Slough Town 3-2 Horsham

[Chris]

Phew! Very nervous last ten minutes in a difficult game where we did not help ourselves at times.

 

Started off like a house on fire for the opening twenty minutes where we were locked in their half, but we did not make the most of our possession.

 

They came back into it and after we took a two-goal lead they pull it back to 2-2 after a Harris mistake, which was a shame, cos he was one of our better players today.

 

Hodgy completes a hat-trick 3-2, but then we panic big time, boot the ball anywhere.

 

A few things from today, we need a right-back Riddell gets stuck in, but was caught out so many times positionally today.

 

We missed Wilko big-time today, him missing showed how important he really is. Willo and Hakki are too alike. I'm confused that as Wilko was suspended why not replace like-for-like and replace him with Freddie who will sit in that holding position? It baffles me!

 

Apart from that, not a good performance, but 3 points!

[GarySTFC]

I noticed today how slow Hakki can be at chasing back. Definitely needs someone with a bit of bite alongside him. Riddell didn't look fit, or at least, not interested in chasing back which often meant Daly was doing the work of two defenders.

 

Thought for the opening 20-30 minutes we played some really good stuff on a bobbly surface. Hakki was linking well with Harris and Willo and playing some neat two touch passing moves which were tearing Horsham apart. Can't understand why the Hodge goal was disallowed as the keeper only had one hand on it? Can only presume it was offside?

 

Willo is obviously the golden boy in the eyes of the management. Don't think he did too much wrong today, but as you say, he and Hakki are not going to be the most balanced in midfield. Might be a bit better as part of a five with a Wilko type player in there with them, but they don't have the necessary muscle.

 

Good to see Spence come back into the picture with the last ten minutes, although he's obviously nowhere near fully fit and with his knee still bandaged, hopefully that's just precautionary measures being taken while he recouperates.

[Matt]

A very important win, at times it looked like it might be thrown away. With the wind on our side in the first half I thought it would be important to rack up some goals while we could. Two came, but Horsham pulled one back on the stroke of HT.

 

Ian Hodge was again superb with his finishing, and to his credit now has his THIRD hat-trick of the season, and 23 in all. Horsham did cause problems though, even when their captain was sent off near the end.

 

It should also be noted that I thought the defence played well, with Daly a rock at the back. Man of the match? Hodge/Daly?

 

Also good to see a decent away support and a smattering of Windsor fans too.

 

No game is easy, but these are the ones, after all, that we need to win to get 7th place at the minimum. So well done Rebels.

[Roger Rebel]

Can it be that Riddle is being used as a wingback.and he is not up to the job.

[Radders]

Good points from today:

 

Hodge (on any other day man of the match)

Daly and Murphy (joint man of the match for keeping us in the game)

Midfield 4 (best game Willo has had since returning and all looked good)

SPENCER (showed vision, need I say more)

Support (much more vocal at home)

 

Bad points from today:

 

Foster (predictable maybe but I know there were a lot of other people who went away disgruntled again. No blame for the goals but lack of ability to deal with anything aerially is a real worry)

Riddell and Barrowcliff (were lucky the two in the middle played so well as they had stinkers)

Boot (when will he realise that he isn't better than everyone else and still has to do some bloody work)

 

Overall, I thought that the first 40 minutes and between the 50th and 75th minutes we looked really good (GOING FORWARD!), at times the passing was excellent. However, at the other times we looked weak all over the park with control and passing badly letting us down. Can't believe how poorly Barrowcliff played, normally he's so consistent. Something has to be done about the communication at the back; when was the last time we saw a Slough match and Murphy and Foster didn't have a go at each other on one or more occasion? We got the 3 points, and in the end, that is the main thing, but certain areas of the team need to be tightened up for the bigger matches.

 

P.S. As we seem to run out of defenders, basically we have the four today plus Moller, we seem to have great competition in midfield. As I said, I thought Willo was much better today, and with himself along with Haddow/Hakki/Harris/Steer/Spencer/Wilko/Hyatt all vying for the positions some are going to be left unhappy, I get the feeling the two main people to miss out are Hyatt and Steer; Willo and Wilko definately seem to be the 'golden boys', ie. they always play when available, so how do the others fit in round them. I wonder if Spencer may end up playing at right back for more games, as he did when he came on today, just to fit everyone in. (I don't want this BTW)!!!!!

 

SORRY FOR THE MASSIVE RAMBLE ABOUT A LOAD OF CRAP

 

[Matt]

As good as the competition is, Radders, I get the feeling at least one midfielder will be on his way - and since Hyatt hasn't been getting in the team regularly, could it be him? Quite conceivably, although I, like most, would ditch Williams before any other (to his credit he did have his best game today for us this season though).

 

Maybe Denton will let a midfielder go to get defensive cover i.e a right-back and maybe a centre-half seeing as Gyoury is still out - because I think we're OK in the striker and midfielder departments (except maybe an out-an-out right winger?)

 

Regarding your point about Conference possibly playing at right-back and hence out of position, I reckon it's more likely that Harris would be thrown in there to accommodate Spencer in a right-midfield position. Hope this doesn't happen, as the bottom line is we preferably need a true right-back.

[Guest]

What came out clear to me and all credit to all our players this year is that when their backs are against the wall they don't give up ! Last season to many times when teams came back at us we just rolled over and conceeded the goals !

and lost the games.....

 

A true team effort ! Remember.....?

 

Special mention to Skip and Smurf...well done a true grit performance....

 

and Hodgy....!!!

 

but all well done.............

 

cheers Chris sliski

 

 

[Chris]

I'd say all we need is a right-back desperately and possibly a back-up keeper because all the other positions we can near enough replace someone like-for-like.

 

I'm not as concenred as others about Fozzy in the air. I think he's fine getting crosses. It's his decision making coming out of the area, he seems to come, stop and get caught in no mans land. He either needs to stay in his goal or come and get the ball.

 

On a seperate note Byron Bubb was on the bench for Aylesbury today and it seems Browne has convinced Warren Patmore to sign for Hemel!

[GarySTFC]

A very overweight Warren Patmore at that!!

 

Fozzy needs to sort out his communication with his back line, that's his major problem. Good shot stopper, competent enough in the air, especially at this level, just that communication that lets him down. It certainly wasn't a problem in the earlier part of the season as he cleared up behind the back line on a number of occassions, obviously his disagreements with Murphy have put paid to that and we've defended deeper as a result.

[Martin]

I think that is one of the main problems with the defence they end up playing way too deep and that means Foster is unable to command his six yard box as much as he should. We are then too slow to push put which means we often get pegged in for long periods. Obviously, the reason we do this is a lack of pace at the back generally which means we are terrified of getting caught by a through ball meaning our players have to turn and chase back. A pacy right back who could cover round the back would solve this.

 

It was a very strange game. We looked by far the better side for long periods but really and truly Horsham were unlucky not to get a draw. Whilst Smurf and Daly were immense the Hodge has to be man of the match. We would not have scored in a million years had he not been there.

 

The next two games are obviously vital. We must beat Bromley and get something from Staines (if that match goes ahead). Time for some big away support everybody.

[GarySTFC]

Quote:

Martin said: Time for some big away support everybody.

Great. The two games that I miss as well. Wonderful.

Being supremely selfish, I hope (in the nicest possible sense) both matches are called off. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

[Martin]

Fair play, but I don't think too many more postponements will help us. We have 18 games to fit into the last twelve weeks of the season and we don't have another midweek game till March.

[GarySTFC]

No Martin, it's all about me. I'll be over at Bromley tomorrow hosing down the pitch to make it unplayable for Tuesday! Bwa ha ha! <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

[BFR]

You peasant Gary! Martin and I will have to resort to sabotage when the Worthing game is played in March!

 

Back to Horsham - I agree with Martin that they were unlucky not to leave with a point. In the second half they played like a team with belief while our jittery start after half time resulted in the usual outcome, conceding a goal. Well done to the boys though for holding out and another hat-trick for Hodgey - three in a season - stattos please tell me the last player to do that for the Rebels.

 

If only we'd made more of our early efforts it could have been a waltz rather than a struggle. The class of Veli is showing though.

[GarySTFC]

Perhaps that last sentence should be refined slightly, the attacking class of Veli showed through.

 

Either he's not quite match fit or a bit lazy as there were a number of times when he was walking back instead of chasing.

[BFR]

He's an attacking player - should be playing alongside a Wilko who can get stuck in and win the ball so he can go forward

[Guest]

What Wilko is that then?

[St Leonard]

Quote:

Gary-STFC said:
Either he's not quite match fit or a bit lazy as there were a number of times when he was walking back instead of chasing.

Although i wasn't there Saturday, i believe this is the Wilko i have watched all season - Pants!

[GarySTFC]

Shows your limitations there Alocovian One and wouldn't say very much for the others in the side if you think Wilko is lazy. Try watching him alone for the match and you'll see how much running he puts in.

[BFR]

Agree with you Gary, Wilko is consistently one of our top performers. I really can't see what he has done wrong to make people like Alcove think he is a waste of time.