Today

[Nols1974]

Just were nt good enough , finishing is still poor and the ball gets given away to much. No good blaming the ref either , i thought he did ok , showed common sense when he could have flashed cards .

[FleetFanatic]

Yep no probs with the ref today.

 

The definitive game of two halves:

 

1st half, 1-0 up, other chances missed, Southport hadn't threatened (obviously their attackers spent the first half sussing out how our defence worked)

 

2nd half, 3-1 down after a very poor performance - don't think that we had anybody who deserved to be our man of the match.

 

The bubble appears to have burst - now the reality of life in the conference.....

[Roy gnfc]

Remember about this time last year,we lost 1-4 at home to Chesham,and look what happened after ! It's a funny old game.

[Slartibartfast]

<blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr>

The bubble appears to have burst - now the reality of life in the conference.....

 

<hr></blockquote>

 

 

Hey it could be a whole lot worse.....just ask Jeff King!

 

 

 

 

[Dave M]

A reality check today.

I thought that the mid field were overrun in the second half and you can't let that happen, not at home.

Gotta turn possession into pressure and pressure into chances and you gotta take those chances boys, especially at this level.

Deeply concerned over the suspension situation lots of yellows racked up already and as for the injury list, jeees it just gets worse.

Still, onto Woking Tuesday with a spring in my step, hope in my heart and my hat cocked at a jaunty angle.......I've seen it all before.

 

C'mon Northfleet..

 

[I.C.@G&NFC]

No doubt about it, we were piss poor today. We couldn't capitalize on the advantages we made in the first half, we should've been two or three up at halftime, but couldn't put them away, again.

In the second half Southport looked more settled and although they didn't look anything special, they made the most of the few chances they got. Our defence was full of holes and with the likes of Barnett, Duku and Lee out of action the defence looked stop gap and very second string. However, with the greatest respect to Andy, you can only use the tools that you have to hand.

 

A professional win by a professional side, see you in February.

[Matt (GNFC)]

Ive been deeply gutted for the last two hours and still feeling angry about todays result. Andy has done a fantastic job for us and just being in the conference is a dream but if we want to stay in this league Andy has to sign a striker or two and FAST (and decent ones). I know he has the ex Stevenage fella lined up when back from injury but quite clearly as some intelligent Daggers fans wrote on this board, the difference between the Ryman and the Conference is the finishing. We had a strike force that wasnt overly outstanding in the Ryman in terms of goalscoring and how could Andy have suddenly expected Che, Wilko, Boothy to score 20+ league goals in the Conference when they couldnt do that in the league below. We have signed some class players even in the close season yet not one of them was a striker...U cant win games unless you finish chances. We had chance after chance when we were 1-0 up and Liam will be a fantastic football league player in two or three years but at the moment he's shocking in front of goal and needs about 10 chances before he scores one. Little Tostao was awsome at times in the 1st half today and that step over he did 3 times before skinning the bloke and getting a perfect cross in was awesome, yet time and time again we dont even look like getting Liam or Che on the end of one, its normally Bentley or another midfield player. If we'd had their no.9 the game would have been dead and buried by half time. I dont think we can lay too much blame on the defence today as the game should've already been won.

Player ratings.

Wilkerson 6

Strouts 5 Watts 6 Burton 8 Skinner 6

Kwashi 7 Bentley 9 Mckimm 5 Jackson 6

Stadhardt 7 Hatch 6

 

Come on boys, lets thump Woking tuesday.

[carjam]

Re: Today

 

No need to panic over that one. Southport were a good side and deserved a reward. Only last week the team demolished Hereford and have already proven themeselves (and just when did we last beat a team from the Conference in a serious match). Todays team was make shift and under the circumstances did well. We would not have leaked the goals had Duke and Barnett been present or even todays rearguard had a better understanding. A good solid display at Woking Tuesday would be handy. Nuneaton look statistically beat able (they still owe us one for that vicious SLC semifinal leg....bet nobody remembers that)

 

 

CarJam

 

 

----------------------------------------------------------------------

[carjam]

Only use this link if you wanna see the Southport penalty again.....Sorry

 

http://www.carjam.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/pen.JPG

[Guest]

Good observation...I suspect though that Andy would love to sign new ( and good ! ) players......but one little word may be preventing that ?.......MONEY......so all you rich guys out there...chip in lads !

 

...and get them £££££££££££££££'s in !!...or alternatively...find a Jack Walker of Gravesend !

 

<img src="/forums/images/icons/frown.gif" alt="" />

 

 

[Peter W.]

I agree with all the comments, we played awful, but dont forget we always played better away last season, so hope lives on see you at Woking.

[jc]

Matt (GNFC) has nailed it on the head here - once we went 1-0 up, our approach seemed lazy, as though we thought wouldn't be punished for our missed chances. The one where Liam dragged it wide of the left post when in space was the worst miss. You simply have to be clinical at this level, and Southport certainly taught us how to do that. The number 9 was fantastic in the second half, and I counted only five good chances that they had all game, three of which were dispatched into the net. <img src="/forums/images/icons/frown.gif" alt="" />

 

What makes it worse, though, is that Southport were nothing special in the first half, and we should have had the game sewn up. In fact, Southport reminded me of Hereford in that first half - shaky at the back and reluctant to go forward. The only difference was that against Hereford we had a 2-0 half-time lead instead of 1-0, and if we had netted that extra goal today (as we should have done), we probably would have gone on to win the game.

 

Also, Nols 1974 was right about the referee today - he had a fine game, and we only have ourselves to blame.

 

Still, look on the bright side - I thought Wilko applied himself well when he came on, and seemed fit following his injury troubles. Also, at least Che is off the mark now, even if he was disappointing at times in the second half. Finally, after Woking (which will admittedly be tough) we play Nuneaton, who lost 3-0 today at home to Hereford (whom we of course beat 3-0 <img src="/forums/images/icons/smile.gif" alt="" /> ) and are below us in the table, and then Forest Green, who are bottom with no points so far. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/biggrinangelA.gif" alt="" />

[Steve W]

I agree with the comments posted in this thread re todays defeat by Southport, after performing reasonably well in our first 4 Conference matches we were cruelly exposed today in the last 35 minutes. Southport brought on striker Whitehall whose extra pace caused us problems and whose partnership with hat-trick man Thompson won Southport the match.

 

However one positive note is that our attendance was over 1000 and hopefully we can maintain 4 figure attendances, despite setbacks such as todays.

 

 

[FleetFanatic]

<blockquote><font class="small">Quote Matt (GNFC):</font><hr />

.....if we want to stay in this league Andy has to sign a striker or two and FAST (and decent ones).....

 

<hr></blockquote>

 

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wavey.gif" alt="" /> Hamid Barr was signed on Friday too... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cool_shades.gif" alt="" />

 

...as for anybody else coming in,

I'm under the impression if there is no relaxation on the new transfer window,

the deadline expires today & what we have now is all we're going to have? <img src="/forums/images/icons/confused.gif" alt="" />

[Red Marauder]

A good first half by the lads but as already said before, we need to sign a proven Conference goal scorer. However, I reckon we have played 3 teams, (out of our first 5 games), that will probably finish in the top 6 so lets not be too downhearted.

 

Good to see Skins and Wilko back from injury. Is there any news with regards to Paul Sturgess? Is he staying or going back to Stevenage?

[Alan W (GNFC)]

And in our next 2 home games we drew 2-2 against Hampton & 1-1 in the other, so this year we actually have a better home record than last year, at this stage of the season - and I'll settle for the same run we had at home after this point - we won our next 13 home league games.

 

Poor second half yesterday, I know, but with the injuries its not totally surprising. We really need to get Tostao in the game more, though - every time he had it, he caused problems. Even if sides work this out in future games, and try to mark him out of the game, it will probably free up someone else.

 

As Hamid Barr was available yesterday (accoprding to the news page), I guess Andy decided he wanted to give him time to bed in with his team mates before he included him. Does his signing also mean we will need to release one of our current squad, as happened with Tostao and Smithy ??

 

 

[Alan ( GNFC )]

Only last season did we break our long term strategy of starting our season in October . In fact since being promoted to the Beazer Premier I think its only in the last two seasons when we havent had a week at the bottom of whatever division .

So , early doors ; a marathon , not a sprint ; and please would the newcomers who are straddling us on The Halfway Line stop moaning .

We can remember the Southern League Southern Division and are enjoying our time in dreamland still .

More recently remember the Hampton equaliser . Enough said !!

[Stu M]

<blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr>

please would the newcomers who are straddling us on The Halfway Line stop moaning

 

<hr></blockquote>

 

 

Alan, if you think that hillbilly with the dungarees and no teeth has access to the internet, then you're a very optimistic man!!

 

I should think he's only just getting to grips with a new model of pitchfork.

 

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wavey.gif" alt="" />

[Alan ( GNFC )]

I thought the Hill Billies all went to Beverley Hills . LA .

See you tonight Stu M (?)

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wavey.gif" alt="" />

 

[Stu M]

Sorry Alan. As you know, I am the new Reevsie and the west wing of the mansion needed doing tonight. Just as well, since my record this season is seen two, lost two, and my absence tonight has seen us win.

 

Bad news is I'll be there for Nuneaton on Saturday.