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Post by bristolgull on Sept 20, 2014 16:24:30 GMT
I think that's called winning ugly!
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Post by Ditmar van Nostrilboy on Sept 20, 2014 16:32:25 GMT
True Brizzle. Not a match to linger long in the memory with goals from a goalmouth scramble post corner and a rather cruel OG. Another 3 points on the board and surely safe from relegation already ;0
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rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Sept 20, 2014 16:42:57 GMT
Mansell's just scored. We'll never hear the end of this........ Just one word - LEGEND!!! |
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petef
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Post by petef on Sept 20, 2014 16:59:09 GMT
Always nice to win and get the three points on balance we just about deserved but only just. Dover came well prepared and played five across the back and were particularly difficult to break down.
It was a typical Conference game with a dogged Dover trying and succeeding on the most part to frustrate and break up our play at every oportunity which the succeeded in doing for a large part of the game. As I suggested in a previous post earlier today many of our young players looked slightly off the pace and more than a little jaded from our very busy start to this campaign. Passes were not finding men and ball retention was non existent for large swathes of the ninety minutes interspersed with occasional flashes of quality that saw posts hit and shots saved until we finally broke the deadlock from a corner and aheaded goal from Arron Downes. The pattern of play continued in the second period with Dover keeping possession and pressing without really hurting but it was a frustrating period of play to watch as we again struggled to keep and retain possession. Dover were encouraged by our inability to retain the ball and were visibly lifted by it and by the introduction of the tricky Nanetti who ran at our defense and caused a few problems. Ultimately our strongest card was again in the back line. Whilst the midfield and forwards laboured away all afternoon the ever impresive combination of Rice, Tonge, Mac Donald, Downes and Cruise dealt with most things with ease until that is when twelve or so minutes from the end a long looping ball over the top caused confusion between Rice, MacDonald and Downes. Miller came out with the ball wide and with the goal gaping open he promptly fired over the crossbar. That was there chance to level it and they knew it. As their challenge and their only clear chance to get anything from their hard work ebbed away we eventually bring on Courtney Cameron for Toby Ajala who struggled all game to find any form and eventully seal the win with some trickery from Courtney and Offori out wide and score from a defenders desperation to get something on the ball.
Not a convincing or a very pretty display by any stretch of the imagination and we could so easily surendered the win if we had not stuck to the task today but we did it again a different way perhaps and once again with a clean sheet . Tougher challenges to come without doubt and not Champagne football but who cares if we keep winning?
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Post by Swanny on Sept 20, 2014 17:51:48 GMT
So another win, another clean sheet but a game in which Torquay struggled to click today. In the end both of Torquay's goals came from corners and were quite fortunate. You felt that Dover gave everything and can feel a little hard done by for all their efforts. Our crowd crept up to 2,383 today with 90 odd enthusiastic supporters from Dover who made plenty of noise. Sponsors MOTM mysteriously going to Rice who was a spectator for much of the game.
It was a pretty low key start to the match but as time went on Torquay slowly improved. Bowman was through and had his shot saved. Luke Young nearly scored another pile driver after his exploits in midweek but his shot today crashed off the inside of the post. Rice made a smart diving save when Dover hit a shot across him from inside the box. Torquay's break through on 35 minutes was a from Downes header at the near post from a Young corner that squirmed in with defenders on the line. It was a soft goal but a vital breakthrough. It was a strange half as our 2 strikers, O'Archie and Bowman had very quiet games and our wingers Ajala and Chappel were not delivering. Our best hope seemed to be an aerial one from a defender or a shot or from a central midfielder. Richards and MacDonald had further chances in the first half saved.
Torquay did not improve in the second half. Our best moment was a double chance from Bowman. He first had his 1-on-1 well saved and he hit the follow up against the post from a tight angle. Dover had a great chance to equalize with about 10 minutes to go. Rice raced off his line and after an apparent misunderstanding with MacDonald, Dover were through on goal on their left. However he blasted the ball over with the goal gaping. A big let-off for Torquay. Cameron had come on for the ineffective Chappel and helped to raise Torquay's game with his quality on the ball and final ball. Sadly Chappel's decision making and final delivery was poor today. He looked good on the ball but there was no end product unlike Cameron. O'Archie grew into the game and started to make a nuisance of himself with those very long legs. But the moves tended to break down and Dover took the initiative and it made uncomfortable viewing for Gulls supporters. Then on 90 minutes a short corner from Cameron to O'Archie, who cleverly back heeled and put Cameron through on the byline. Cameron's low cross was put into his own net by a Dover defender. Game over and Gulls fans could finally relax and enjoy the 3 points. Joyous scenes at the final whistle and it was nice to see Hargreaves on the pitch at the end celebrating with the players.
So a hard earned 3 points in a game where things did not quite click on the pitch. In the end our defence stood firm and MacDonald and Downes were probably our outstanding performers. Apart from 1 golden chance in the 2nd half and Rice's save in the first Torquay kept Dover at bay. The trouble was that after a deserved 1-0 half-time lead, Torquay did not work their keeper much in the 2nd half and stuttered for much of the the 2nd half. Moves tended to break down and Ajala and Chappel had games to forget. There was little service to our front 2 Bowman and O'Archie who struggled to get into the game. I felt that at times Bowman could have made more of an effort to chase balls down etc. I was impressed with Luke Young's work rate. Sadly we had a fair share of misplaced passes today from several players so there was not much fluency in our game. When I was entering the ground today I overhead some man predicting a 4-0 win. Football is rarely that straight forward and today we had to find a different way to win - this time without the style.
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rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Sept 20, 2014 18:04:05 GMT
That was a tough game to win against a Dover side playing 5 at the back and despite hitting the woodwork twice, we could only breathe easily with a very late own goal, particularly as Dover had two gilt edged chances in the second half!
Although we dominated the first half in terms of chances and possession, we struggled to really threaten in the first quarter of the game with a low shot at range to the bottom left corner from Bowman being the only early opportunity to score. From about 25 minutes we did seem to crank up both the pace and pressure and another long shot from Young looked in before ricocheting off the inside of the right hand post. From this pressure, we won a few corners and Downes managed to glance in from the near post although seemed from the wrong end of the pitch to just trickle under their keeper - a mistake? The other key chance came from a long range shot from Richards this time and a slight deflection forced their keeper to just tip it over from under his bar. Dover did have one good chance when they managed to get into space on the left of our area but his shot lacked both power and conviction allowing Rice to make a solid save on the floor and to his left.
So the second half started with us needing another goal to make the game safe. It didn't turn out that way as Dover gave it a real go with much good work coming from second half substitute and right back Christian Nanetti who not only was one of their main attacking threats but also closed down Cruise quite successfully nullifying one of our main outlets from the first half.
I thought Dover had two excellent chances to equalise in this half. The first was a cross/shot to the six yard box on the left of our goal and the resulting shot across the face of goal was just wide when it looked easier to score. Their second was the above described Miller chance that was shot over although the covering goal line defenders put pressure on his final shot.
On the other side of the coin we actually had quite a few chances to score after opening their defence up despite not being at our fluid best. Tonge screwed the ball wide when he should have hit the target with their keeper out of position. Some good play also saw Chappell burst through but again put the ball past the right hand post. Bowman was again put through for a one on one with their keeper but his shot rebounded off the near post from a narrow angle. Ofori-Acheampong possibly displayed the best skill of the afternoon neatly controlling a long ball and then using some nifty footwork to get past two defenders and going on to earn a corner. Another time he got clear on the right, he sent a hopeful cross into the box without looking up when he could have been a lot better directed!
The goal when it came took every one by surprise. The last minute of normal time and it looked like Ofori-Acheampong would try to keep the ball in the corner. However, a delicious back heel sent Cameron clear on the by-line and as he drove into the area he fired the ball into the crowd of defenders and had the desired effect of ricocheting into the goal and game over.
So six wins in a row and another clean sheet, another job excellently done! This run of ours has the effect of teams now being more defensive when coming to Plainmoor and perhaps demolitions of teams such as that against Nuneaton will be few and far between with us just having to find a way to win!
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Post by loyalgull on Sept 20, 2014 20:13:37 GMT
win ugly lose pretty,its the former for me,take those results all day long ,as long as it gets us out of this league.We werent exactly easy on the eye today,second half we were decidely poor,basic simple footy was the order of the day,but it didnt happen,but history will show we won 2-0,and frankly thats the stat and 3 more points in the bag,mixed in with a clean sheet
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rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Sept 20, 2014 22:36:46 GMT
win ugly lose pretty,its the former for me,take those results all day long ,as long as it gets us out of this league.We werent exactly easy on the eye today,second half we were decidely poor,basic simple footy was the order of the day,but it didnt happen,but history will show we won 2-0,and frankly thats the stat and 3 more points in the bag,mixed in with a clean sheet Indeed, quite rightly Hargreaves is very happy to win ugly when we need to! link |
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chelstongull
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Post by chelstongull on Sept 21, 2014 8:11:44 GMT
It didn't turn out that way as Dover gave it a real go with much good work coming from second half substitute and right back Christian Nanetti who not only was one of their main attacking threats but also closed down Cruise quite successfully nullifying one of our main outlets from the first half. Thought he was excellent and certainly gave Cruise a torrid time in the secondhalf - he was so far up the pitch, he loked more like a winger. Sign him up. Not sure how Ricey got MOM, nothing much to do apart from a 'Clash' moment which thankfully Dover put high and wide. The ref was poor giving nearly all the 50/50 tackles in favour of Dover. Heagreaves neededed to sub one of the forwards but with only Yeoman on the bench, very limited options. Lets use some of the Launa money for a striker. Any news on Brisco and Harding injury wise? |
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Post by loyalgull on Sept 21, 2014 9:31:12 GMT
good player,he stood out,like to see nanetti here,we couldnt cope with him
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Post by hullgull on Sept 21, 2014 9:51:31 GMT
win ugly lose pretty,its the former for me,take those results all day long ,as long as it gets us out of this league.We werent exactly easy on the eye today,second half we were decidely poor,basic simple footy was the order of the day,but it didnt happen,but history will show we won 2-0,and frankly thats the stat and 3 more points in the bag,mixed in with a clean sheet To right loyal......win ugly for me every week.......love it......si |
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rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Sept 21, 2014 11:26:03 GMT
It didn't turn out that way as Dover gave it a real go with much good work coming from second half substitute and right back Christian Nanetti who not only was one of their main attacking threats but also closed down Cruise quite successfully nullifying one of our main outlets from the first half. Thought he was excellent and certainly gave Cruise a torrid time in the secondhalf - he was so far up the pitch, he loked more like a winger. Sign him up. Not sure how Ricey got MOM, nothing much to do apart from a 'Clash' moment which thankfully Dover put high and wide. The ref was poor giving nearly all the 50/50 tackles in favour of Dover. Heagreaves neededed to sub one of the forwards but with only Yeoman on the bench, very limited options. Lets use some of the Launa money for a striker. Any news on Brisco and Harding injury wise? Should have said wing back and not full back Phil! |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2014 13:32:31 GMT
That's the way to do it! Go away for ten days and three wins on the trot. My prediction of twenty wins on the trot is looking better now. Actually it was more than a prediction 'cause I had something to do with it, but i'll explain more when we've won ten in a row!
Couple of other things have happened in those ten days of course: England C for some of our players...oh good, how wonderful, that's going to help us no end when all hands-to-the-pumps are needed for a promotion push! I suppose they have to play for England C before they get to play in England's first team though, much like Formula 1 drivers start in go-carts. Still, if Rooney can get an England cap, i'm sure our favoured two can! And Plainmoor now being called...I've put my feelings on another thread on that one.
So all-in-all, things are not so bad. |
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keyberrygull
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Post by keyberrygull on Sept 21, 2014 13:34:58 GMT
Thought he was excellent and certainly gave Cruise a torrid time in the secondhalf - he was so far up the pitch, he loked more like a winger. Sign him up. Not sure how Ricey got MOM, nothing much to do apart from a 'Clash' moment which thankfully Dover put high and wide. The ref was poor giving nearly all the 50/50 tackles in favour of Dover. Heagreaves neededed to sub one of the forwards but with only Yeoman on the bench, very limited options. Lets use some of the Launa money for a striker. It was great to see you 'Mr Meldrew' in such high spirits for a change after yesterdays sixth victory on the spin. Unfortunately looks can be so deceiving.  |
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chelstongull
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Post by chelstongull on Sept 21, 2014 16:50:22 GMT
Thought he was excellent and certainly gave Cruise a torrid time in the secondhalf - he was so far up the pitch, he loked more like a winger. Sign him up. Not sure how Ricey got MOM, nothing much to do apart from a 'Clash' moment which thankfully Dover put high and wide. The ref was poor giving nearly all the 50/50 tackles in favour of Dover. Heagreaves neededed to sub one of the forwards but with only Yeoman on the bench, very limited options. Lets use some of the Launa money for a striker. It was great to see you 'Mr Meldrew' in such high spirits for a change after yesterdays sixth victory on the spin. Unfortunately looks can be so deceiving. Thanks Bri  |
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