Where did it go wrong?

[Chris1]

Same starting line-up as last week, but didn't look anything like as good. A mudbath of a pitch and a disjointed match, but we can't use that as an excuse because it was the same for both sides.

 

Where it went wrong IMO was we were asleep for the first 10 mins, especially at the back. A cross from the right found their centre forward unmarked, centre of goal 8 yards out. 1-0.

 

Inability to clear the ball then led to a goalmouth scramble, Mitten kicked at the ball when he might have fallen on it, shot from 6 yards. 2-0.

 

We then woke up, started playing some decent football, and probably had the best of it until half time. Some good through balls by Keister, Taylor and Amoako turning their defence well.

 

Thurrrock's good strong forwards and skilful midfield often had us troubled, especially their no. 11 Thomas who looked very lively.

 

More of the same after the break, until the ref pulled up injured, causing a 10 minute delay while discussions were had about a replacement. Eventually some Billy Bunter lookalike was summoned up to run (sorry, plod) the line while one of the linos took over as ref. The Margate bench were unhappy they hadn't seen anything to say he was qualified. A couple of phone calls were made, but the match continued. As it happens the new lino and ref didn't do a bad job (especially the ref, who let McGowan get away with blatantly kicking the ball away into a nearby field).

 

Suddenly we were 3-0 down and it was substitution time. Standen on for Sesay and at last we started creating chances. Deen replaced Robinson and scored with a lovely header from Standen's cross.

 

From the time CK threw caution to the wind and brought on Remy (for Keister) as the third forward we really looked like scoring. The trouble is, so did they, with Mitten saving us three times and their forwards missing as many again.

 

It was exciting stuff though!

 

Margate's support was tremendous, with singing and chanting throughout, all in good humour. Well done lads (and lasses!).

 

Player ratings:

 

Mitten: playing injured, some good saves in the second half, 7.

Donovan: right back, not his best game, left their no.8 unmarked time and again, 4.

Edwards: centre back, shaky at first, came up a few times. Somebody was guilty for the first goal, 5.

Kola: left back, looked slow, kept passing back to his injured keeper, 4.

Sesay: right wing back, clumsy defensive tackling, deservedly booked, some nice touches, but didn't make anything happen, 5.

Keister: centre midfield, some good through balls, looked tired, 6.

McGowan: left midfield, dispossessed too often, passes back to offload the ball, didn't win it much either. Tried hard but ineffective IMO, 3.

Robinson: attacking midfield, made some nice passes, looked good, 7.

Allman: left wing back (captain), looks an intelligent player, seemed to struggle with the conditions, 6.

Taylor: looked lively all match, 7.

Amoako: worked hard without much luck, 6.

Standen: sub right side of midfield, made a big difference. The most creative player in the team for the 20 minutes or so he was on. As usual got arsy with an opponent, 8.

Deen: sub midfield, came up and took his goal well, 6.

Remy: sub forward, had them worried with his height, but couldn't hit the target, 5.

 

All in all not too bad except for the first 10 mins. I thought Standen made a big difference but he will need to keep his temper in check and start winning over his critics.

 

I will be interested to see what others thought.

[MargateFan]

Pretty good assessment, Chris, cannot really argue with any of your comments.

 

I would like to add that the chorus of 'Roll out the Barrel' when the rather rotund replacement lino came on was the high spot in the entertainment stakes, although all power to him for stepping in.

[Cookie]

Thanks for that report Chris. Having not managed to get to the game I take what you say as how it was,and as that was how it was then I send out my apologies for thinking that the result could have been for Standens inclusion at the onset and as that obviously wasnt the case then my apologies in this instance & on this occasion are required and conveyed..

With the same side out I would have thought it would have been to our advantage and as CK actually did put out the same 11 then I give him credit for that. If it aint broken dont fix it. Seems it came apart at the seams this week so now is the time to change and as it seems that is exactly what was done. Maybe an off day for most but this consistency is something we certainly are missing. We must strive to get 3 or 4 games together with the same good performances, if that can be achieved then and only then will I start thinking the corner has been turned. Sounds also like the opposition were no mean force either so we mustnt detract from their abilities today & not lay all the blame on todays squad & inability to continue on from where they left off from last week.

Last week we faced the league leaders and maybe the motivation to do well was installed into the players but maybe that motivation just wasnt there this week. Maybe that alone should be worked on in training for EVERY game and not just for the fixtures with the big boys.

[Cookie]

Judging by the home fans comments from today on todays match on their forum, their team may have excelled themselves against us and possibly gave their best performance of the season, similar to our form of last week,so maybe we are being a bit harsh on our lads with todays efforts. Hampton caught us on a good day & maybe that was the case in reverse for us today.

Mind you, falling asleep to begin with dosent help matters.

[ETU Fan]

I would'nt say we excelled ourselves against you today,I think we have played better (the game against Worthing springs to mind) but that was the best we've played for a while. Catching you cold in the first ten minutes helped as well.

 

We had a bit of a laugh at the sub lino's expense as well but fair play to him for standing in.

 

I thought your support was great today, very vocal. As you probably noticed, ours is a bit more subdued.

 

Good luck for the rest of the season.

[michael]

Thanks for the report Chris.

 

No excuses for getting caught cold in first 10 minutes.

Very unprofessional and lamentable.

Losing one can take, but not when you concede unecessary goals

 

Games start when the whistle blows.

 

Manager and defence need to question themselves big time over how they were not concentrating,or prepared pre-game to concentrate.

 

I'm pretty pig sick with that

[zhukov]

I wouldnt be too despondent with the defeat.

The playing conditions and the actual pitch were very poor and made it difficult to play good passing football, totally unlike our superb Hartsdown pitch. East Thurrock made an excellent start and never looked like losing and deserved their win. They adapted to the conditions from the kick off far better than we did although we did show a spirited fight back when Dean Standen and Hasim Deen came on. Hasim scored a terrific header and Dean Standen started many promising attacks with some excellent passing.

For the spectator it was very good entertainment .

It was just one of those game we were not going to win.

[michael]

If i wasthere maybe would have felt different, but still maintain that it is poor preparation to let 2 early goals in.

 

One is casual and poor, two is abject

[blueblood]

I can't offer any comment on the game or the team prep ect as i was'nt there. The point of this post is to ask how the pitch compared to Ashford last season ,where knowlege of where to land the ball and which bits to pass on was vital. Do you remember the patch just outside the penalty area at the Ashford end where the ball just stopped dead.

[knighty101]

BB the pitch was the worse i have ever seen, it had a several foot slope 1 end to the other and it was higher in the center with dips at the sides, the linesmen run up and down trenches where the pitch was so waterlogd they carved them out. there was more mud than grass, no lie when i say a park picth was of a far far higher standard...... but that aside we were pants.

[Coffin Ender]

I've seen worse pitches than that. Remember when the pitch at Crabble got really bad? At one point it had the consistency of chocolate mousse.

[Cookie]

You surely cant use the pitch as an excuse as both teams are using it and therefore both teams have an equal opportunity. We have played in similar conditions and the players probably have elsewhere too so though it may have been bad excuses from that direction wont wash. They worked through it and came out victorious(with flying colours so it seems)we didnt. Football is all about & including different kinds of underfoot conditions and as such all teams should be both used to it and ready for it.It really must have been down to their team being better than us on the day. No excuses,they did things better than us.We were second best to them(according to reports and the result) and thats all their should be to it. Lets just accept that and learn & improve from it.

[knighty101]

cookie if you are refering to my post telling bb about their picth please read it again, i clearly state we were pants, if you were not refering to my post then ignore this <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

[Cookie]

I refer to a few posts above which give the pitch as the excuse for the defeat.I wasnt singling out your post at all Legend. Yes I did see that point you made but others, mainly Zuchov's in this case firmly put the blame down to the pitch and this alone cannot be the sole reason for being beaten.They adapted better he says but both clubs should be able to adapt equally, surely.

[knighty101]

nope you are correct, we were toattly outclassed, be it because of the surface or what ever.. the score could have been 6 - 0 easy they had so many chances it was untrue.

we didnt even have 1 shot on target till about the time the ref done his leg in, 60th minute ish.

[Chris1]

The pitch didn't come into it.

 

We have conceded early goals many times this season. Their coach knew that and threw 5 men forward at the start: 2-0.

 

We also looked shaky after half time, and after the second restart, when we conceded another.

 

Yes they could have had 3 more, but only at the end when we went all-out attack.

 

The problem to be addressed is getting the players fired up for the start. Kinnear is a top coach at this level and will no doubt be taking action.

 

When the ref injury delay happened their players went into a warm-up routine, while ours just loitered around. Little things like that make a difference, even if only psychologically.

[seasidesteve]

we have played like this time and time again this season and the manager does not seem to have a clue where its going wrong im sure none of us could do any better but hes getting paid for it.ive just one suggestion, play to our strengths 4-4-2 forget this wingback stuff

[teamster]

Wait to we get to Heybridge then. Their pitch is supposed to be worse than Thurrocks.Just hope it doesn;t rain.No chance of a decent result then. Juding by Saturdays performance.

[TonyM]

Time and Time I have said this,lets just get off CKs back,he will do enough to keep us in this league,next season THEN we will see the true CK,getting the players he wants to take MFC onwards and upwards.

[BlueGate Alan]

Well said Tony, I was disappointed with Saturday result but then I think back to prev seasons when we didnt know if we would survive as a club & all seems brighter