't see it I have no idea. As for a red I would have to day you were also lucky to get away with one as well. Your guy took a haymaker swing at one of ours about a yard from the Ref who booked our man and ignored your's totally. He didn;t even speak to him. You were well worth your 3 nil lead and to be honest I was waiting for the forth to go in we were that bad. The atmosphere changed with our crowd really singing and backing the team and they responded with one back. I wasn't expecting it. They a second back and the mood changed drastically. I was expecting that even less than the first. You were worth your win and it isn't a fluke that you are where you are league wise. An awful lot of time wasting and laying on the floor by some but then we might have done that in your shoes even if it is annoying having paid £20 to get in and watch. Your keeper was doing it from the first minute. No complaints though and it turned out to be more exciting that it looked like it might at one stage. We have a chance still and you only have yourselves to blame for it. Second leg might be a bit squeaky.

 

Hopefully the 2nd game won't be so eventful. 0_0 would do.but we are wycombe we don't do anything easy. Sensible anything can happen our home form is not great so I think we will both be stressed out during the next 90 plus minutes.

 

Losing Hayes didn't help. Disappointed with Fred. I thought when he came on at 3-0 he might nick another one on the break but he didn't show at all and lost possession too often. Defence was brilliant (apart from the 2nd goal). Goalkeeper could not be blamed for either goal, the first unstoppable and for the second (a fluke) he was unsighted.. Overall, very pleased with the performance but we have lost the opportunity to boss the 2nd leg

 

If I am brutally honest, and I often am when it comes to our lot, I don't think we are either ready or good enough to go up so I won't be on edge for the second leg one bit. What happens happens for me. If we do sneak it then obviously I will take that but if we don't then equally I won't be too disappointed. You were in total control and for some bizaar reason the wheels suddenly came off. The 2 goals back are a bit flattering for us but the one thing it does is give the second leg meaning. You have beaten us here on the last 4 occasions I believe and we have got a result the other way around so it is definately still up in the air. I think your team will be more nervous than ours.

Anyway time for more beer, it's been a traumatic evening....

 

Got back at 1.15 last night a brilliant Wycombe performance for 80 mins to be 3-0 up away from home in the play offs nobody could believe it at the game. I don't think the wheels came off Plymouth had a lot of luck with the two goals. We looked a completely different team than the game against Morcambe. I think taking off Holloway off changed us. I did wonder if he was carrying an injury because he came out with Bloomfield when he was warming up a good 5 minutes early at half time. Alex Lynch looked assured through the match. It was only our supporters chanting till the last 5mins. It could just have easily been four goals. Talking to blues fans at Exeter services disappointed we had let a 3 goal lead slip but we would have taken a 1-0 win. Everything else is as I saw it Fred again disappointed a game made for him being 3-0 up. Well worth the trip.

 

philhythe, I understand your coloured blinkers. we have plenty like that at our end. But, "Plymouth had a lot of luck with the two goals"?????? Really? The first was a really well taken strike which beat your keeper and would have probably beaten most keepers hands down. The second was a decent strike by Banton who created the space and put it through a crowd of players. Your keeper saw it very late and none of your defence tried a block. What on earth was lucky about either? You haven't mentioned the handball either talking about luck. Not only did I know it was handball at the match but having seen it again in slowmo numerous times just to check I absolutely know it was now.

Lets move on to supporters shall we. Were you actually there? The Devonport End of our ground is never quiet for long. The Argyle supporters made a load of noise and even taunted your section with the "you're not singing anymore" thing. You were as good as any other set of supporters we have had here but for the most part not better than the home crowd. Where is your report on the singing and light show? "Don't worry about a thing"......ring any bells? Four to Five thousand lights on display you would have thought it was a pop festival. You are rightly chuffed with the overall win but please don't rewrite history. Second leg might be interesting now.

 

I'll give you that Greeny; the first goal was a cracker. No complaints there. Second one was defensive error(s), Goalie saw it too late as you say. At 75 mins I was happy. Now I'm very nervous. Mid week, Adams Park, TV Say no more

 

I think the singing bit is on YouTube somewhere and it truely was uplifting. It struck up and was picked up all over the ground. About 2 minutes later whilst they were still singing it we scored. It went on and on and we somehow got another and I think this was a case of the crowd lifting the players. The Ref got boo'd but not the players despite the fact they had been pants all but for the first 25 minutes. To be fair normally the crowd has been a tad vocal at the players when they are not doing it but this time they sang to them and it was one of those football moments you sometimes get. It may be heard on Thursday I think just to remind our players of last night and your players how it can go suddenly wrong.

Your crowd really backed your players and certainly played their part. Having said that it's easy to do that when you are crucifying the opposition. They didn't have go quiet in the last 10 minutes though.

 

Im suspecting what philhythe means (or if he doesn't, im saying) is not that the goals were fortunate but that for the way Plymouth played they were lucky to have 2 goals and to be honest are lucky to still be in the tie. However you are, the last 5 minutes showed that your players are capable of creating something and we all know how good reid is so im nervous for the second leg! As for the handball, these decisions tend to even themselves out and as a Wycombe fan I feel its a bit of justice for the 2 clear red cards not given against us in the 2 games over the easter weekend, not to mention the decision to play the bury game on an unplayable pitch, which if it had been played properly we may have been promoted instead. Harsh that argyle should get hit by this karma, but I cant say I feel too bad about the handball! Not to mention that your player should defiantly have been sent off (although arguably saunders was fortunate not to get a silly second yellow).

As for the atmosphere I have to disagree with phil from watching it on the TV, argyle were not silent at all, but also have to say that for large parts of the game all you could hear was Wycombe fans! Argyles atmosphere was bigged up by possibly the most bias commentator ive ever heard on sky - if he was working for pilgrims player or something fair enough, but on skysports you are meant to stay neutral! Having said that, it was very loud when it got going

One question - what was with the light show? not something I think ive ever seen at a football match before, more suiting of a concert!

 

I think there was a microphone problem with the tele people josewwfc. They were doing something to them for quite a while and I think the only ones working were at the Wycombe end hence the bias in noise. The light show was when somebody somewhere put up their phone light and thousands almost spontaniously joined in. It wasn't rehearsed that much I know but there were thousands of phones being waved in the air whilst the singing bit was going on hence my "like a pop concert" comment.

As for the lucky goal thing you may well be right but it isn't how it sounds in his comments. We were getting pumelled to bits it's true and there looked no way back from 3 - 0. I really do think the change was down to the support with the players responding.

I'm not sure about evening things out with decisions though. It was a definate handball and the goal should not have stood. If it was the other way around you would be spitting blood. But, we would have taken it had it been for not against. Players and clubs can't change stupid decisions and there are plenty of them. The standard of the officials in this league is hopeless this season and worse than previous in my book. I could count the decent ones on one finger from what I've witnessed. The one thing I would have done however is admitted it was a handball and said it was wrong we got the decision. That's whilst being equally pleased with a 1 - 0 lead of course.

 

I saw the lights, just thought it was a little strange for a football match!

As for the handball, as ive said earlier it was clear as day, about as obvious as that red card and yet somehow both were missed by the officials! Yes I would be furious if it was against us, and I expect you would be coming up with the same logic as me if it was in your favour! The standard of refereeing in this league is truly appauling and something needs to be done, but I honestly don't know what! You cant expect steven craig to turn to the ref and say he handballed it - at the end of the day it was the referees decision and I wouldn't expect any player to do that

 

My personal view is that it's all water under the bridge now, so debating the rights and wrongs is pointless. Greeny is right about the standard of refs though. Most have been bloody appalling this season.
Thursday night could still go either way and although we have the slender advantage its a toss of a coin. Two good sides and someone is going to end up very disappointed. Not sure if either team look like they are capable of surviving in League 1 without some serious investment and money is something we don't have!
Would like to go along for the ride though!

 

The first time I came across this light thing was at an evening indoor horse show in France. Everyone was holding up lighters, candles (ie real flames) and waving them from side to side. It was quite emotional as the retirement of one of the great French show jumping horses was announced and he entered the ring to moving music and dimmed lights. Apparently it's quite common over here as a sign of deep appreciation. .

 

I've watched the other semi and I doubt either of those team would stay long in L1 either. The first half was quite brutal and I was expecting some red cards, and it was like watching a non league game. Fortunately they calmed down in the second half and started to play football. At that time Southend looked the better side.

 

We may not have money slasher but with ainsworth at the helm we do have heart and fight in the team. Reminds me when we had players like Evans rhino brownie cousins and Co and when you have that in your team you stand a chance even against the big boys in league one if we make it there.