Half term report
 

If a summary of the season so far was to read as a school report normally would, then my take on it would be something along the following lines.......

An encouraging half season for Coley's boys with a creditable return of 31 points from the first 23 games and a respectable 12th position to boot.:)

Very positive start, with the defense being akin to misers in the first seven games when only 1 goal was conceded.:)

Late September through to early November (Port Vale away up to Chesterfield away) heralded something of a defensive capitulation, with a worrying 25 goals shipped over the course of 8 games with the side gleaning a poor return of 5 points from 24 on offer. Admittedly a few of the games lost in that spell were against some of the likelier candidates for promotion.:o

However since the season's heaviest 2-5 defeat at current leaders Chesterfield, Coley's men have only suffered one more reverse, a somewhat disappointing 0-2 loss at strugglers Barnet.:)

The weather has interupted the progress made, although now the cold spell has ended for the time being, recent displays show that the green shoots of recovery have firmly arisen from the slump experienced through September to November.:confused:

Home form has been steady, if not spectacular, with only two teams leaving "fortress Crown" with maximum points.

Away from home pastures, form had been somewhat sketchier up until recent times. After waiting for what has seemed an eternity for the rampaging reds to return home with 3 points from their forays away from the Crown, Coley's charges have now returned with the maximum haul from the last two away trips.:D

This season's cup challenges have shown a mixed return. The positive displays shown in the League Cup against higher division opposition have been somewhat negated by an early exit from both the F.A. and J.P.T competitions, albeit the latter being a somewhat dissapointing result of what could be considered of our own making.:(

So to summarise, after a bright start and subsequent slump, Stanley have shown with recent displays, that the second half of the season may herald a push for the upper reaches of League Two. With continued improvement hopefully home attendances will rise, along with any progress up the league.:confused:

However, Coley's boys still need to improve on their concentration skills late in games, where the perennial defensive lapses still on occasion rear their ugly head. On occasion this season this problem has resulted in what may be valueable points lost when it comes to the final reckoning come May.:confused:

YOUR thoughts please, ladies and gentlemen !!!!

Re: Half term report
 

Last season it was a reverse situation,talk of play offs upto jan then faded away,do i dare and mention a possible push for the play offs !!!!!!

Re: Half term report
 

No, you daren't. Such talk usually heralds a slump in our form! Please recant.:D
I put it in the same category as someone in the Cheltenham thread reporting we were up to 12th before the final whistle, and the Ultras singing "You might as well go home" to the opposition fans when we go two goals up. Superstitious, Moi?

Re: Half term report
 

Stanley's end game jitters should have eradicated chicken counting by now.

Re: Half term report
 

Please don't - it will put the mockers on it.

Re: Half term report
 

A fair reflection I feel Carpon!! I look forward to the end of term report ;) :) :)

Re: Half term report
 

A sensible man ;)

Re: Half term report
 

Our overall points-per-game (PPG) ratio for the 2009/10 season was 1.32. Our current PPG in 2010/11 is 1.35. So, a very minor improvement there? One certainly not representative of the step-up in terms of quality of football played.

The play-off (7th place) PPG of 2009/10 was 1.57.

If we make a series of improvements; namely in:

• Our away form,
• Our concentration at the end of tight games where we're ahead,
• Our ruthlessness in front of goal; taking a hell-uv-a-lot more of the chances that we make

...then I see no reason why a serious challenge for a play-off place shouldn't be on the cards.

I'll stick my neck out. If we don't finish in the top half (at least) this season after the football we've shown we're capable of, I'll be seriously disappointed. And I suspect Coley will be, too.

Enough of the superstitious codswallop. It's all about the numbers. :D

Re: Half term report
 

had we not squandered a 2 goal lead twice (Stockport and Chesterfield) in the dying kicks of matches then our PPG would currently stand at 1.52 - not bad for a side that has only just won its first two away matches!

Your right about the quality of play though, by all acounts it has been remarkably better this year and that would be the galling thing should the league position not improve any further. What a shame that it appears Ilyas has not been able to administer the transfer funds that he said he would this window