v Truro

[Reading Rebel]

Our abysmal away form has got to end sometime so I'll optimistically go for a 2-1 win for the rebels.

Edited February 21 by Reading Rebel

[Curtis]

I think that is optimistic as their home form is even better than ours.

After this we have a series of 8 league fixtures that I would expect us to pick up a minimum of 12 points from though.

[Irishadrian]

With a few exceptional recent results  who knows ? There could be a surprise We've  actually won less than half of our home games!

[Curtis]

I didn’t see or listen to the match, but the result was pretty much what I expected.

[GlenSTFC]

1 minute ago, Curtis said:

I didn’t see or listen to the match, but the result was pretty much what I expected.

Only positive is nearly all the clubs chasing us lost so we’re still 10 points above water instead of 7.

[Reading Rebel]

Can't see us getting any more points away from home so we'll have to rely on home games to make sure we stay up.

8/9 points needed from Chippenham, Farnborough, Enfield, Aveley, Boreham Wood and Hampton.

Edited February 22 by Reading Rebel

[Reading Rebel]

On 21/02/2025 at 14:07, Curtis said:

I think that is optimistic as their home form is even better than ours.

After this we have a series of 8 league fixtures that I would expect us to pick up a minimum of 12 points from though.

Minimum 12 points expected?

6 points from Enfield and Aveley is to be expected with the proviso that both teams are fighting for their lives against relegation so won't be easy.

The other games against Chippenham, Farnborough, Boreham Wood and Hampton are any ones guess on how they'll go.

Edited February 22 by Reading Rebel

[Curtis]

RR,

Next 8 matches:-

4 home - Chippenham, Farnborough, Enfield, Aveley (I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect 7/8 points)

4 away - Welling, Bath, Hornchurch, Weymouth (I don’t think 4/5 points is an unreasonable expectation)

But if you disagree, let me know what you would expect from these matches

[GlenSTFC]

The 4 home matches, Chippenham should be the easier of the 4 to win seeing as they’re stuck in no man’s land. Farnborough are bit of a bogey team and they always play well against us. The other 2 are fighting to stay up. So I’d guess 2 wins, 1 draw and 1 defeat. Away Welling and to a certain extent Weymouth again will be desperate for points, Hornchurch and Bath fairly safe. But our away form being as it is I’d go for 2 draws and 2 defeats.

[Markskelton]

Don’t forget Lexus Beedan will play like Bobby Moore in his prime against us…

[Reading Rebel]

2 hours ago, Curtis said:

RR,

Next 8 matches:-

4 home - Chippenham, Farnborough, Enfield, Aveley (I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect 7/8 points)

4 away - Welling, Bath, Hornchurch, Weymouth (I don’t think 4/5 points is an unreasonable expectation)

But if you disagree, let me know what you would expect from these matches

I'd say it's reasonable to expect 7 or 8 points from those 4 home games.

But the way we've turned into an away side that have become unrecognisable from the one that plays at home is worrying and difficult to see where our next away points are coming from.

Edited February 22 by Reading Rebel

[Irishadrian]

3 hours ago, Curtis said:

I didn’t see or listen to the match, but the result was pretty much what I expected.

Other results push us down to 17th.

[Reading Rebel]

Ok, having listened to Scott's post match interview I was obviously wrong and over the top with the words I used so I'll take it back.

Having said that it was still another away defeat and a game where we were the architects of our own down fall by giving away soft goals and not taking any of the few chances that came our way. 

Now corrected.

 

Edited February 22 by Reading Rebel

[codpiece]

2 hours ago, Markskelton said:

Don’t forget Lexus Beedan will play like Bobby Moore in his prime against us…

….but Guy Hollis will play like Franz Beckenbauer in HIS Prime against them.😊

[Curtis]

59 minutes ago, Irishadrian said:

Other results push us down to 17th.

I don’t think the 17th is an issue, we are 10 points above 21st, & only 6 points below 9th.

After 34 matches last season we were on 50 points though, so we probably aren’t going to match the 68 points & 10th place achieved last season…. and I think many fans would have had expectations of matching or improving on last season as part of the clubs five year plan.

[GlenSTFC]

8 minutes ago, Curtis said:

I don’t think the 17th is an issue, we are 10 points above 21st, & only 6 points below 9th.

After 34 matches last season we were on 50 points though, so we probably aren’t going to match the 68 points & 10th place achieved last season…. and I think many fans would have had expectations of matching or improving on last season as part of the clubs five year plan.

Problem is I think we overachieved last season, this season the club was probably looking at finishing top 10. Btw who remembers what the 5 year plan is as we only have 3 left now and I didn’t attend the meeting.

[Irishadrian]

31 minutes ago, Curtis said:

I don’t think the 17th is an issue, we are 10 points above 21st, & only 6 points below 9th.

After 34 matches last season we were on 50 points though, so we probably aren’t going to match the 68 points & 10th place achieved last season…. and I think many fans would have had expectations of matching or improving on last season as part of the clubs five year plan.

Agree not an issue between 16th and 24th today there were 7 losses and a draw greatly to our advantage imo

[Reading Rebel]

1 hour ago, Curtis said:

I don’t think the 17th is an issue, we are 10 points above 21st, & only 6 points below 9th.

After 34 matches last season we were on 50 points though, so we probably aren’t going to match the 68 points & 10th place achieved last season…. and I think many fans would have had expectations of matching or improving on last season as part of the clubs five year plan.

I'm sure many of our fans would have had hopes and expectations of at least equaling if not bettering last seasons 10th place finish.

But imo whilst money has been and is still to be spent on ground improvements our budget is very likely to be that of a mid table/bottom half side.

All clubs and it's fans should have the highest expectations but the reality is if we finish around mid table or anywhere near challenging for a play-off spot it would be a massive over achievement.

 

[SloughFlyer]

Wasn't able to make the trek yesterday so can only go on Twitter, the comments on here and Scott's interview but I think regardless of form or otherwise, away v Truro with 0 points return is expected. It sounds like we played ok with some changes enforced on the side as well so one of those games that's good to get out of the way.

As for 5 year plans etc, one of the worst things that happened with the fan base was us overachieving and finishing 10th last year. It's clearly massively over inflates people's expectations, especially when you look at the amount now of full time and hybrid sides in our division.

For me, the work that is going into the club both on and off the pitch is setting us up for long term success and as long as this continues, the overall growth of the club is assured. Things have to be done the right way and that is what, IMO, is going on with the club at the moment.

To be competing on the pitch the way we are is a testament to Scott, the squad and the club as a whole and how everyone is moving in the right direction. We need to keep growing and the playoffs, league wins etc will come, just have to be patient.

[Holyport Rebel]

I'm writing out  a report on the going's on re. yesterday's game, but like the day itself it is turning out to be rather a long one.

I'm going to post what I've written so far, otherwise it would be one long post even by my standards.

Well it was a long trip yesterday, with quite a lot to write about.

Whether it's interesting and worth reading is up to you though.

Here's what I've got so far.

More to follow later, if you're interested.

 

 

So yesterday it was our turn to make the trip to Truro.
I've mentioned on here before that I really enjoy long journey's to away games, but Truro is quite a mega-trip.
I had been hoping that there was going to be a supporters coach running to the game.
That would have been a much cheaper option than the alternative, going by train.
A couple of weeks before the game, Geoff was talking about taking down names of people who might be wanting to get to Truro this way, so I held off buying a train ticket.
I had a look on the "Trainline " website two weeks or so ago, just to see how much the train fare was.
It said £90.
Ouch !
Disappointingly, but not really unsurprisingly, it became clear soon after that no supporters coach was going to run to the Truro game.
Damn !
That only left the train option available.
I had gone by train the last time we played Truro actually in Truro, and really enjoyed travelling down to Truro this way.
This was the game at the end of the season which we drew 3-3 having been 3-1 up going into the 90th minute. 
When Bakes' and Unders' bought every Slough fan who was there a drink in the clubhouse after the match.
A fantastic gesture which I won't ever forget.
The trouble is with train tickets, the closer you get to the day of departure, the higher the price.
When I looked now on the "Trainline" website, the price had gone up to £105.
Double ouch !
£105 just to get to a league game ?
That's a lot of money.
But it's a great day out ..............(sigh).
I still had my £50 Birthday cash unspent since last month, and convinced myself that if  I put this £50 towards the train fare, my trip was only going to cost me £55, and that was a great price to pay to get to Truro by train.
Even better, I could buy myself a Senior Railcard for £30 which was valid for a year, use it to get discounted Truro train tickets, and basically get the railcard for free.

Train tickets were booked. 

The day of the game arrived.
Up at 6am,hoping to get the 7.30am train from Maidenhead to Reading.
If I missed it, there was a bit of a wait till the next one at 7.56.
I drove the car the short journey towards Maidenhead, parked on a side road that saved me the £5.50 it would have cost me in the station car-park, and walked for ten minutes to get to the train station.
I had made it in time for the 7.30 train, and walking up the stairs to the platform, saw John ( forum member "Bonjour"), waiting there for the same train.
His patient and understanding wife had given him a lift to the station, and was picking him up when he got back.
Mine was still in bed, fast asleep.
The 7.30 train arrived at Maidenhead at 7.48, late as they often are in this country.
We got to Reading, and I had thought for several days that the players and management, who were also going to Truro by train, must be catching the same train to Truro that myself and John were booked on, the  08.31 service.
There wasn't really another suitable train for them to get there.
Walking across the upper concourse to get to the platform for the train to Truro, John Gilbert and Sam Evans walked past me, both dressed very smartly in their Slough Town "tracksuit", outfits, with Slough Town backpacks slung over their shoulders.
Going down the stairs to the platform for the Truro  train we spotted a few more players dotted around.
Myself and "Bonjour" went to the place on the platform where we expected our carriage to stop in front of us, to make boarding easier, and as departure time got closer, it seemed all the Slough squad were standing very close to where we were.
Scott looked across at me, and came over for a very friendly chat.
I'm never ceased to be amazed that the manager of Slough Town can be so approachable and friendly to an ordinary fan such as myself.
After speaking to me , Scott turned to "Bonjour" and had time for a few affable words with him too.
Such interactions mean such a lot to us fans.
I hope his wife appreciates Scotty as much as we fans do ! 😄
The train for Truro arrived, and everyone piled on.
It was rather busy on board, but the long haul to Truro had started.
After about an hour of the journey, the grey skies started to turn a nice shade of blue, with some very welcome sunshine.
The journey down was lovely.
There is a part of the trip when the train track runs alongside the very edge of the sea, around the town of Dawlish, between Exeter and Plymouth.
It was stunning.
Blue sky, sunshine glinting on the sea that ran up to just underneath your train window.
It was worth the trip just for that 15 to 20 minutes period alone.
Made me think of summer holidays.
Sadly on the way back it would be too dark to see anything.
After we stopped at Plymouth, the train got emptier at each subsequent stop, which was nice, and we finally pulled into Truro, on time, at about 12.30.
When I came out of the station, Scott was on the station forecourt with the rest of the squad, waiting for their taxi's to take them to the ground.
Rather than turn right, and head for the ground, I opted to turn left, and head towards the centre of Truro.
I walked for about ten  minutes and entered what was a small, but pretty park/garden.
It was called Victoria Gardens I think, very hilly, but an oasis of calm in a very bustling town/city centre.
After a while there, I headed off towards the cathedral, and spent a bit of time inside.
I then headed back to the station, and waited at the bus stop outside it for the "Park-and-Ride" bus that would take me the 2.5 miles to the new Truro ground. 
While I was waiting at the bus stop, I recognised another Slough fan coming to wait for the same bus.
He had arrived on  a later train, and obviously we got chatting.
Once on board the bus, he said to me, when we learnt that we were going back on the same train
" You know the train back is cancelled when it gets to Bristol?" 
" Noooooooooooooooo"  I said.
" You are kidding, aren't you ?", I asked in hope.
Sadly he handed me his smartphone, where the message clearly showed that we would get to Bristol ok, but once the train had got to there at 10pm, we'd have to get off and get another onward train to Reading.
Not what you would want after a long day travelling, particularly on a Saturday night.
The bus got to the "Park and Ride" terminus beside the ground, and I asked the driver how busy the buses were going back after a match, and when he said
"Very busy"
I decided that I'd walk back to the train station after the game rather than wait for a bus.
I said goodbye to my fellow Slough fan, and as he walked towards the ground , I stopped walking and rang my wife to find out more about this train cancellation.
She confirmed the bad news that the train was cancelled at Bristol, but said that the website was recommending getting off at Taunton and getting an onward train from there to Reading.   
"Bloody trains" I thought.
I made my way to the ground, through a very big "Park and Ride" car park.
I got through the turnstiles, bought a programme, saw "Bonjour" and told him the bad news about the cancelled train.    
We decided we'd see what the latest information was once we got back to the train station after the match.

3pm arrived, and the game kicked off.

 
 
 

  

  
   

Edited February 23 by Holyport Rebel