Jon
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Post by Jon on Feb 7, 2015 18:04:16 GMT
Poor performance. Good result.
We tried the 4-3-3 that a lot of us have been advocating, but it was ineffective. We sacrificed the width that 4-4-2 offers but didn't get a grip on the midfield. Another reminder that the quality of the performance matters more than the formation.
Surprised that CH plays Pearce at right back and MacDonald in the centre rather than vice versa.
Downes injured, Gueguen came on a right centre back with MacDonald moving over to left centre back.
MacDonald was struggling badly with injury, so I was surprised when McQuilkin went off. I would have brought Angus off, moved Pearce to the middle and McQ to right back. Chapell livened things up a little when he came on.
Beautiful through ball from Richards and cool finish from Bowman, but there wan't much quality from us apart from that.
FCUM can count themselves very unlucky not to earn a replay at least. They rattled the bar just after we scored. Briscoe missed a chance to wrap things up just after.
Possible semi-final opponents:
North Ferriby United
Bath or Dover
Halifax or Wrexham
I'd say Halifax is the best team left in the competition.
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rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Feb 7, 2015 18:10:57 GMT
That was a tough match as fcum scrapped and stopped us from playing at our best with the 4-3-3 not clicking too well for us. Probably equal on chances over the whole game and the goal tally should have been higher for both teams. All credit to the away fans who sung through the entire game and with a subdued Plainmoor crowd turned it into a home game for them! Loved their retro kit!!!
In the first half fcum had the best of the chances. Their forward screwed his shot terribly wide when deep in and on the right of the area. Later in the half, a slip from one of our two defenders let them have a shot from a similar position which went narrowly wide this time. Fcum also had a fair few corners without threatening much. As for Torquay, it was very hard going and Downes was having a commanding game until he hurt his leg making a clearance. This gave a debut to Gueguen who had an assured game and someone I liked the look of. Pearce is not a full back and thought we lacked in this area.
Ten minutes in the second half, Bowman had a great chance getting on the end of a long ball and his shot from a similar position to that fcum initial chance was just narrowly wide. We were starting to create chances but were very lucky when the ball came out to a fcum player after a long throw and his shot whistled just over the bar with the goal at his mercy. Saying that, Briscoe had a header float just over from a corner and with the introduction of Chappell and 2 wingers started to exploit the space behind their defence a bit more. Chappell looked very sharp when he came on with some nice touches and good strong running.
Things were very open when the goal came, Richards was able to thread the ball between their two defenders for Bowman to latch onto and then round their keeper for a simple goal. It made up for a poor cross from him when in a good position a minute earlier and also he had a great opportunity when Briscoe was put through and although his shot was put wide, a bit more forward commitment would have seen him slide home to make the game safe!
We could have done with that chance being put away as fcum threw everything at us in a last frenetic few minutes and roared on by their away support, managed to hit the bar. Thankfully, we held on, unlike many times this season and kept our clean sheet for this competition to await the home draw of the next round with interest!!!!
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petef
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Post by petef on Feb 7, 2015 18:47:40 GMT
I would be lying if I said I enjoyed that performance which was as poor as I have seen all season with far to many under par performances and tactics that were simply not working for long periods of a game that FC dominated without really hurting us. The early season form we showed where we tore into teams as they back peddled is a distant memory and our shortcomings seem to be easily exposed. Fortunately FC of Manchester were a little lightweight up front otherwise we would have been well and truly stuffed. Putting two or three passes together today seemed like an impossible task for us on a sticky pitch and FC managed to cope and pass he ball far better than us. Unlike Bromley a couple of rounds back who allowed us space to play FC of m chased and harried and looked far more hungrier than we did they usually found their own man with a simple pass where as we were chasing scraps. When the ball did eventually reach the loan figure of Bowman there was rarely any support close by. Luckily Courteny Richards had one of his better games today and won plenty of 50-50 balls that most of our lot looked incapable of winning both on the ground and aerialy. He also laid o the perfect through ball for Bowman to round the keeper and slot home for the winner late on. Young as poor as I have seen him today just didn't look interested or up for it. Briscoe looks like he's put on more weight and struggled to offer any support Bowman. Toby A tried but was crowded out for the most part Ives had a pretty sound game and played witH intelligence always able to create space and time and look for a pass. Guegan the new defender slotted in well and looks a cool customer and MacQuilkin did ok but we often looked outnumbered in that area.
Another poor referee who gave some mystifying decisions.
Fc of m certainly look to have a bright future an look to be carrying some real momentum and have a hard core of genuine supporters. It would not surprise me to see them overtaking ourselves at some point in the near future as they have built from the bottom up whist we are having to go backwards to attempt to move forward.
We won ugly today something we haven't been doing in the league and I see we dropped another place today to 15th and well below mid table our lowest ever position since 2008 so our form has to improve.
Great crowd great flags and some great support from FC a big well done you deserved something from your performance while ours was totally frustrating.
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Post by hullgull on Feb 7, 2015 19:09:27 GMT
We scored but have been totally outplayed feel for fcum Hi loyal.....over the years we have been the the better team in games......and lost......did our opponents feel sorry for us......no they never........take the win ugly or not.....si........ferriby please next........DISCO DANCING TORQUAY .....si |
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Post by Swanny on Feb 7, 2015 19:51:42 GMT
I am delighted with the result and it's great to be in the semi-final and making a bit of money in the process. But what a poor performance today from Torquay and we could have had no complaints if we lost. FCUM had several clear chances that they did not convert and thankfully a piece of quality from us won us the match. Full credit to FCUM for their fully committed display and fabulous fans, all 1,363 of them. I have not heard such noise and passion from an away team for years. Only Portsmouth could rival that. I loved the vintage look of FCUM - players numbered 1 to 11, no names on the back of shirts or sponsor names on the front. It was a real throw back to how football used to be and their strip was just like what Best, Law and Charlton used to wear. Crowd a healthy 3,805 and sponsors MOTM going to match winner Bowman.
There's little to report about the actual match as we had so few chances of note. Our 4-3-2-1 formation just did not work and it was only when Chapell replaced the anonymous McQuilkin and reverted to 4-4-2 did we pose any sort of threat. There was no fluency about our game, if there were 1 or 2 good passes it was typically followed by a poor one. The only players to come out with credit were Rice who had a solid game, the lively Ives at left back, Richards who got stuck in in central midfield, debutant Frenchman Gueguen who replaced the injured Downes and looked a calm assurance at the back, and Chappell who ran well at a tiring FCUM defence. The home support was also lacking in chants and all the noise was coming from the away end. Both on the pitch and off we were quite embarrassing and FCUM did everything right but score.
Bowman did have a clear chance in the second half but predictably screwed his shot wide when through on goal on our right. It was our first serious attempt on goal. Meanwhile FCUM cranked up the pressure and it seemed a matter of time before they got a deserved goal. If they had a finisher today they would have ran out comfortable winners. Bowman until he scored was having a "mare" of a match and minutes before he scored he was clear on the left but crossed weakly to FCUM. Torquay fans vented their anger at him but soon after a threaded ball by Richards sent Bowman through on goal with their keeper to beat. Bowman held his nerve, rounded the keeper and slotted home on 82 minutes! All was forgiven and Bowman had turned from villian to hero in the space of a couple of minutes. FCUM struck the crossbar and kept the pressure up and the game opened up. Torquay should have had a second when Briscoe was through on the right but tried to find Bowman and the ball went tamely past the far post. Torquay held out as undeserved winners.
It was a poor and disjointed performance that gave me little confidence for the rest of the season. Downes is now out injured, MacDonald hobbled through most of the second half and we led a very charmed life today. Maybe our name is on the cup! As for FCUM they were a real credit, their players harried and hassled us out of our stride and they had the clearer chances and their fans were magnificent who gave their team a great send off at the end. It was good to see some Torquay fans staying giving them a good reception at the end. It was a memorable day for the atmosphere and that we won, but not for our performance.
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Post by loyalgull on Feb 7, 2015 20:53:51 GMT
Best of luck to fcum for the future,the players fans and officials really are a credit to the club,hard luck on them today,there on the up no doubt about that.The less said about our shambles the better,a very fortunate win with the usual accompanied crap performance and lack of desire
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Post by bristolgull on Feb 7, 2015 21:35:24 GMT
Can't add much more to previous posts. Great we are through but boy we rode our luck and the performance was poor. Seemed very little zip or energy.
Thought Ives impressed again (very calm, defended well and rarely misplaced a pass) and new lad Geugen looked good at the back. Richards battled well. The rest were a little shakey!
The goal was well taken though and keeps our season alive! Happy with that!
All credit to FCUM and their fans, I think a club on the rise.
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Rob
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Post by Rob on Feb 7, 2015 21:49:29 GMT
Yep, we were poor. But we're through. Guegen and Richards had good games. Que sera sera, whatever will be, will be, we're going to Ferriby...
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Rob
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Post by Rob on Feb 7, 2015 21:51:41 GMT
Best of luck to fcum for the future,the players fans and officials really are a credit to the club,hard luck on them today Totally agree. Their fans were exceptional. |
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hector
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Post by hector on Feb 7, 2015 23:46:33 GMT
I enjoyed today. Not so much the match but the occasion.
Starting from early on in the Union, which was jammed with happy, enthusiastic, friendly fans of FCUM and throughout the day, they were incredible. FCUM are a bit of a ragbag outfit, park team, but they are relatively newly formed, so no doubt, they will pass us in the pyramid, the way reformed Wimbledon and Newport have done and they will be a credit to any league if they conduct themselves as they did today. A bit of a park team they might be but an incredible football club, they are - a phenomenon really - and once they have their own ground, I'm sure they will rise through the leagues. Any team that brings that sort of support could sustain a club at League 1 or higher. I'm just disappointed that I never got to ask any the question that has always puzzled me, in that who would they choose to win if FCUM played Manchester United?
I thought Torquay were average at best today but they did enough.
After the game, back to the Union, and once again, packed with happy, friendly fans of FCUM. A real credit to the game and a fantastic concept. Happily welcome them back, anytime.
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Post by stewart on Feb 8, 2015 0:13:04 GMT
I loved the vintage look of FCUM - players numbered 1 to 11, no names on the back of shirts or sponsor names on the front. Good for them. I still find it ridiculous that players turn out with numbers 39 or 58 on their shirts. Surely the days of supporters buying shirts with names on the back are now a thing of the past ? The old style numbering at least enabled people to have some idea of players' positions. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Feb 8, 2015 4:26:38 GMT
The division in which we play is the lowest where there are squad numbers and names. Below this level 1-11 (well, 1-17) is the norm. You could argue FC United have stalled over the last two or three years. This is their tenth season. They started at the equivalent to the South West Peninsula League's premier division and were promoted in each of their first three seasons. Consequently this is FC United's seventh season in the Northern Premier League's premier section. The club has reached the play-offs three times; the high-profile FA Cup ties against Rochdale and Brighton were back in 2010-11. There has been a fall off in attendances and the move to the club's own ground - after many delays - is timely. Certainly it was explained to me yesterday that the rent FC United were paying to Bury FC had been a brake on progress. One consequence was the club only being able to pay relatively ordinary amounts to players. I guess a triumph was that FC United kept going with their plans and aspirations at a time the whole thing could have fizzled out as a five-year wonder. A clear understanding, perhaps, that the "anti-" nature of the club's birth had to quickly be replaced by a "pro-" outlook towards something new and different. This may be the revival year - the new ground, the Trophy run, another promotion bid. Indeed you wonder if yesterday will be remembered as a significant event in the process. Part of the folklore; a re-affirmation of what it is all about. "Were you at Torquay?"  |
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Post by hullgull on Feb 8, 2015 8:08:56 GMT
Good morning campers........by reading all your posts.....seems that fc United were a big credit to there club.....and there fans.......oh just a question guys....is the semi final a 2 legged affair,or just a.1 off affair.....si
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rjdgull
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Post by rjdgull on Feb 8, 2015 9:08:37 GMT
Good morning campers........by reading all your posts.....seems that fc United were a big credit to there club.....and there fans.......oh just a question guys....is the semi final a 2 legged affair,or just a.1 off affair.....si Morning Si, like most of us it is a two legged affair, played later this month! |
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Post by hullgull on Feb 8, 2015 9:21:08 GMT
Good morning campers........by reading all your posts.....seems that fc United were a big credit to there club.....and there fans.......oh just a question guys....is the semi final a 2 legged affair,or just a.1 off affair.....si Morning Si, like most of us it is a two legged affair, played later this month! THANKYOU mate.....si |
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