First of 2 at home on consecutive Saturdays. After the slow start we have now done 3 on the bounce and our form is as good as anyone's in the league so far. Lets hope they carry on the good work. Don't think the players we have are Earth shattering but somehow I have a good feeling about this bunch. I will be there with the usual gang this time. First time this season.
Lashing down and blowing a gale in PL3 so should be perfect for football. Last game for me and No2 for a while as a) his older brother(No1) gets married next Saturday which is a bit inconvenient and b) he (No2) is off to UNI the week after. Might have to start taking Mrs Lyndhurst to the match.....
We're expecting my niece, her partner and my grand-niece (eek first grand anything for me), aged 3 months, so no football possible. Good luck out there, I've just put the central heating on.....
Cloudy and breezy but warm with occasional sunshine.... no sign yet of promised rain in BR6......feet up for the weekend and a quiet time anticipated.....done my running around last weekend whilst down Bognor Regis.......5 minutes to kick-off and I haven't checked the team sheet yet.
Some moaning because Adams has reverted to "first" team after dominant performance on Tuesday. Time will tell....
A wet and windy Home Park saw Argyle take all three points with a late late show when it looked like only the weather would be the winner. Despite the midweek drubbing of Newport, DA reverted to his 'first' team to face a well drilled Cheltenham side. Argyle presumably lost the toss and started off playing towards the Devonport end, and more significantly into the gale force wind and lashing rain. The pitch was 'soggy' in places but actually held up extremely well and the match was never in doubt. Cheltenham started much the brighter and were dominant throughout the first half; well drilled and pressed the ball and home players from minute one. Chances were few and far between and the half was littered with mistakes and misplaced passes. Spencer went off injured early on and was replaced by goodwillie. Second half much improved with Argyle on the attack for long periods. Cheltenham continued to press without really troubling Luke except for one deflected shot that hit the post. Bristol new boy 'Arnie' came on to add a bit of strength up front, promptly got booked and then hauled down when about to be through on goal-the ref saw it differently and decided that Arnie was the offending player. As the weather improved so did the game and it could have gone either way. 4th official said 3 mins and it looked like 0-0 but there was still time for Bradley to pop up with a scruffy winner which might encourage a few of the 100s who decided to leave early to stay to the end next time. Not at all pretty but 3 points is all that matters. No standout performances really, Carey, Bradley, Bully, Threkland and Purrington all had decent games and the rest were okay. Didn't like the ref, another one who seemed more interested in making sure free kicks and throw-ins were taken from the exact blade of grass rather than doing anything about their number 9 who could easily have collected 3 yellow cards for use of the elbow. The Lyndhurst linesman may as well have been in the stand. 5 wins on the bounce and up the third, onwards and upwards.
Obviously dire conditions and at the end of the day the result is all that we will remember. We certainly haven't set the world on fire in our first six games....lost two.....possibly won two that we didn't deserve to....but third in the League and only one point off the top......I would think before the first game of the season we would have taken that.
I'm a little surprised you could find so much to say about this afternoon. I would have summed it up a bit quicker. First half rubbish, second half slightly better but not good. Ref crap along with lino. Weather crap. Stole a goal at the death. We won. I find it hard to understand why Adams reverted to this team. I find it even harder to understand how thier No.9 was on the pitch after 20 minutes. Could have had a straight Red twice and wasn't even booked for either. Aguaro was given a 3 match ban for an elbow. That's because the Ref didn't see the offence. Our Ref sent our man off to get his nose repaired. They are priceless. 3 points is 3 points. Enough said.
Story in the Sunday Times today, quoting ex Premier League ref Mark Halsey, to the effect that the referees' professional body, the PGMO, "guided" referees after matches had ended as to whether they had or had not seen certain offences which were clearly visible on the TV coverage. The implication is that this allowed the FA discretion as to whether to retrospectively punish players if it suited them or to keep their heads down if it was politically inexpedient to punish someone. Not strictly relevant as the video coverage in League 2 wouldn't be sufficient to convict anyone and the refs we get are very far from professionals, but it's probably indicative of the crap that does go on behind the scenes.
I have seen that Aguero elbow quite a few times now and I'm just not convinced about any of it. The Ref was looking straight at it unless he is crosseyed. That's the first point. The second is that I can't quite see the connection between elbow and face. The intent may have been there and he did thrust the elbow backwards but did he actually connect? They all go down like they've been hit by Henry's 'ammer whether they are touched or not. In the case of our Ref I don't see how either he or the lino couldn't see either elbow as they were that blatant. He immediately sent Songo'o off for blood treatment for the second one. Where did he think that came from? The whole crowd saw both elbows yet 4 officials saw nothing. He also bottled the pull down when through and deliberate handball by giving Cheltenham the free kick. In the case of the premier league it is Sky that referee matches rather than the bloke in the middle. They went on and on about Aguero until the FA had little choice but to punish him. If the Ref says he didn't see it then that makes it easier for everyone except the player. From our experience of Refs though maybe they don't see things......
