v Taunton

[Reading Rebel]

A tough game in prospect against the meanest defense in the league having only conceded 4 goals so far this season.

 

[Irishadrian]

  On 12/09/2022 at 15:37, Reading Rebel said:

A tough game in prospect against the meanest defense in the league having only conceded 4 goals so far this season.

 

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Yes I agree RR  Their ground is just 15mins or so from my house and I saw them 3 times at the end of last season  How can I sum them up? Uncompromising and robust covers it  Expecting a tough game!

[GlenSTFC]

  On 12/09/2022 at 16:04, Irishadrian said:

Yes I agree RR  Their ground is just 15mins or so from my house and I saw them 3 times at the end of last season  How can I sum them up? Uncompromising and robust covers it  Expecting a tough game!

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We have the advantages so we have to be hoping for a win.

Taunton have got a long 3 hour midweek drive during rush hour.

The vast majority of their staff will need to take a half day off work.

They probably won’t get into bed until between 1-2am.

First season at this level.

We’ve won 3 out of 4 and have a great chance to really narrow the gap on the play off places with a win which is our seasons target.

They won’t be used to an artificial surface.

Edited September 12, 2022 by GlenSTFC

[Windsor Rebel]

  On 12/09/2022 at 15:37, Reading Rebel said:

A tough game in prospect against the meanest defense in the league having only conceded 4 goals so far this season.

 

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Should read meanest defence (with a c not an s). we are not in the US

[Reading Rebel]

  On 12/09/2022 at 17:56, Windsor Rebel said:

Should read meanest defence (with a c not an s). we are not in the US

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I know WR but it comes up as a spelling error if you put a c in so I just put an s in instead to stop it being underlined.

[Irishadrian]

  On 12/09/2022 at 17:48, GlenSTFC said:

We have the advantages so we have to be hoping for a win.

Taunton have got a long 3 hour midweek drive during rush hour.

The vast majority of their staff will need to take a half day off work.

They probably won’t get into bed until between 1-2am.

First season at this level.

We’ve won 3 out of 4 and have a great chance to really narrow the gap on the play off places with a win which is our seasons target.

They won’t be used to an artificial surface.

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Yes Glen well argued Their two losses were both away from home both 1-0 and both in 3 days at the start of their maiden season  1 draw and 3 wins from last 4  but you've raised a number of points not in their favour what concerns me in the games I saw was their intention to go in hard and often at the players they perceived to be the opponents main threat.

[GlenSTFC]

  On 13/09/2022 at 01:11, Irishadrian said:

Yes Glen well argued Their two losses were both away from home both 1-0 and both in 3 days at the start of their maiden season  1 draw and 3 wins from last 4  but you've raised a number of points not in their favour what concerns me in the games I saw was their intention to go in hard and often at the players they perceived to be the opponents main threat.

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Sounds like we may have a few injuries! Still expecting a tough game but we need to win if we’re serious about making the play offs.

[Reading Rebel]

  On 13/09/2022 at 06:04, GlenSTFC said:

Sounds like we may have a few injuries! Still expecting a tough game but we need to win if we’re serious about making the play offs.

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We need to get some consistency and improve at both ends of the pitch, especially in defense if we're to trouble the play-offs. 

Edited September 13, 2022 by Reading Rebel

[Reading Rebel]

  On 12/09/2022 at 17:48, GlenSTFC said:

We have the advantages so we have to be hoping for a win.

Taunton have got a long 3 hour midweek drive during rush hour.

The vast majority of their staff will need to take a half day off work.

They probably won’t get into bed until between 1-2am.

First season at this level.

We’ve won 3 out of 4 and have a great chance to really narrow the gap on the play off places with a win which is our seasons target.

They won’t be used to an artificial surface.

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Agree with some of your points Glen.

Not sure points 2 and 3 gives us any advantage.

[GlenSTFC]

  On 13/09/2022 at 09:25, Reading Rebel said:

Agree with some of your points Glen.

Not sure points 2 and 3 gives us any advantage.

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Obviously not knowing what their players do for a living but I’m sure some are self employed meaning they may need to start work even earlier today plus others may also start early as normal so come KO you could forgive them for being tired/sluggish.

[Irishadrian]

Excellent result  I think it was always going to be a low scoring game and we edged it!  We move up to 9th but only poorer GD keeps us out of the playoff places.

Congratulations also to Binfield who beat Marlow 0-4 in the FA Trophy

[Curtis]

A great result for us but if I was a Taunton player I would be very disappointed to be travelling home pointless.

[Guest Wycombe Rebel]

4th win in 5 games, a goal for Benyon and a clean sheet… Can’t ask for much more and getting stronger with every passing game.

That’s what you call consistency and effectiveness at either end of the pitch!

[Reading Rebel]

First 25 minutes I thought we struggled to get to grips with an efficient and solid looking Taunton side.

We looked a bit over run in central midfield with only their finishing in the final third letting Taunton down.  

As the half wore on we gradually got ourselves back into the game with 0-0 looking a decent half time scoreline for us.

The second half was a much more even affair which we probably shaded.

0-0 looked on the cards until Lee Togwell put in an excellent cross to the far post which found Elliott Benyon who finished in style with a first time volley into the roof of the net.

Overall a gutsy performance from us to dig in and get the win and first clean sheet of the season. 

Edited September 15, 2022 by Reading Rebel

[Irishadrian]

  On 14/09/2022 at 05:56, Wycombe Rebel said:

4th win in 5 games, a goal for Benyon and a clean sheet… Can’t ask for much more and getting stronger with every passing game.

That’s what you call consistency and effectiveness at either end of the pitch!

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Its also worth noting that the 3 teams who have beaten us  Havant &W  Chelmsford and Bath are currently 2nd 4th and 6th in the league and Im expecting us to shortly join them in the playoff group!

[Shredding Green]

  On 14/09/2022 at 08:44, Reading Rebel said:

First 25 minutes I thought we struggled to get to grips with a efficient and solid looking Taunton side.

We looked a bit over run in central midfield with only their finishing in the final third letting Taunton down.  

As the half wore on we gradually got ourselves back into the game with 0-0 looking a decent half time scoreline for us.

The second half was a much more even affair which we probably shaded.

0-0 looked on the cards until Lenchy put in an excellent cross to the far post which found Elliott Benyon who finished in style with a first time volley into the roof of the net.

Overall a gutsy performance from us to dig in and get the win and first clean sheet of the season. 

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I always like it when I read of someone who watched the same match as I did, RR!

A very knowledgable supporter told me last evening that he also enjoyed the Hampton & Richmond Borough match because it was very competitive.

Again last evening, there were plenty of long balls either to no one or not of the right length for the player they were intended for. But plenty of positives to take as well including the three points.

Such a shame for Elliot Benyon to receive such a bad injury in the last few minutes of the game in which he had played very well.

[Guest Wycombe Rebel]

  On 14/09/2022 at 10:08, Irishadrian said:

Its also worth noting that the 3 teams who have beaten us  Havant &W  Chelmsford and Bath are currently 2nd 4th and 6th in the league and Im expecting us to shortly join them in the playoff group!

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??????

I would add to that that on another day we would have gotten something against Chelmsford and Bath… Havant we didn’t do ourselves justice at all

 

 

[Curtis]

Last night was the first match I have been able to get to this season, so just a few observations that don’t appear to have been mentioned or discussed on here I would be interested to hear the comments of those who have seen most matches this season:-

1. Was it a surprise at all to see Forster in goal & North on the bench? 
2. We seemed to struggle to create any noteworthy opportunities in the first half, the highlights may prove me wrong but I don’t recall us having a single shot or corner in the first 45 minutes. I think our first attempt came on 60 minutes when Ben Harris had a free header from inside 10 yards & was very disappointed he missed the target. The introduction of Imran Kayani seemed to create some real energy upfront though. Has this been a theme this season? Or more about the defensive quality of Taunton?

3. I was impressed with the Dandy/Hollis partnership (I would have made one of them my MOM), and I thought we looked very strong & solid at the back along with Wells & Jackman. Is this now our strongest back four when they are all available?
 

[Reading Rebel]

  On 14/09/2022 at 13:20, Curtis said:

Last night was the first match I have been able to get to this season, so just a few observations that don’t appear to have been mentioned or discussed on here I would be interested to hear the comments of those who have seen most matches this season:-

1. Was it a surprise at all to see Forster in goal & North on the bench? 
2. We seemed to struggle to create any noteworthy opportunities in the first half, the highlights may prove me wrong but I don’t recall us having a single shot or corner in the first 45 minutes. I think our first attempt came on 60 minutes when Ben Harris had a free header from inside 10 yards & was very disappointed he missed the target. The introduction of Imran Kayani seemed to create some real energy upfront though. Has this been a theme this season? Or more about the defensive quality of Taunton?

3. I was impressed with the Dandy/Hollis partnership (I would have made one of them my MOM), and I thought we looked very strong & solid at the back along with Wells & Jackman. Is this now our strongest back four when they are all available?
 

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1. Jon North missed our last game due to work commitments, Rhys Forster deputized and did nothing wrong, knowing the way our managers work it was no surprise to me that they stayed loyal to Rhys.

2. I would say the defensive quality of Taunton. Having said that there's been a few games this season where we haven't created or had a shot on target for large parts of a game, with our goals coming from set pieces rather than in open play.  

3. Agree that Guy and Joe Dandy did look solid. That said Taunton's problems look to be scoring goals having only scored 6 goals in 8 games. Personally, for his first game back, I would have given my motm to Joe Dandy. As far as strongest back four, with Pruti gone and Ryan Bird on loan I'd say most definitely. 

Edited September 14, 2022 by Reading Rebel