Re: Carlisle for glory hunters
 

Good point away based on the performance. Time for a few more beers before we head back over the border :D

Re: Carlisle for glory hunters
 

Matty B - that lad is a collosus.

Good game from mcconville too, silky skills from Beckles showed he can play right wing if called upon. The goal was a vision of football beauty..... More to follow after a few in the Hawkshead Brewery.

Livin' the Stanley dream.

Re: Carlisle for glory hunters
 

Good point today lads.
Redraine would have been proud of you!:mosher:

Re: Carlisle for glory hunters
 

Even Sean? Yeah, I think he would :)

Re: Carlisle for glory hunters
 

Firstly, I never knew Redraine, but clearly his loss is felt deeply. I hope today he would have been proud of the team and, indeed, the club that has achieved so much over the last few decades.

In front of an eerily silent home crowd Stanley were battered for 35 mins. We had nowt in midfield, and the defence shaky at times. We held out only due to good fortune and the divine intervention of Chapman (what an improvement from the Doncaster match), the positional play of Beckles and, most of all, Matthew Pearson.

What a footballer that lad is. I'm not sure he has the pace to make it at the very top but at this level he reigns supreme.

Carlisle look a good team, well organised, but not as dangerous as Morecambe going forward. Once Stanley upped the work rate and passed more effectively as the first half drew to its one-sided end the game turned.

the second half started with Kee in a goalmouth scrap having his first of many moments lying motionless on the turf. He suffered more blows to the head today than Jerry Quarry in his entire career. But at least we were in the game and causing problems. The midfield moved more snappily, and the heavily marked O'Sullivan started seeing the ball. On the other wing McConville, that great thoroughbred, roamed freely to good effect.

It was possibly no surprise when we scored. And what a goal. Lots of passing, the ball sent wide, a one-two, a lovely cross and simple finish for any concussed striker - let alone the prolific Super Billy.

Super Bill walked coolly to the corner and applauded his adoring fans. All 165 of us.

We should have won. Beckles looked assured once more, even beating two men in a mazy run down the right wing. the new boy (Zak?) fitted in nicely and the Don, shaky in the first half, was back to his majestic best. When all else failed there was Matty to pick up the pieces. Matty to head from under the crossbar, Matty to block shots or to chase and harry.

Their equaliser predictably came from our flimsy midfield. A gap opened for their midfielder. The finish was Thierry Henri good though.

Kee, by now a ringer for Jack Nicholson in One Flew Over the Cuckoos nest, and Boco who's Zimmer frame finally ground to a halt, made way for the energetic Clark (who must play more) and totally ineffective Gornall (who must play less).

A nerve biting finale ensued. Five minutes added time due in large part to our shameful, at times, time wasting. (It must be said that however pedestrian our players became, none were as pathetically slow as the girls serving in the bar at half time. They should be summarily dismissed. I would have bought a pie and reported back on how good they were but had I queued I would have missed not just the second half but the rest of the season. I will never criticise the ladies in the Wham clubhouse ever again).

Conclusions:
1. Matty will not be here next year so enjoy him whilst we can.
2. We desperately need more in midfield - I'm not enough of a footballing brain to know what. I like seamus but he's missing Crooks or someone of that ilk. Ditto Hewitt really. Or maybe they both need to work a little harder or others need to support them more.
3. Carlisle - a mishmash ground of things added down the ages. The most silent fans I have ever heard. (And that includes the prawn sandwich brigade in busby's trafford ****hole.) At least we filed out of the ground to the excellent "Story of the Blues" and not some George Michael ****.
4. We are either on the cusp of footballing greatness or mid table obscurity. I can't decide which, but I think I'll go for the latter. Less heartache that way.

Re: Carlisle for glory hunters
 

Chapman was Man of the Match for me. He made some great saves including an incredible double save in the second half - the best I've seen for a long time.

Re: Carlisle for glory hunters
 

would have taken a point up there any day of the week. couldn,t decide wether to go or no not and the rain made the decision for me. a bit of rain turns some drivers into trembling wrecks and my blood pressure can,t stand them.

Re: Carlisle for glory hunters
 

The defence looked a more adroit unit yesterday, apart from the goal and two scares in the second half they were fairly comfortable.

Chapman improving also.

Re: Carlisle for glory hunters
 

I'm afraid I still find it hard to watch Chapman. His first match is still seared vividly in my memory.

At least the defence seem to have more confidence in him now - which must help I assume. He seems to be allowed to boot the ball out himself more and even chucked it to O'Sullivan on the half way line on one occasion. Plus, he's not scared to venture out of his area to cover for the defence. Think he may have headed one out for a goal kick if memory serves.

Did I mention Matty Pearson in my match report, though? If not, I can officially say that he had a great game.

Re: Carlisle for glory hunters
 

Perhaps yeh never seen him first time round Lord D? was doing very well until injury took him from us, problem we got now is we got 2 decent keepers, a nice problem to have in my opinion.:)

Re: Carlisle for glory hunters
 

That's true that is.

Re: Carlisle for glory hunters
 

His first stanley game was a blinder against Plymouth in a 1-0 win 2 years ago :)

Re: Carlisle for glory hunters
 

Re: Carlisle for glory hunters
 

Nothing oxymoronic in linking "great" and "thoroughbred" as far as I can see :p

Re: Carlisle for glory hunters
 

I've a Stockport mate who hates McConville. Really, really hates him.

From what I've seen he can sometimes be a bit frustrating to watch. I felt happier with Fosu playing at the end of last year.

However, the more I watch him the more I like him. or is that just because he's having a decent spell right now?