Slough 1-2 Arlesey

[Chris]

Don't know what others think, but can't really fault the players too much tonight apart from some early shocking defending in home games which is becoming the norm of late. Much like Atherstone at home two shots and 0-2 down which has to change.

 

For all the second-half and the much of the first-half I thought we had all the play and the pressure, but in fairness to Arlesey we created little and they defended well.

 

Major turning point in the match was the referees decision not to give us a penalty and more importanty not send their man off. John Lawford told a few of us in the stand that the ref said he was not the last man, which he clarly was and to not even book him was patheric.

 

Really worrying with injuries and players missing now with Harper, Edgey, Sonner, Bowden-Haase, Edwards, Dwain Clarke, Herron, Sinclair and Hayes all seemingly injured and Jacko, Sealey, Dean Clark unavaliable (12 players).

 

However, despite the resuly I was impressed with the character we showed tonight which will hold us in good stead in the games to come.

Edited March 30, 2010 by Chris

[Rouser Rebel]

Don't know what others think, but can't really fault the players too much tonight apart from some early shocking defending in home games which is becoming the norm of late. Much like Atherstone at home two shots and 0-2 down which has to change.

 

For all the second-half and the much of the first-half I thought we had all the play and the pressure, but in fairness to Arlesey we created little and they defended well.

 

Major turning point in the match was the referees decision not to give us a penalty and more importanty not send their man off. John Lawford told a few of us in the stand that the ref said he was not the last man, which he clarly was and to not even book him was patheric.

 

Really worrying with injuries and players missing now with Harper, Edgey, Sonner, Bowden-Haase, Edwards, Dwain Clarke, Herron, Sinclair and Hayes all seemingly injured and Jacko, Sealey, Dean Clark unavaliable (12 players).

 

However, despite the resuly I was impressed with the character we showed tonight which will hold us in good stead in the games to come.

 

 

Not sure whats going on with Harper appears he told his dad he was not injured but was taken off by SB without any apparant reason, again no midfield for most of the game not sure were Mo was playing and as for Simon Martin what was he doing? The ref lost the plot and probably retired early because he was embarassed how was that not a straight red

[charlie]

agree with Chris - the completely inept ref was the biggest problem tonight. He told Bateman he didn't send off the 5 who took out Martin because 5 ran away and he couldn't see who did it- I mean, come on, how is that ever a reasonable excuse? As Martin pointed out behind the goal, if you don't see who did it, you confer with your linesman, if he didn't see it you can take an educated guess that it was one of the centre backs, call them to you and tell them you're going to have to send one of them off and hope the right one owns up. To simply say you didn't see who it was is an abysmal excuse. And why did he refuse to ever count out 10 yards for the free kicks? <sigh>

 

Not sure what Rouser's point is about Martin -I thought he tried hard again tonight, though admittedly he must be kicking himself about a few of those misses.

 

Can confirm from speaking to Harps that he's not carrying an injury. Perhaps Bateman's just aware of how integral he is and doesn't want to risk over playing him with NBH out for the season and Yads' suspension coming up.

[Ted]

Gift the opposition a 2 goal lead and you don't deserve to win.

[Rouser Rebel]

agree with Chris - the completely inept ref was the biggest problem tonight. He told Bateman he didn't send off the 5 who took out Martin because 5 ran away and he couldn't see who did it- I mean, come on, how is that ever a reasonable excuse? As Martin pointed out behind the goal, if you don't see who did it, you confer with your linesman, if he didn't see it you can take an educated guess that it was one of the centre backs, call them to you and tell them you're going to have to send one of them off and hope the right one owns up. To simply say you didn't see who it was is an abysmal excuse. And why did he refuse to ever count out 10 yards for the free kicks? <sigh>

 

Not sure what Rouser's point is about Martin -I thought he tried hard again tonight, though admittedly he must be kicking himself about a few of those misses.

 

Can confirm from speaking to Harps that he's not carrying an injury. Perhaps Bateman's just aware of how integral he is and doesn't want to risk over playing him with NBH out for the season and Yads' suspension coming up.

 

 

Is SB finally feeling the pressure if as appears Harper is not injured why would you replace him? IMO with him gone you have no voice or drive what ever you think of him he certainly brings something to the team, why replace him with Jeffery who like Mo was found out both showed youth team quality which in a couple of years once they grow out of the headless chicken routine will defiantly benefit Slough but they should be bit part players as they have during the season. Also unless Sonner was injured IMO Martin should have been replaced by Sippetts and wouldn't Elliott be better down the middle he seems lost on the left despite his goal come cross, come on SB put the heartbeat back and lets have a big push to the winning post, come on you rebels

[Rebel Yeller]

As has been pointed on here we are now down to the bare bones. The players we have left have to stand up and be counted and I'm afraid some of them aren't really able to do so.

 

However short we are there's no excuse for such poor defending at the start of each match week after week. Are they drinking Horlicks in the changing room before the game ? As this is an issue why don't we just put ten men behind the ball for the first fifteen minutes and ride it out. We might make more of a game of it then.

 

Yes, the ref was rubbish but that has to be accepted at this level. Sadly Mo had a poor game, not sure he's up to this level yet. Martin was ineffective as usual, yet Buchanan, our top scorer, was stuck out on the wing - again. Madness ! At one point when Murphy went forward Elliott was playing left back ! How can this be right, even in a depleted team. Elliott faded in the second half, but quite frankly I don't blame him for being fed up.

 

Unless we get some players back or SB can motivate what we have better than he's done so far, then the play-offs are not for us this year. Even if we scraped fifth place, we would be away to Hitchin, Burnham or Bury and quite frankly we'd get little change out of them. Let's learn from this campaign, change the personnel around a little and go for it next season.

[Mark44]

Ok so we are now the dodgy team in the top 6 who cannot get results with the top three coming up. Its not looking good.

 

We now need a minimum of 6 points from our next two games and there is NO excuse as to why we couldnt. The team that is being put out is good enough on paper so show it.

 

The problem for me is we played well last night without having anything to show for our pressure........probably has something to do with not playing your top goalscorer up front but hey ho.

 

As for the rest of the team, we need players with passion now to lift the rest of the team.

 

We are crying out for Jacko to get in and organise the lacklustre defence. Its not neccesarily the defences fault but Perks can see the game clearly and there seems to be a lack of concentration.

 

Get Jacko in, play elliot up front, get sealey back...... Playoffs here we come

[Martin]

There were two major turning points in the game. The first the ref's decision not to send off anyone after the foul on Martin. It was definitely a free kick and not a penalty but he was defintiely the last man and should have gone. The referee did not consult with his linesman and never made any effort to send off the player as he was too focussed on marking the spot at which the free kick was to be taken. To then compound the error by letting the wall stand all of 5 yards away was infuriating.

 

The second turning point was when the referee got injured. At the point we were having all the play, building momentum and creating charges. After a long delay we never really got going for those final 19 minutes and ultimately I think that prevented the equaliser.

 

Sonner went off injured and immediately applied an ice pack to his thigh. Let's hope it is just a niggle and he will be fit for the run in.

 

I actually thought Simon Martin had a good game again. He won the free kick and was unfortunate as the ball never seemed to be falling comfortably for him. A couple of those headers were from looping balls that it was impossible to apply any power to.

 

On the Harper substitution, all I would say is that in the second half we looked much more solid defensively but that may be just coincidence and the fact we were chasing the game. Mo didn't have the best of games but I would perserve if Sincs is still injured as he does have the potential and the ability to create something.

 

It is imperative that we get maximum points over Easter so let's get right behind them on Saturday.

[Mr Rebel]

giving a 2 goal lead away before the a quarter of the game is up is just suicidal. we restricted them from then on really but its all too late. as said why we don't just keep it tight and grow into the game rather then get caught out more than once so early i do not know. complete inability to judge high hopeful long balls cost us yet again like it has for years.

 

our attacking players have their work cut out when they suddenly need to help create 2 or 3 goals just to get a point. it just results in our play being rushed and passes go astray and dribbles are stopped with ease. just so irritating that its the same old thing and we still are not learning

[Windsor Rebel]

The Simon Martin incident in the second half was worst decision I have seen by a referee in a long long time. I was right in line and it was definitely not a penalty, however their

defender was the last man and should at least have been booked, if not sent off. If the referee was struggling to keep up with the play, why not consult the linesman, whom you

would hope would have a better view? Having said that, thought we had a good second half but to ship early goals is always a big ask. MOM: Buchanan closely follow by Murphy

[Staines-upon-Thames Rebel]

The ref played his part last night, but the ref at Area 51 also gave poor decisions, but to our advantage, so it goes both ways.

 

Giving 2 goals away like that is madness.

 

Buchanan on the wing is a waste.

 

Taking Harper off at half time is mind boggling.

 

Not using Jacko more this season is stupid.

 

Not bringing back players who are on loan is shortsighted.

 

Management making the numbers up on the bench AGAIN!

 

 

From having an average points tally of 2.055 before the winter break, to now only achieving 1.625 shows the drop in performance.

 

The home performance is the issue as we have only won 2 from the last 8 home games and they should be the games where we bank the points.

[Chris]

I agree with what people are saying that we need elliot up front but who takes his place on the left wing? Herron out for the season and let's face it if Tyron was coming back he would have been back by now. Just think it's a case of him probably leaving but us still holding his registration for this league much like Fenton and DJ. Only thing you could do is play Sweeney left-back and push Murphy on but I'm not convinced that's the answer for the team.

Edited March 31, 2010 by Chris

[Mark44]

What about Dwaine Clarke, I think he has done a good job for us on the left at times, especially at Wycombe.

 

Also what about Kyle jeffery left back and murphy pushed forward??

[Rouser Rebel]

What about Dwaine Clarke, I think he has done a good job for us on the left at times, especially at Wycombe.

 

Also what about Kyle jeffery left back and murphy pushed forward??

 

 

Chris & Mark not sure Sweeney left back works either remember Chesham and one other game can't think who against he was put on the left and had a poor game also Kyle has not been good the last couple of games Barton and Arlesey in particular, apparantly Fenton is out injured anyway, strange thing I thought I saw Dwain on Tuesday night at the game so as Lawford was on the bench perhaps if it was him he must be injured as well is there anybody apart from what we have seen still standing?. I'm not sure we have anybody else with a left foot!!

[Reading Rebel]

What about Dwaine Clarke, I think he has done a good job for us on the left at times, especially at Wycombe.

 

Also what about Kyle jeffery left back and murphy pushed forward??

 

 

I don't think we will be seeing Dwaine Clarke along with Dean Clark, Hayes and Jacko again this season. I would guess they were just p#ssed off with being constantly on the bench or in Dwaines case being left out altogether for one reason or another.

 

One of the drawbacks of having a big squad is trying to keep everybody happy. In our case we are starting to pay the penalty with injuries coinciding with these players not making themselves available.

[Tom]

Dean Clark's absence is due to personal reasons, his wife has recently or is due to give birth in the near future.

 

Having a big squad without a reserve team is currently the clubs biggest drawback. All well and good having cover but the fact they are having go out on loan to get games isn't the best thing.

 

Seeing as Maidenhead are applying to put a reserve team into the Hellenic perhaps Slough should try and do the same, although where they would play is the question.