Borough's Kent connections

[Guest]

Should be a cracking game today. I can't be at Stonebridge Road today, sadly (I'm a freelance football journo and have the delights of Eastbourne United vs Horsham YMCA this afternoon!) but in case you thought some of the Borough squad's names seem familiar this afternoon, many have played for some of your Kent rivals. We have of course ex-Fleet man Darren Smith - but he's cup-tied having played for Burgess Hill Town in a previous round - and 'keeper Lee Hook was a former team-mate of Andy Drury's at Sittingbourne. Ex-Dover striker Scott Ramsay (18 goals this season) will lead the attack, although another former White, Danny Chapman, may miss out through injury. Stuart Playford, who spent a season at Ashford Town, looks set to return to the heart of the defence. We also had Ben White for a few months at the start of last season (2003-04) - he's now plying his trade for the mighty Sidley United in Sussex County League Division 1... ;-)

 

Enjoy the game - and we'll see you for the replay at Priory Lane on Tuesday night <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

[EUFC FAN]

Quote:

Should be a cracking game today.

Enjoy the game - and we'll see you for the replay at Priory Lane on Tuesday night <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

How wrong could you have been! <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/angry.gif" alt="" />

We played utter crap! Well those who could be bothered to play that is! <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/angry.gif" alt="" />

[Guest]

he got the score predition though

[Alan W (GNFC)]

1st half certainly best forgotten - only the Saunders header clawed away, and the Protheroe free kick saved by left hand post.

 

1st 20 or 25 minutes, I thought Eastbourne looked a fair footballing team, but they faded more and more as the game went on, and only had the one on one beaten away by Wilko, and the lob that should have been in the back of the net after Wilko's dodgy punch, but which only hit the side netting, to remember in the second half.

 

We should have won the game, but cant score at the moment - apart from Saunders effort in the first half, there was the Essendoh header that somehow hit the bar, Jay's drive in the last few minutes that the keeper did brilliantly to touch onto the bar, Jay's miskick after Roy's knockdown, Roy's run from the left, where he almost rounded the keeper, but needed support and got none.

 

There was also Pinno's overhead effort that flew inches over.

 

Definitely not a vintage performance, even in the second half, but still should have won. And at least it was another clean sheet despite the re-arranged defence with Gledhill having to play Centre Half and Jacko left back.

 

Thought Ben Surey did really well on his return - a very calm headed player who always seems to be thinking about his game. Moussa looked rather off the pace today, and rather disiniterested mucjh of the time. Manny looked lively when he came on and almost made the difference.

 

How is Steve Mckimm - presume it was a hamstring problem today? He was another looking good until he had to come off.

 

Still think we should be able to win a replay, but its not what we wanted, especially with the backup squad we have at present.

 

And whilst GNFC Fan says we were useless today, I certainly think I have seen us play far worse at times this year.

[EUFC FAN]

I did not say we were useless! They just did not seem to be bothered first half! There was no running off the ball, no support and, you said, Moussa not chasing 50/50 balls as he usually does.

 

Manny did have a good game and his appearance did wake the others up. There was some good play and shoots late in the second half after he came on. It was good to see Wilko back, whether this is permanent, we will have to wait and see.

 

Moussa doesn’t seem to perform well from the start. I’ve seen him have blinding games off the bench but not from the start!

 

I would hope we would win the replay, but it all depends on what Andy’s priorities are.

[Alan W (GNFC)]

Quote:

How wrong could you have been! <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/angry.gif" alt="" />

We played utter crap! Well those who could be bothered to play that is! <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/angry.gif" alt="" />

ok - so you didnt say "useless" - crap & useless certainly arent far different though !!

[EUFC FAN]

Quote:

Quote:

How wrong could you have been! <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/angry.gif" alt="" />

We played utter crap! Well those who could be bothered to play that is! <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/angry.gif" alt="" />

ok - so you didnt say "rubbish" - crap & rubbish certainly arent far different though !!

Didn't say useless either! <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Ok I'll let you have that one!

[Matt (GNFC)]

There's been a lot made about the fact the squad was missing cup tied players and that the team picked itself. Well thats only the case in defence and with the makeshift defence we kept a clean sheet yet from midfield to attack we had potentially our strongest team out and i thought we had absolutely no creative invention, same old rubbish. We need to go and sign a striker, not keep having 5 loan players come in as people like Roy, Manny, Pinns whoever it may be can never get a real understanding going as it changes week to week. Manny was excellent when he came on, must start upfront in place of Pinns on Tuesday and not left midfield as he was put in today strangely. I like Pinns but he is not a striker and if he's to play it needs to be behind Roy and Manny. I dont know why Andy doesnt try it. Pinns has excellent close control brings people into the game and id bench Moussa as he was dogs droppings today, and give Andy a free license to alternate between wings throughout the game to unsettle the full backs. Really poor today overall.

[Hempstead Gaz]

Lots of good thoughts there Matt.

Sadly I think that Moussa is becoming a bit of a Kwashi. Despite his obvious pace and all the hype, I don't think he a conference standard player. Often crosses are deflected, off target or intercepted, frequently playing FAR to deep, and always seems to fall over.

Our very best team sort of picks itself now, with question marks on the bench, but full strength is something like:

Pullen

Protheroe NcCarthy Bunce Skinner

Drury Saunders Mckimm Surey

Essandoh Onoyimni

Subs Wilko Conkers Moussa,Pinnock,Popovic

 

The worry is that now we would only have Jacko Porter and Luke Moore not on the bench. Not the strongest squad we have ever had?

[Guest]

Over the past few games the Fleet have become used to McAlistair's committed running and drawing opponents out of position as well as his robust contribution upfront. His type of contribution was missing today. It was all bunched up again in midfield and struggling to find both telling passes and forward players. That's the problem with loan players. They come into the team, contribute and become relied upon. Then they are gone.

[FleetFanatic]

We've been lacking in attack from day one this season.

The good start to the season papered over the issue but it is now all too obvious to all.

[Hempstead Gaz]

Agreed , Daz. With the extra money freed up from losing Ade, Shears, Mooro, Harrhy and Lovell we simply HAVE to invest in another striker.

Letting Harrhy go could prove to be one of Andy's biggest mistakes.

If we do win the replay, which I reckon is now a long shot, we have to add the £4000? prize money to the pot for a new player.

[Paulo GNFC]

Agree FF, it's been obvious since the start of the season and you could say the same for the previous two seasons. We need a couple of good strikers now but that's not the only problem. We do not have a good creative midfield either.

 

Agree with CG, could be a big mistake letting Harrhy go. We had nothing to lose by holding onto him for another week or so and throwing him straight in the team today. Although it seems some players are quite happy to leave at the moment.

 

Some players have lost their form this season, which is strange??? Maybe the same reason why Moussa struggled a bit today. First half, all he got was earache (to put it politely) from the bench, not encouragement! Some, if not most, players respond to praise/encouragement, few respond to constant criticism. Moussa does not appear to respond to the latter...know your player/s AF.

[FleetFanatic]

Moussa seemed ineffective in the first half after getting clattered by one of the Eastbourne players. After that, he seemed rather reluctant to get behind the defence. His performance improved in the second half & I would have been happier to see him stay on the pitch rather than Pinnock.

[Hempstead Gaz]

As I've said in previous posts, it was Ade who kept the dressing room together. It is no surprise than some players have followed him.

[jc]

Quote:

It was good to see Wilko back, whether this is permanent, we will have to wait and see.

This seems unlikely, given that Pullen couldn't play anyway because he was cup-tied.

[Bernard]

Quote:

know your player/s AF.

Somewhat harsh. Moussa has been poor since the Stevenage game, frankly. Either we bring him off the bench in hope of a quick fix (a la Tostao) or he starts and looks disinterested for the entire ninety minutes. There is a quick solution; one that doesn't require any 'player knowledge' on Andy's part, more some common sense on behalf of our fans: don't start with Moussa and don't treat him as some kind of cure-all who can turn games on their heads...

[Jimmy]

Why was it good to see him back?

His kicking was appalling and he went walkabout under a cross again in the second half when their guy did well to shoot wide.

[Paulo GNFC]

Quote:

Moussa seemed ineffective in the first half after getting clattered by one of the Eastbourne players. After that, he seemed rather reluctant to get behind the defence. His performance improved in the second half & I would have been happier to see him stay on the pitch rather than Pinnock.

Maybe had something to do with that but he usually takes quite a few knocks during games. A few other fans nearby also couldn't believe the stick Moussa was getting from the bench. Second half he was obviously out of earshot and improved slightly, could have been better if Proths tried to send a few more passes down the line to him.

Agree with you FF, we might have had more chance of snatching a winner had Pinno been taken off.

[jc]

Quote:

Why was it good to see him back?
His kicking was appalling and he went walkabout under a cross again in the second half when their guy did well to shoot wide.

Agreed, it was a worrying display. In his defence, some of the backpasses to him bounced wickedly, and he made a couple of key saves. Only one game to judge on, but on current evidence Pullen appears the rightful number 1, much as I respect Wilko for the great performances he has put in for us over the last couple of years. I only hope he can recapture his best form.