|
|
Post by Swanny on Aug 12, 2014 21:13:25 GMT
So at last I saw the Gulls win a match! The scoreline suggested it was a comfortable win but Welling can feel hard done by losing by 3 goals. Some real positives for me tonight. I think Hargreaves has made some cracking signings and addressed some major weaknesses from last season. At last we have a targetman again in Bowman, a creative midfielder in Luke Young and exciting talent like Briscoe and Ajala. When you add these to players we already had like Cameron,it's quite a mouth watering prospect going forward. In short we look like there's goals in our team this season, however there are still big concerns at the back. We just about coped at the back tonight but better teams will surely exploit it. Crowd tonight 1,895, 40 odd from Welling, sponsors MOTM Cameron.
Tonight's goals came at crucial times tonight and our first on 15 minutes was real quality. Cameron threaded a ball through to Bowman who cooly took the ball around their keeper and slotted into an empty net - something our forwards could not do last season! The Gulls at times played some great stuff in the first half with some lovely interchanging of passing with Luke Young impressing. Young also took a lovely free-kick that was just tipped over. Torquay won a soft penalty when Cameron was tripped running away from goal, and Cameron himself blasted the penalty kick past the keeper.
In the second half Welling showed good character and took the game to Torquay. Torquay had some chances like when Bowman just headed over. But Welling had good sustained pressure at times hitting the post, having a stonewall penalty turned down etc. Just when things were looking increasingly uncomfortable, substitute Ajala (who replaced Briscoe) pounced on a defensive mistake and lobbed their keeper with a deft finish. Still Welling tried and only a couple of sharp saves by Rice kept a clean sheet for the Gulls. 3-0 flattered Torquay but it was a win nonetheless and just what the doctored ordered. Our new kit looks very good and very yellow.
|
|
petef
Match Room Manager 
Posts: 4,626
|
Post by petef on Aug 12, 2014 21:39:35 GMT
Encouraged by tonights performance. You have to be its been like crossing a bloody desert with nothing to drink for eighteen months.
However for me the performance threw up plenty of questions the main ones being Welling at the start of the second half in particular, seemed to stroll through us at times with some slick passing around the edge of our box and they could and should have punished us ruined all our good work that went before. We simply couldn't get hold of the ball for a good ten to fifteen minutes.
Better sides will capitalise on this no doubt unless we get hold of the ball and keep possession a hell of a lot better than we did. Secondly our short passing game was poor to often looking for the long killer ball and conceding possession with Angus Macdonald guilty on a number of occasions giving the ball away with poor long passes.
Plus points Cruise had a pretty good game and kept his concentration throughout and maybe he just needs a good run in the side. Work rate was good Yeoman covered a lot of grass and looked better as the game wore on. Bowman took his goal well, a proper CF finish that I haven't seen the like for an age it seems. Cameron looked dangerous every time he got the ball and if he can keep that sort of performance consistently then we will always have a chance. I also thought Downes had a very good game and a good job he did saved our bacon on a number of occasions.
I hope we can play better though we lost control of a match we were comfortably winning and that's a worry. Still time to celebrate a rare win at home and its a long season ahead.
Oh nearly forgot - the kit looks great.
|
|
rjdgull
TFF member
Admin
Posts: 12,227 
|
Post by rjdgull on Aug 12, 2014 23:17:23 GMT
A very enjoyable game of football with goals and a win - what more can you ask for.
The match started fairly evenly for the first ten minutes or so but our first decent piece of play resulted in the goal that broke the deadlock. A good passing move saw the ball being passed around comfortable before being hit from the right to Cameron in the centre who managed to thread the ball to Bowman who had loads of time to round their keeper to the right and slot into the empty net - almost Rene Howe like!
We seemed to gain in confidence and Welling were restricted to a couple of corners and long range shots. We came very close to scoring again when Yeoman was put through and almost scored but the shot was kept out with the loose ball somehow unable to be forced home. Just before half time we were able to counter on the right with Young playing up to Bowman? Who played a very nifty back heel to create the space to cross to Cameron who then had the ball out wide and near the by line in the area when he was adjudged to have been fouled by their number 2 ( who otherwise had a good game) and he personally stepped up to take the penalty hitting it hard and high, but not getting it in the corner allowing their keeper to get some fingers on it but not enough to keep it out.
So, onto the second. Initially we had the upper hand with Bowman just heading over, shortly after was just unable to direct a cross into the net and had another chance. However, momentum started to shift to Welling around the hour mark with a period of sustained pressure with their number 2 hitting the base of the near post and a hand ball penalty appeal being turned down. The game became effectively over a few minutes though after Ajala came on when he was able to get between the keeper and last defender to lob a bouncing ball over him and as with the penalty, their keeper just got his finger tips to the ball but to no avail!
So game over, although Welling didn't slack off and in fact, kept the pressure on, forcing Rice into a couple of very good saves as Torquay struggled to cope with the unfamiliar territory of a comfortable win!
|
|
Jon
Admin
Posts: 6,912
|
Post by Jon on Aug 12, 2014 23:39:18 GMT
Again there was plenty for the optimist to be optimistic about and plenty for the pessimist to be pessimistic about.
That might sound a bit picky after a 3-0 win, but the result flattered us a bit.
We did show some real quality in patches - our first goal being a prime example. Excellent finish from Bowman after good work from Young and Cameron.
Second goal was a very soft penalty - the kind we were giving away last season - and the third was against the run of play.
The optimist would say we cruised to a comfortable victory without needing to get out of third gear and kept a clean sheet.
The pessimist would say that we fell asleep in the second half and would have been severely punished by a better side.
It was a very unfamiliar experience to watch the end of a game fully confident of three points - when did that last happen?
I'm looking forward to seeing more of Young's midfield play, Cameron running at defenders and Bowman leading the line.
I'm not so sure I am looking forward to watching quality opposition strikers getting at our back four.
|
|
rjdgull
TFF member
Admin
Posts: 12,227
|
Post by rjdgull on Aug 12, 2014 23:39:50 GMT
link Welling viewpoint. link Hargreaves and Herald viewpoint!
|
|
|
|
Post by Ditmar van Nostrilboy on Aug 13, 2014 8:30:45 GMT
Left it till after seven last night to decide to go and dragged one of our visitors staying this week for an unbiased read on things.
Plus points were Ricey looking solid, Cameron looking dangerous going forward and tracking back to help out the fullback, Downes looking pretty imperious (despite those alongside him), Bowman looks like he will put away some chances (just like he did with Camerons beautifully weighted pass for the first), Harding looked more settled and won his share of possession before playing a simple pass.
Minus points? Well, apologies to the opposition, but they were considerably worse than any of last seasons visitors. Are they full timers?
Bowman (strange as he features as a plus, but!!) must have had 5 or 6 clear cut chances created for him last night. Last seasons strikers are roundly slated because they struggled to convert one of the 2 or 3 clear cut chances per game? We're not going to find the opposition so generous in many matches.
MacDonald man of the match? Sorry but he looked well out of his depth last night. Not convinced by Cruise either, he had a lot of assistance from Cameron, and Downes spent a hell of a lot of time going out to cover the LB area.
Take away the fact the Tonge was signed by Knill, and he looked ok last night. Caught too far forward once in the entire game? Otherwise fairly solid looking.
Briscoe? You are Jody Banim and I claim my five pounds for spotting you. Sorry but it needed to be said.
Young...Hmmm, a bit of an enigma on last nights showing. Cracking free kick and some nice through balls but we will struggle against most teams in this league if we're relying on just Harding to break up the opposition play or gain possession across the entire midfield.
Yeoman looked pretty anonymous to be honest...
If there's another 4 or 5 teams at the same standard as last nights opponents, we will be well safe this season. I suspect somewhere in the middle third of the table will be our destiny...
edit: Just to add, yes it probably was a soft penalty, though the defender did clip his heel. The ref was possibly inclined to award it having missed a far more obvious penalty just a few minutes before...
|
|
petef
Match Room Manager
Posts: 4,626
|
Post by petef on Aug 13, 2014 9:47:46 GMT
If you want to do well at any level you need to show that you can control the game and for long periods we didn't manage to do that.
As Jon says we we appeared to fall asleep though in my eyes we didn't know how to take control, keep or pass the ball.
Whilst Greavsy is quite right not to criticise after what on paper is a good win there were more questions than answers in last nights performance.
|
|
midlandstufc
TFF member
Posts: 945
Favourite Player: Dawkins lol
|
Post by midlandstufc on Aug 13, 2014 11:07:57 GMT
But always nice to have some questions and negatives with 3-points in the bag though?
I do believe one of the answers is simply; Mr Pearce.
|
|
|
|
Post by bristolgull on Aug 13, 2014 12:47:01 GMT
But always nice to have some questions and negatives with 3-points in the bag though? I do believe one of the answers is simply; Mr Pearce. I certainly think he will make a difference, perhaps see MacDonald at full back? Downes played well last night so makes him harder to drop. It's the midfield that also needs attention, maybe put Richards in for Harding, who for me doesn't impose himself enough on games. I've no doubt we will score goals this season, just a case of stopping them going in at the other end. Could see a few high score draws this season!!! |
|
|
|
Post by gullone on Aug 13, 2014 15:20:13 GMT
Things were far from perfect last night but i enjoyed it and a cracking result after Saturday. Im happy he left Harding and Young as the midfield pairing. I think they complement each others style of play, they showed they can do a job pre season and surely have to be left in for a run of games now. Also looking forward to seeing Pearce back alongside Downes who answered his critics with a bloody good performance last night imo.
|
|
|
|
Post by hullgull on Aug 13, 2014 15:26:13 GMT
Hi all.....good to read mainly positives from last night........ok welling not the strongest team we will face this season.....but job done.....as midland put it once Pearce fully fit that will stabilize our back line........but on the whole a good team effort......so big well done the gaffer for that......a lot to build on this season.......and with the good signings he has made........a good season ahead of us.........si
|
|
JamesB
TFF member
Posts: 1,526
|
Post by JamesB on Aug 13, 2014 16:00:12 GMT
I'm optimistic after that performance. Judging by that, we'll probably trip up against some poor sides and snatch points against sides much better than us en route to a mid-table finish
|
|
Jon
Admin
Posts: 6,912
|
Post by Jon on Aug 13, 2014 23:52:26 GMT
Highlights up.
Gem of a pass from Cameron for the first, but look at the work of Young to get the ball to Cameron. Cool finish. What a great goal!
Great surging run from Young to put in Yeoman before Bowman's incredible balloon over the bar. We were convinced it should have been a corner because it was "cleared" in such an uncompromising manner!
I didn't think it was a pen because why on earth would the defender clip Cameron when the ball was running out of play. But clip him he did and a penalty it was.
Neat finish from Ajala.
Couple of great stops from Ricey - but we have always known he is a great "shot stopper".
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 14, 2014 11:10:52 GMT
Highlights up. Gem of a pass from Cameron for the first, but look at the work of Young to get the ball to Cameron. Cool finish. What a great goal! Great surging run from Young to put in Yeoman before Bowman's incredible balloon over the bar. We were convinced it should have been a corner because it was "cleared" in such an uncompromising manner! I didn't think it was a pen because why on earth would the defender clip Cameron when the ball was running out of play. But clip him he did and a penalty it was. Neat finish from Ajala. Couple of great stops from Ricey - but we have always known he is a great "shot stopper".
Lovely first goal, great pass and a brilliant first touch from Bowman...what a great name, you can just imagine his ancestors at the battle of Agincourt!
Highlights seem different from Gullsplayer, is it still GP or is somebody else doing it now? I used to hate the guys voice that did the commentary on there. The crowd seemed louder (so happy to hear the old favourite "Yellow Army" sang ad infinitum!) and picture seemed clearer. Only downside being, I would have preferred to see replays of the goals rather than watching the players traipse off at the end of the game for over a minute of screen time! |
|
|
|
Post by Swanny on Aug 14, 2014 16:16:16 GMT
First thing to say is well done to the club for putting up the video highlights. I think it's a dread you have when your team goes non-league that you will not see any video clips i.e. your team sinks into oblivion. Luckily that is not the case anymore. You have to say the standard of football in those clips look excellent and it is a good promotion for supporters to go to future matches. I agree, I don't understand why the clip shows over 1 minute of the players after the final whistle? Surely it would have been better to have seen one or two more action clips.
|
|
