Defining Moment ??...a thread for today !.
 

Heard someone say yesterday that tonight's game against Portsmouth would definitely be Stanley's ' Defining Moment ' of the season.
However, I beg to differ !. In my opinion many defining moments have been witnessed at Home matches and in particular at away games which have more than persuaded me that the current squad, their style of play, and most importantly their spirit and endeavour are as good as, if not better than any other team in Division 2 of the Football League.
Many factors have been employed to bring this about, from shrewd Management and solid application, to the development and burgeoning of skills in individual players, which I for one failed to expect at the start of the campaign !.
So given these facts?...proven by the aforementioned evidence, the Reds can go into tonight's game with the confidence that, although JC will not admit it, they are simply the Best !.
Personally speaking, I have turned up in the past to watch games of similar importance with one nagging thought in mind.... ' I hope the Reds can do it !'. Tonight it will be
' I know the Reds can do it.... wonder by how many ?'.
Do you know... I can't wait !.

Re: Defining Moment ??...a thread for today !.
 

Well said Alan, my thoughts on turning up tonight will be similar -

"I know the Reds can do it . . . . . . . . . & thank our lucky stars that Mr. Kettle is not officiating" :)

Re: Defining Moment ??...a thread for today !.
 

Tonight could be a defining moment..........

If we beat Pompey & Daggers fail to beat Newport, then we will be Mathematically Safe :D

Re: Defining Moment ??...a thread for today !.
 

The main thing is we don't lose. I am sure we have enough in our locker to beat Portsmouth. we must play for 90 minutes. I am confident, If we can get through the next 3 games without a loss we we will be there at the end,

Re: Defining Moment ??...a thread for today !.
 

Looks like Big Jase is back in the nets tonight. According to the FA site, Ross is banned for tonights game, so I suppose the appeal failed, or is this a case of next week? Then will be too late.

Re: Defining Moment ??...a thread for today !.
 

It was unsucessfull says on fishy, still i expect beggar all from that load of ******* at the F.A.

Re: Defining Moment ??...a thread for today !.
 

Still happy enough for Mooney to step in!

Re: Defining Moment ??...a thread for today !.
 

I meant Carlisle (both abroad as far as I'm concerned) ;)

Re: Defining Moment ??...a thread for today !.
 

Defining moment? Definitely - just not in the way we'd hoped! :( Truth is Portsmouth were faster & fitter than us & in general more up for it. From the word go, it seemed like they had twice as many players on the pitch
Much as it pains me to admit it, Paul Cook had prepared his players & game plan better than we had - second half we did improve but by then unfortunately it was game over.
Hopefully on Saturday it will be a different story & we'll be toasting the lads success against Plymouth - we all know we're capable of it, just that we didn't show it tonight

Re: Defining Moment ??...a thread for today !.
 

After tonights performance, I will be glad for Ross to be back in goal on Saturday. Played nothing like he did in the first half of the season. Did not command his area and to compound it all, defence helped Pompey.
As for promotion, the abject team that JC played tonight were more like relegation candidates. Thank goodness we have the points on the board. BTW where has Adam Buxton gone? Not in the team and not on the bench. Has he picked up a knock? All we can hope for is that we play a hell of a lot better on Saturday because n previous weeks, that result has been coming, we have been nowhere near good enough at home anyway.:(:(:(:(

Re: Defining Moment ??...a thread for today !.
 

Completely outclassed and outplayed tonight no excuses the best team won.:( cant even blame the officials they had a good game.

Re: Defining Moment ??...a thread for today !.
 

Oh dear !..who didn't see that one coming then ?.

KTF !!.

Re: Defining Moment ??...a thread for today !.
 

Adam Buxton was in the ground and so was Deano, Bucko has flu he said I didn't get to speak to Deano. Tom Aldred was here I was hoping we could slip him in as a ringer but. The best team won, we were played off the park first half. Second half changes helped, surprised that Piero was taken off. Matty pearson was all over the place. Matt crooks was only average in short spells. I can't understand the obsession of playing one up front, Billy was marked out immediately and was always going to struggle. Sadly it was like we were playing 11 strangers, we got under each other's feet. Our passing is atrocious at times for this stage of the season. Jason was badly beaten in goal which has done his confidence no good at all, The comedy of errors near the end was entertaining, we all know we can do better but now it is a case of we must do better. A bad day at the office.

Re: Defining Moment ??...a thread for today !.
 

Thanks for the info re Bucko. I think teams have sussed how we play with 2 wingers and 2 wing backs supporting them and the opposition are doubling up on Piero in particular and to a lesser extent Sean Mc. I would like to see us play differently on Saturday and go through the middle of the park and use the wings to a lesser extent. Make the opposition think which way are we coming at them this time. Just a thought. Lets hope Josh is back on Saturday and help Billy Kee, who looked forlorn up front tonight when not getting any ball for 75 minutes of the game. The one thing that does annoy me is the way certain players try to play like they are the best footballer since George Best, when clearly thy are not. Use the KISS technique, Keep It Simple Stupid!

Re: Defining Moment ??...a thread for today !.
 

Defining moment for me the home goal and that stunning volley:(

Re: Defining Moment ??...a thread for today !.
 

Not at the races tonight looked lethargic Mooney,s distribution awful long punts upfield to no one Conneely clearly struggling with the flu bug that has floored Buxton, need to go back to basics for Saturday neat patient passing game that as brought about our success this season hopefully more home fans on Saturday last night for such an important game was simply not good enough but expected nothing else from the Accy public.

Re: Defining Moment ??...a thread for today !.
 

Man for man they were better; faster, fitter, hungrier, classier. They chased down our possession and gave us no time on the ball to build anything. I cant recall any meaningful shot on target from us.

It could just be a bad day at the office, but it was a huge game for both sides and perhaps their wage bill has bought big game mentality? All of their players have that experience and attitude to deal with it whereas much of our squad is young with no experience to speak of.

For me only Billy Kee and Brad Halliday can take any credit from that game, the rest were woefully short of what they can do. The defence were run ragged by probably the most talented forward line in the league, Roberts was a class above whenever he got the ball.

Final note to their fans. I've not heard a louder set of fans on The Crown in over 30 years, what a shame that they only one song and that its only 2 lines long. Their numbers and our songbook would be worth a 15 point headstart every season at this level. At full time the Stanley fans were singing to Billy Kee, the tannoy was yapping away and Pompey were still imploring themselves to "play up". Good on 'em, 584 midweek to Accrington? We dont take that to Morecambe!

Re: Defining Moment ??...a thread for today !.
 

at least we got beat by a side playing football as in the past we,ve been turned over by the in your face ale house sides using week officials in getting away with questionable tactics. the writing was on the wall for us from the kick off and looked more up for it than we did. until they scored however their play in the last quarter of the field was poor as ours. if we,d have kept the first out it might have been a different result. second was an unlucky mistake and the third was goal of the season quality. if wayne rooney had scored it news at ten would have been extended to show it from ever angle possible and interviews with every football expert on the planet.

Re: Defining Moment ??...a thread for today !.
 

Thought Brayden Shaw looked bright when he come on, never easy coming on when you're 0-3 down though!

Must win game Saturday!

Re: Defining Moment ??...a thread for today !.
 

Apparently we had a gentlemen's agreement with Pompey not to play Boco after he was allowed to leave and sign for us, and Cook rightly so was fuming when he saw the team sheet's described as his needle going through the roof what a pre-match motivational tool for them cock up on our part me think,s.

Re: Defining Moment ??...a thread for today !.
 

I felt very sorry for Coley last night at the final whistle when he came over to clap the ClaytonEnd End as usual, but by the time he got there nearly everyone had scarpered. I wouldn't blame him if he was demoralised by the lack of home numbers recently, although those who did turn up on the terrace gave good support considering the fare on offer. He did his part last night by making decently timed subs but you have to say the players let him down.

Re: Defining Moment ??...a thread for today !.
 

That's ok to say but with the injuries/suspensions etc. that we have I think that if there was such an agreement it was fair enough to waive it - let's face it, it doesn't take much for Cooky to get wound up, after all Rommy didn't get much chance to actually play when at Pompey & ended up out on loan at Waterlooville so can't see the reasoning behind it really

Re: Defining Moment ??...a thread for today !.
 

To be fair they did to us what we are good at !!,pressed the ball,good movement,strong in the tackle and good composure.
From the off our shape didn't look right and I thought shay was playing alongside Billy and we ended up more of a 4-4-2
With conneely under the weather and Crooksey unsure who to press we got dominated by good players.
Time and time again they attacked us down the flanks and got numerous quality balls in.
Unsure why we swapped the fullbacks after 20 minutes but it didn't work and the score line could and should have been more.
More worrying is the keeper who's confidence seems to have disappeared.
We seemed a tired team and 2 points from 4 games suggests it won't get any easier.
Back to basics for me,clean sheets and build from there.

Re: Defining Moment ??...a thread for today !.
 

Just watched Coley's assesment of the game and I can't really disagree. However with a massive game against Plymouth on Saturday I do fear we are lacking the quality at the moment with so many of our first team out. It is going to be the test of the season. If we can get 3 points we can still get back on track. If we lose we will be struggling to stay in the play offs.

Re: Defining Moment ??...a thread for today !.
 

" with so many of our first team out "

How many would that be ? Just curious :idunno:

Re: Defining Moment ??...a thread for today !.
 

I think Windass has been a massive miss, Etheridge better keeper and Winnard is probabaly our best defender. Gornell would have made a diff last night helping Billy. All missing last night.

Also we could do with Crooksy's more athletic goalscoring alter ego back in the side. Does anyone know when he's due back?

Re: Defining Moment ??...a thread for today !.
 

Thought the tall young lad that came on last night, was a good help up front.

Re: Defining Moment ??...a thread for today !.
 

Braydon Shaw was that tall young lad and yes, maybe give him a start on Saturday and give Piero a rest on the bench (not that he has done much wrong, player of the season up to now for me). Hopefully Bucko will be back in defence and Josh (if fit, as Coley has intimated), Ross back in the nets an Boco instead of McConville (too many times caught on the ball in too many matches of late). We shall see what team the enlightened one plays on Saturday (other than Plymouth for the comedians amongst us).

Re: Defining Moment ??...a thread for today !.
 

So not really many of first team out then ??

Re: Defining Moment ??...a thread for today !.
 

Have to disagree Billy Casper add Buxton to those 3 and 4 is a big miss imho

Re: Defining Moment ??...a thread for today !.
 

Whoah, steady on Outback. You are risking a roasting on here by criticising the chosen one! I'll eat my hat if he's dropped.

Re: Defining Moment ??...a thread for today !.
 

Sean might not have had his best game last night,(then again who did?) but he didn't deserve the cheer that went up somewhere in the main stand because he was subbed - not a nice thing to do to one of our own players

Re: Defining Moment ??...a thread for today !.
 

Truly shocking, how awful.

Re: Defining Moment ??...a thread for today !.
 

It wasn't me Di.....honest !. probably 'the FAN ' who yelled once again 'what do they keep passing it for instead of gettin' it up t'field ?.

Re: Defining Moment ??...a thread for today !.
 

A few, we had 8 out at one point. It is a great commendation on how far the club has come as we had players to step in, As we all know it can take some players more than one or two games to gel. We have held our own and punched above our weight at times. It was inevitable we would lose one or two games. It will be the biggest test of the season on Saturday against Plymouth. Our response on Saturday will be crucial to decide whether we are good enough to stay in the battle. If we can get one or two key players back we know we can beat any body on our turf. The attendance numbers are a worry. The crowd can make or break a club, The Team need the twelfth man on our side. Be there on Saturday,

Re: Defining Moment ??...a thread for today !.
 

Interesting statement from J.C. about Rommy playing on tuesday, there was NO agreement in place, if snake was bitching about it, as the report said, He was just being his usual self, A slimy slippery snake.:rolleyes: