Atherstone Town v Slough Town

[Langley Rebel]

Hi there all paul here what i want to know is is the Slough game on today? Or has been called off? And if the Slough game does go ahead will gary be doing the live updates on here? Or will the Slough game be on Slough and Langley Observers website?

[Chris]

Paul, we no longer do live updates on the website for matches. This stopped last season and will not be doing this again this season. The Slough Observer also very rarely do match updates.

 

However for our latest score you should be able to pick-up the latest Slough score via this website.

 

http://twitter.com/sloughtown/

 

Hope this helps

 

Thanks

 

Chris

[Roger Rebel]

0-0 after 40 mins

[Roger Rebel]

1-0 down

[chris sliski]

finished 2 nil to Atherstone ! conceeded a penalty for the second goal, by all accounts...

 

I personal could not go , got caught up at work where the weather was delaying flights badly - went to see a very Poor display by Beaconsfield syob

they lost 6 nil at home ...with 45 attending ..its quite sad really...

 

had a good chat with Steve Daley (who was not playing out with a bad back)

 

Tuesday is a must win game ..as we will lose touch with the leading pack..if we are not to careful...anyhow lets move on ...

 

cheers chris...

[Tom]

Shocking performance at a hole of a ground.

 

Things that annoyed me today:

 

1 - Failure to adapt to the conditions. Perks for example refused to take a touch before his kicks, yet every one would go straight out of the ground due to the wind.

2 - Lack of fight. Quite a few of the players looked like they didn't want to be there.

3 - For the 2nd game running the keeper wasn't tested. Atherstone's keeper in fact came off the pitch with a clean kit.

4 - For those of us making a 4 hour + round trip it would be nice to be acknowledged by the team, regardless of the result.

5 - Linesman and referee were like all other officials at this level, diabolical.

 

If this team has any ambition of finishing in the top 5 today was the sort of game were a result needed to be ground out, not shied away from. Atherstone were average at best and didn't need to do much to win. Not only did they get their 1st win at home, but their 1st clean sheet.

[Reading Rebel]

A truly abysmal performance from start to finish.

 

Atherstone were made up of a team of youngsters, some from their under 18's, who wanted it more than we did.

 

The conditions required a performance where the players had role their sleeves up and battle for the win and they failed miserably.

 

For the second game running the oppositions keeper didn't have one shot to save.

 

If SB thinks we don't need another forward who can score, this game will surely change his mind.

 

The only players that can come out of the game with any credibility in tact were NBH (our best player by far) Sweeney and Murphy.

 

For those of us that travelled I think the team owe us a performance on Tuesday.

[Radders]

I came away from the game today with quite a number of points banging around inside my head.

 

Firstly, today's performance was our poorest of the season so far bar none. Some will say that we created just as little against Burnham and Chesham but at least we were up against decent teams on those occasions. To their credit, Atherstone tried to play football and, at least until they were 1-0 up, I don't remember them playing long, aimless balls out of defence, unlike us. However, they were a very young team, and one that if we had put in a performance anywhere near the ones against Rothwell, Tooting or Boreham Wood, to name but 3 we would have won quite easily I feel. For all the good defensive work that NBH and Sweeney did today, their forward passes were woeful and they didn't seem to learn as pass after pass went flying out of play.

 

Secondly, I don't like to criticise Steve Bateman; as a man that's taken us from relegation fodder to promotion contenders, he obviously has some idea of what he's doing. However, taken off Hayes today when he did baffled me; his performance was far superior to Martin's, we all know that his set piece delivery is dangerous, and despite his current lack of goal threat, his hold up play in forward positions is better than Mo's who replaced him. It left us with Martin running around up front alone and with little support. By the time Sealey arrived we were 2-0 down, and then Martin gets taken off. Now I probably sound hypocritical taking into account what I just said and what I said at the game, but why is Martin going off when we're 2-0 down and he's our only striker? What does that say about the confidence that we have in him as a goalscorer? It's blatantly obvious that we need another striker who is going to put the ball in the back of the net on a regular basis, as with Elliott missing fro the last 2 games we've frankly looked toothless.

 

I don't really want to comment too much on the officials; as Tom said we should be getting used to the inept displays that we are foced to endure week after week. However I will say that I was probably too far away to make a 100% accurate judgement on the first goal, although it very much looked like Perks was clattered. If a player wins the ball cleanly, especially when sliding from in front and not from behind, it is not a foul, let alone a penalty. And how that was a back pass in the last minute I will never know.

 

Finally, I feel I must address the issue that arose at today's game with myself and a fellow supporter. The supporter, and senior trust member, in question, is someone that I have an immense amount of respect and time for due to the amount of effort they put into supporting this football club. However, when anybody feels it necessary to shout at me that I'm a 'disgrace' then I will respond and defend myself. The comment I made was very much in keeping with the general murmurings coming from the group of supporters I was standing with and befitted the overall feeling of watching our game falling to pieces. A similar comment was shouted at Ricky Perks (keep the ball on the f'ing pitch) from somone standing a lot closer to this supporter than I was, and I failed to hear them termed a 'disgrace'. Anyone that knows me knows that I am vocal, and granted sometimes not always in the most positive of ways, but 95% of the time I use my voice to encourage and cheer on OUR football club. Despite being told that I shouldn't bother to attend 'if I don't want to', I won't be hiding away from supporting OUR football club, like so many people have done as we have fallen down the divisions. It is almost 20 years now since I watched my first Slough match and hopefully it will be many more than 20 years into the future when I watch my last. I apologise if my comments either today or on other occasions have offended or upset other supporters, but I assure you my intention is only to support OUR club through thick and thin.

 

I hope to see everyone at Beaconsfield on Tuesday night to support OUR team and get them back on track, fighting back into the play offs. You can bet your life I'll be there, like always.

 

UP THE REBELS!!!

 

PS Apologies for the ginormous post!!!

[Ian]

Oh my God, where do you start after a performance like that?

 

The players, with the exception of one, need to take a very long hard look at themselves after that game. "Serve with Honour" my [****!!****]. "Serve with total disinterest" more like. I can't believe I was watching the same group of players from last Saturday. The one exception who could walk off the pitch with his head held high was Dean Harper. It's not as though we played a decent team. We didn't even make an average team look good. Even in beating us they looked poor but we just reached levels of rubbish that this group of players should not be anywhere near.

 

I don't like naming names but it's impossible to summarise yesterday without pointing a few fingers. Reading Rebel said that NBH was our best player yesterday. I disagree. Defensively he was good but his distribution, particualrly in the first was embarrassing. Einstein said that the definition of insanity was doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome. In the first half, playing down a steep slope, with a strong wind behind and the opposition defence pushing up, what made Nathan think that long hoofs forwards would result in anything other than the ball running either out of play or to the goalkeeper? I lost count of how many times he tried.

 

Where was the midfield? Who was even in midfield? Robbie Keane got caught in possession more times than Pete Doherty and Sincs kept running into several defenders. For heaven's sake if their defenders were doubling up on people, who had the space?? Certainly none of our players. I can't recall anything meaningful contributed by those in the middle. As for the front two the only positive thing I can say is that Tommy Hayes did chase a few lost causes yesterday and we know that his crossing is decent. I know they have supposedly scored goals at higher levels but I can't recall a front pairing looking less likely to score than these two. The movement is poor, the finishing is woeful, Martin gets pushed off the ball too easily for someone his size and there's no sign of a 'partnership' at all. As for Ricky Perks his time is up. Maybe back in the 80's when keepers were allowed to pick the ball up you could get away with a goalkeeper that can't kick. That's just not possible now. How many times did the ball get sliced or kicked straight out of play? Five, six, seven or more?

 

The one exception to this display of ineptitude was Dean Harper. Harps fits into the category of players who always give everything for our club and he, Steve Daly, Wilko and their like would have been embarrassed yesterday. I'm not sure many of the players walking off that pitch were that bothered about the result and they certainly weren't bothered we'd travelled two hours in dreadful conditions to see such dross.

 

Finally on to the Radders incident in which he was berated for having a go at the players. I don't understand why. If anyone was a "disgrace" it was those on the pitch. Yes we are there to support the team and we do it better than most but sometimes the players need to be told. They need to understand what's acceptable and what is not. Just putting up with it and never saying anything might be why they think that level of performance is acceptable. To me it isn't and any comments by Radders (or me or others) were fully justified on this occasion.

 

I'm sure some if not all of the players will read this forum and they can respond in two ways. They can either read the comments, sulk and put in more abject performances or they can respond and prove that some of the things that we saw at Atherstone were a blip. Let's hope it's the latter. Come on you Rebels.

[Staines-upon-Thames Rebel]

The issue of player performance and "being up for it" has been highlighted in the last few games.

 

I did some sums and calculated which players have contributed most when they were in the starting 11, in the way of wins and draws (cup games scored the same as leauge i.e. 3 points win,1 draw) and the following was obtained.

 

Played Points Average

Jordan 5 13 2.60

Sealey 7 16 2.29

O'Connor 8 17 2.13

Jackson 7 14 2.00

Edwards 12 24 2.00

Buchanan 13 25 1.92

Sharif 7 13 1.86

Murphy 20 37 1.85

Edgeworth 20 37 1.85

Sweeney 23 40 1.74

NBH 23 40 1.74

Kean 23 40 1.74

Hayes 14 24 1.71

Sinclair 10 17 1.70

Perks 16 26 1.63

Hibbert 6 9 1.50

Harper 10 15 1.50

Martin 14 18 1.29

Herron 10 11 1.10

Jeffery 1 1 1.00

Fenton 3 3 1.00

Avis 1 0 0.00

 

This clearly shows which players are getting the results when they play.

[Rebel Kay]

The issue of player performance and "being up for it" has been highlighted in the last few games.

 

I did some sums and calculated which players have contributed most when they were in the starting 11, in the way of wins and draws (cup games scored the same as leauge i.e. 3 points win,1 draw) and the following was obtained.

 

Played Points Average

Jordan 5 13 2.60

Sealey 7 16 2.29

O'Connor 8 17 2.13

Jackson 7 14 2.00

Edwards 12 24 2.00

Buchanan 13 25 1.92

Sharif 7 13 1.86

Murphy 20 37 1.85

Edgeworth 20 37 1.85

Sweeney 23 40 1.74

NBH 23 40 1.74

Kean 23 40 1.74

Hayes 14 24 1.71

Sinclair 10 17 1.70

Perks 16 26 1.63

Hibbert 6 9 1.50

Harper 10 15 1.50

Martin 14 18 1.29

Herron 10 11 1.10

Jeffery 1 1 1.00

Fenton 3 3 1.00

Avis 1 0 0.00

 

This clearly shows which players are getting the results when they play.

 

Interesting that of that list NONE of the top seven started the game. (sorry, that's Ian, not Kay as the sign-in suggests)

[HorshamRebel]

SR, Your stats list shows Harper towards the bottom, which from your post says he is not contributing much with a 1.5 point average.

 

In a lot of peoples views, including mine, he has been MOM in many games, and has been giving near 100% commitment in those games.

 

As always, stats can be shown to prove whatever the author wants.

 

By the way, I'm not disagreeing with what has been said, only that your stats show one of our most comitted players "clearly" near the bottom

[Tom]

Those stats are flawed in many ways.

 

One thing that has irritated me a little is the change in team since the unbeaten run, and even since the win last Saturday. Fair enough injuries play a part but our most successful period came with Sinclair and Sealey on the wings.

 

Sinclair since his return has featured in every game and quickly came back into the starting IX, Sealey on the other hand has barely featured despite supposedly being fit and Herron has come straight back in from injury.

 

The team is so devoid of pace without the two of them. I also don't think its particularly fair on Sealey if Herron regardless of form is coming straight back into the side.

[Chris]

The away form is clearly the main problem.

 

http://www.sloughtownfc.net/away_form

 

In away games we tend to create far less chances, particually against the better sides. Then when those half-chances do come along, which mainly fall to strikers we have failed to take those opportunities so far this season. We need a Michael Chennells/Matthew Platt type player, and we probably have one already in Garry Sippetts but he won't be back until January.

 

With regards to Perks, it's an awkward one. For me nothing wrong with his goalkeeping. Actually think he's a good shot stopper and collects crosses well, it's just the kicking. Half the reason I think he kicks it out of play from hand is the fact he catches the ball almost on the half-volley when it hits his foot.

[Rouser Rebel]

Were do we start, lots of interesting and fair comments Perks yes he is commanding, big and tall takes crosses cleanly etc but his kicking has always been a topic, I think he should try kicking from his hands and avoid the half volley which gives him less control, who's the goalkeeping coach?.

 

NBH tends to do what SB likes just get rid of it with a big boot and I think you have 2 reasons why our forwards cant hold the ball up, they dont know were it is going!!!!.

 

Strikers, unfortunately they are all very similar and we dont appear to have a 20 goal a season man as the scorers list shows apart from Elliott who has 6 the rest have come from midfield and defence which is great if you your striker gets 20.

 

Have to also agree with comments about Harps he is totally committed some times lives on the edge with refs (yesterdays booking), but isnt they why we all like football attitude in the John Terry(not comparing him with JT) mould not afraid to go were the boots are flying and prepared to take a tackle as well a give a tackle playing along side Steve Daly must have rubbed off.

 

As also said after travelling 4 hours we would like to see a side if they lose go down fighting I dont think we saw that yesterday, appears we dont travel well, lets hope Tuesday is different

 

COME ON YOU REBELS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[brighton_rebel]

I must admit i was questioning my sanity after my train pulled into Brighton at 9.20pm, a 8 hour plus round trip to watch that dross. In the first half we missed chance after chance, but through the whole game we didn't seem to really want it. We were told by one of their supporters that Atherstone had five of their youth team on the pitch. A few of us talked about rapport with the new players and how that is sadly lacking now. I know expectations have been seriously raised from the last couple of seasons, and it was only last Saturday that we took apart Rothwell. I don't mind it when our players get stuck in, put in a good performance and lose - and we always clap our players off no matter what. I would also defend Radders, who must be the most vocal Slough supporter getting behind the team (usually!) but yesterday was so frustrating, it was easy to lose patiance.

[Martin]

Well, it is fair to say I am glad that I missed that game from the sound of it!

 

Just wondering where the Edge was yesterday? Presumably we haven't been able to extend Hibbert's loan?

 

Let's try and look on the positives. We have had a couple of blips so far this season and have then bounced back with either a couple of wins or in one case a ten game run without defeat. We have a squad that is perfectly capable of doing that unlike in previous seasons and lets hope that is the case. Lets look to put things right Tuesday and start another run.

[Staines-upon-Thames Rebel]

The stats are correct - but are you able to interperate them correctly?

 

If you want a more detailed breakdown to base judgments on, here is a guide.

 

The larger the sample size the more accurate the data - therefore the likes of Avis & Jeffery who only have played 1 game each are less accurate but still valid to reflect actual performance.

 

Those who have played more i.e. more than half the games, will have comparable data to base judgement on - those with 12 or more games.

 

To aid judgements the Mean average is 1.64 (the norm) and plus one standard deviation is 2.18, minus 1 standard deviation is 1.11 - this should account for 68% of the players (actual = 72%).

 

Anyone above 2.18 is in the top 16% of players.

 

 

To use the data look at the following comparision:

 

Forwards who have played 12 or more games:

 

Buchanan 13 25 1.92

Hayes 14 24 1.71

Martin 14 18 1.29

 

Both O'Connor (2.13) and Jordan (2.60) have played less than 12 games, however both have scores around or above plus 1 standard deviation and this cannot be ignored - who would you pick to play using these stats?

 

But as was said previously - those players who have not performed in recent matches will know who they are.

[Rouser Rebel]

Well, it is fair to say I am glad that I missed that game from the sound of it!

 

Just wondering where the Edge was yesterday? Presumably we haven't been able to extend Hibbert's loan?

 

Let's try and look on the positives. We have had a couple of blips so far this season and have then bounced back with either a couple of wins or in one case a ten game run without defeat. We have a squad that is perfectly capable of doing that unlike in previous seasons and lets hope that is the case. Lets look to put things right Tuesday and start another run.

 

 

Dont know about Edgeworth but Hibbert has returned to Corby played for first half yesterday but got subbed on 45mins shame really thought he was just getting going for us

[Tom]

Edgeworth was out with a back injury.