Poor Totton...

[dansilk]

Currently losing 0-2 to Cirencester. They could come back, of course, but that must be so gutting after being top or second for ~90% of the season.

Meanwhile Bridgwater are beating VT FC 2-0.

[dansilk]

Currently losing 0-2 to Cirencester. They could come back, of course, but that must be so gutting after being top or second for ~90% of the season.

...

At least they've pulled one back at half-time. But it's like Hitchin losing to Slough (BTW well done to them!), however exciting the playoffs are it's galling for a team so far in front by the end of the league to face two more knock-out games with only home advantage to make up for the much better record. If they were close it wouldn't seem so unfair.

[AndyB]

Totton scored on 44 mins so 1-2 now Dan.

[dansilk]

Totton scored on 44 mins so 1-2 now Dan.

 

Indeed, I'm pleased I commented that they might come back!

 

<edit> as indeed they have, 2-2 now. Must be an electric atmosphere down there...

Edited April 28, 2010 by dansilk

[Fuzzy Royal]

I believe i am correct in saying that so far no team has come second in our division and won the playoffs. Indeed the momentum of making 5th place is greater than coming second even after a great season. We could see two teams get 100 points and neither go up, that is crazy. But like Windsor last year we knew the score when we started and however unfair it seems, and possibly is, it shows that the playoffs serve the purpose of giving hope to the teams in 2nd to 5th.

 

I must admit I have liked Bridgewater as a club and if Totton do fail to get through they will do the Premier justice.

 

I am so glad we were not in the playoffs again ass they are a total lottery as this and last year appear to be bearing out.

 

I am also sure Hitchin were nailed on favourites for that division earlier in the season, just shows how long a season is and how difficult it is to be consistent for a whole season. Although to be fair if you offered any team in any division from ours up 100 points at the beginning of teh season would any team have said "no thanks, we'll take our chances" I very much doubt it!!

[Fuzzy Royal]

And Totton are out, 3-2. I said last year they were the best team I had seen us play(and that includes Truro) and I would say the same again this season. I hope for Tottons sake that this season hasn't been too much for them and they become a mediocre side (as I think would have happened to us if we had not won the league) with players leaving and having to face another season at that level. I think they are better than that, although Ed Budny (is that his name) didn't make too many friends at windsor with his unnecessary comments and may need a cloth to wipe the egg from his face.

 

Hitchin & Totton must be gutted, but for Slough and Cirencester it is what the play offs are all about. good luck to the teams left in but remember, nothing is guaranteed in the play offs, a good win in the semis means nothing if you lose concentration in the final.

[Giant Reed]

Well, I've always thought that a good semi is better than nothing.

[Rother]

Mick Budny.

 

I have no sympathy for him whatsoever but do feel for the Totton fans hugely. (There but for the grace of God....)

 

It will be interesting to see if Budny is still there at the start of next season. And if he's not, what state he leaves them in financially.

[dansilk]

Well, I've always thought that a good semi is better than nothing.

 

Doesn't it leave you disappointed once it's over?

[Fat Boy]

Mick Budny.

 

I have no sympathy for him whatsoever but do feel for the Totton fans hugely. (There but for the grace of God....)

 

It will be interesting to see if Budny is still there at the start of next season. And if he's not, what state he leaves them in financially.

 

Could ask the same questions about your own manager no?

[Fuzzy Royal]

Indeed you could, but the point being made is that after two years of almost making it and, to be honest, deserving it, it may be too much to take for some players/management. If our manager leaves it is possible that a good percentage of the players will stay and want to play at a higher level and enjoy more success. Is it not likely that the good players at Totton will be looking to play at a higher level and may get an opportunity having performed so well for Totton for the last few years?

[Woody SUFC]

If you listen to the rumours its not a case off if but when and the fact that Mudge and Walton are the names floating about to be the replacement team it may happen soon!

 

We shall see!

[cirenpylonsider]

Interesting comments. One can say Poor Totton in the sense of sympathising, and their Boardroom was totally stunned afterwards, but compared to how they can play they were poor tonight. Ciren bossed the first half, had 6 efforts on goal but conceded a silly goal on 45. And again 33 seconds into the second half to make it 2-2. IMHO, good as Totton's players and system are, they only play one way and tonight, while Ciren ceded a lot of possession second half, Pettefer was closed down and they could not really get behind or through the defence. Ciren had very few moments of active possession in the final third but still got three shots in. And the winner was a killer in added time, beautifully created with good passes and finished clinically by our little 18 year old from The Academy.

 

The Totton team were absolutely gutted at the end; they had given it everything. With a couple of exceptions, were very generous and genuinely exchanged best wishes with our more than chuffed lads after what was a truly gutting defeat. Sad to say, cannot say the same for the Club Shop core, who were not very gracious! Though the lot up beside our fans were, so maybe it was just a minority.

 

Barfoot had a horrible game, dropped the ball more than once, miskicked horribly more than once and was beaten at his near post from 18 yards in the 93rd minute. Lot of second half pressure, with a point blank header kicked off the line on 82 mins, but Totton did not actually get any other shots on goal bar the two they notched. Not helped by losing a forward on 15 mins and Richardson with a torn hamstring on 30, or indeed by conceding on 13 and 20 mins!

 

Had to be good karma for me I suppose, coming up to see the floodlight repairs on Monday! Bridgy will be different; very good footballing team, don't score at will but neither do they concede many. We shall see.

[Stag Whippet]

Interesting comments. One can say Poor Totton in the sense of sympathising, and their Boardroom was totally stunned afterwards, but compared to how they can play they were poor tonight. Ciren bossed the first half, had 6 efforts on goal but conceded a silly goal on 45. And again 33 seconds into the second half to make it 2-2. IMHO, good as Totton's players and system are, they only play one way and tonight, while Ciren ceded a lot of possession second half, Pettefer was closed down and they could not really get behind or through the defence. Ciren had very few moments of active possession in the final third but still got three shots in. And the winner was a killer in added time, beautifully created with good passes and finished clinically by our little 18 year old from The Academy.

 

The Totton team were absolutely gutted at the end; they had given it everything. With a couple of exceptions, were very generous and genuinely exchanged best wishes with our more than chuffed lads after what was a truly gutting defeat. Sad to say, cannot say the same for the Club Shop core, who were not very gracious! Though the lot up beside our fans were, so maybe it was just a minority.

 

Barfoot had a horrible game, dropped the ball more than once, miskicked horribly more than once and was beaten at his near post from 18 yards in the 93rd minute. Lot of second half pressure, with a point blank header kicked off the line on 82 mins, but Totton did not actually get any other shots on goal bar the two they notched. Not helped by losing a forward on 15 mins and Richardson with a torn hamstring on 30, or indeed by conceding on 13 and 20 mins!

 

Had to be good karma for me I suppose, coming up to see the floodlight repairs on Monday! Bridgy will be different; very good footballing team, don't score at will but neither do they concede many. We shall see.

 

Can't disagree with much of that. Keeper had a shocker, second goal directly from his drop and how did he not get to the winner ?? and the two injuries were a huge blow but we were basically bullied out of it in the first half hour.

I have to agree with one of the previous posts, I really hope B'water get through, nothing against Ciren, but I hate play offs and the team over the season should go up.

Next season ? we shall see. The new ground should help, will be interesting nonetheless. Only problem is that the new ground is not in walking distance and beer intake may have to suffer

[cirenpylonsider]

I as usual wandered around the ground but nobody knew Stag Whippet - mind you, it seems impossible to read anything on the Totton site so have no idea if you are known as that on there! Some of the folk I spoke to knew their togger and could see what was happening. Don't think youse won a second ball til 40 mins had gone. I've never ever seen Pettefer so anonymous, or Taylor so ineffective.. He was a bit daft to keep on conceding fouls and that allowed a lot of moves to fizzle out. Best pair were young Lewis (some player, him) and young Price on the right but they were just about being held and their crosses could never be cut back to a runner coming in late on the edge of the box.

 

Castle had spent quite a bit of time stamping on Griffin and the delightful irony of the night was the young kid coming inside, showing outside then whizzing away inside of him and beating Barfs on his post. From the angle of the box. Susan Perb.

 

Have always known Bridgy have a good team, indeed a very good footballing team because they can and do vary their play.They will be favourites on Saturday. We will have to be very much on top of our passing and positional movement to get anything.

 

I agree with the comment above - make it three down so top 2 go up and then playoff for the final place. Except, the FA have got their League structure badly awry to be able to accommodate the Lets Keep The Money for Us Conference set up. Ho hum, since when did the bedrock clubs get any commonsense from the powers that be?

[Fat Boy]

Indeed you could, but the point being made is that after two years of almost making it and, to be honest, deserving it, it may be too much to take for some players/management. If our manager leaves it is possible that a good percentage of the players will stay and want to play at a higher level and enjoy more success. Is it not likely that the good players at Totton will be looking to play at a higher level and may get an opportunity having performed so well for Totton for the last few years?

 

Not sure how you read that from the post I quoted. It was a dig at Mick Budny, and an unnecessary one at that.

[Fuzzy Royal]

After what Budney said in both yours and our local paper he deserves everything he gets. A little dignity wouldn't go amiss from that man. Your fans on here have been superb and Mr Budney could learn a lot from your supporters who came to our ground, lost in a very tight game and enjoyed a pint and were very gracious about us.

[Fat Boy]

After what Budney said in both yours and our local paper he deserves everything he gets. A little dignity wouldn't go amiss from that man. Your fans on here have been superb and Mr Budney could learn a lot from your supporters who came to our ground, lost in a very tight game and enjoyed a pint and were very gracious about us.

 

I'm not actually a fan of either club. Don't like the playoffs and don't like comments like Rother's, when a club is within a point or 2 of auto promotion and lose the playoffs.

[Fuzzy Royal]

Ah, not sure if you are aware that Mr Budney said before the game that basically we weren't up to it and he had a better team and that our forward line only had pace and Victor Osubu was basically rubbish. After Victor scored the winner he then had the gall to say it owuld be an injustice if Windsor win the league and that Totton were better than us in every way and had been for the past two seasons. Just don't like that attitude, makes it hard to be sympathetic towards the man.

 

As for the playoffs, I agree they are unfair when the team coming second is sooooo far ahead of the chasing pack and then fall at the first hurdle, especially after taking the league title to the last game (Hitchin and Totton) but they are what they are. Introduced to make the run in to the end of teh season more exciting, and they do do that. 3 up would be better, but then if the second and third places were really tight and the chasin pack miles away it would just promote the same argument.

 

I don't know the answer, but having been through it last season it is not nice when you come second and lose in the playoffs. I really do feel for them, but you can't say it isn't exciting.....(if you're not a Totton fan!!)

[Rother]

I'm not actually a fan of either club. Don't like the playoffs and don't like comments like Rother's, when a club is within a point or 2 of auto promotion and lose the playoffs.

 

Eh? How odd.

 

What is there to take offence at in this..?

 

Mick Budny.

 

I have no sympathy for him whatsoever but do feel for the Totton fans hugely. (There but for the grace of God....)

 

It will be interesting to see if Budny is still there at the start of next season. And if he's not, what state he leaves them in financially.

 

My sympathy for Totton and the unfair way in which the season was extended to our advantage has been evident in my posts on the subject - I think Budny is an a r s e as it happens but I would never gloat about what happened to the team and its players who have been admirable in extremely difficult circumstances these last 2 or 3 months.

Edited April 29, 2010 by Rother