Just back

We didn't play well, but did enough to hang on.  Neither team really deserved 3 points although Coulson's goal was thumped in after a scrabble caused by the pace of Makofo.  The back four gelled and seemed a good unit, McKeown doing plenty of shouting too.  Midfield didn't stamp any authority although they covered a lot of ground as FGR passed the ball about nicely at times.

MOM for me Artus, never stopped running, trying to break up their play and send us forward.

Lovelly set up down there, friendly and well mannered bunch of fans.

"We didn't play well, but did enough to hang on".

Sign of a good team!

According to the BBC football FG struggled to break down a well organised defence the 2 occasions they did get through our keeper was excellent.  Very happy with the performance, the 3 points and a clean sheet  

Agreed MDT - I thought we played better against Darlo last week than we did today, but you can only beat what's in front of you and we did that. The midfield didn't win much today, especially second half when they seemed to be beaten to every ball for a good while. FGR sprayed it around but not to any great effect. Thought Green looked a little rusty and got caught out a couple of times first half, but a solid defensive display overall. Disappointed with Spencer - he got his chance today and I don't think he took advantage of the opportunity. Good to see Rob Eagle back on the pitch, if only for a few minutes. He'll do well to oust Makofo though - scored last week and set up today's goal by not giving up on a ball which the keeper probably looked favourite for.

MOM probably McKeown for me as I don't recall him putting a foot wrong - he's looking like a real asset and seems like a good lad too. Poor old Kenny may not get a look in this season other than shot stopping in the warm up!

Just about deserved it because of the fight and spirit.

FGR started passing it around but got nowhere and resorted to more and more long ball as the game went on which played into the hands of Kempson and the improving Pearson.

We didnt create much and none of the forwards looked a real threat. Spencer especially. He can't/won't run or jump. Hearn like so many have said deserves a goal. He tries but is getting more and more frustrated.

Teams are build on a solid defence and today, for the first time, we certainly looked that. Mckeown looked confident and his handling was excellent. Green grew into the game. I expected him to fade but if anything he got better the longer the game went. Although Kempson got out jumped by Styche a few times he was generally solid as was Pearson. Wood was probably my man of the match for a good all round game. He also kept his temper well when Norwood booted him when on the floor. The ref only cautioned the FGR player which seemed odd. If he saw something to caution him it should have been red. Violent conduct.

Artus also played well.

Tolley for FGR looked a very good player.

Overall a long trip but seemed well worth it with 3 points!

I think we shouldn't underestimate the fact that the defence kept Styche at bay...

Quoted from mariner2000

I think we shouldn't underestimate the fact that the defence kept Styche at bay...

Very good post !

Quoted from mariner2000

I think we shouldn't underestimate the fact that the defence kept Styche at bay...

Also roughed him up ' a bit'. Along with 4 bookings (!) maybe we are toughening up a little and dishing out what we get.

A win is a win is a win,

Now lets go on a run.

Quoted from grimsby pete

A win is a win is a win,

Now lets go on a run.

i'd rather have a beer to celebrate

Had a cracking night out in Gloucester ( can recommend the New Inn ) and found the whole setup at FGR very good and welcoming if not a little surreal being where it's located. To be honest lads it's been one of the first times for a long while where mates and I haven't said it's a weekend away spoiled by the footy. Definate improvement and more fight in my opinion. Excellent turnout from Town fans and hats off to those at the back leading the chants.

Thought we played well in patches and I would play Green ahead of Ridley on that display, it was great to have a bit of pace at left back.
Wood m o m for me.
Also mention for their keeper who had a bit of banter after the chants of its all your fault and acknowledged our fans at the end.
Excellent day out.

I've just listened to the two manager interviews on the BBC website and it's funny - Hockaday reckons his keeper didn't do anything other than pick the ball out of his net and Hurst says McKeown only had to make one save. By the sounds of it I think Hockaday is trying to make a case that his team deserved to win based on the fact that his keeper had nothing to do and our only ambition was to stop his side from playing.

Thought we dominated the first half with the odd squeaky bum moment, though we didn't really create much i liked spencer at the start he challenged in the air often marked by two players but looked knackered before half time, Midfield and defence bossed them around a bit and Green looked like he had been with the squad all summer and looked alot better then Ridley if i'm honest whos had a urine poor start to the season compared to the high he ended on last season.

Second half we let them back into the game midfield let them pass the ball around more and they had a lot more chances not that they really threatend to score. Elding looked a hell of a lot more monile when he came on chasing everything down that he possiby could, thought Duffy was poor apart from a few moments of passing and movement with Elding at the end of the half. Didn't really run around to much and didn't challenge in the air at all though to be fair he was also being marked by two players everytime the ball went his way.

Thought we only seemed to have two attacking plans again, hoof it up to Spencer/Duffy every single time we attacked who were beaten nearly every single time (not entirely their fault i will admitt), or give it Serge to run downt he wing and put in a urine poor cross, Coulson needed to get more of the ball as he had loads of room at times down the right.

Our goal was scrappy but still well taken considering it all looked lost for a split moment till Serge stole the ball away from the keeper. Thought we had the better set of chances as the back four didn't really give FGR much option and Macca collected pretty much everything rather simply.

McKeown 7 never really had much to do and did well with what came at him
Green 7 looked like he had been with the squad since start of the summer after the first 10 minutes
Wood 8 did what he does best
Kemps 8 cleared the ball well bossed their strikers about well, wish he'd stop waiting for the ball to bounce when it comes near him beofre he heads it though
Pearson 8 same as Kempson cleared the ball well controlled their strikers
Coulson 7 should of gotten more of the ball linked up well with Wood and was good going forward and defending scrappy finish for a scrappy goal but good none the same
Makofo 7 Ran ran ran ran ran, not much end product like normal apart froma  few decent crosses and of course setting up Coulson, like coulson looked good attacking and defending
Artus 8 ran all day looked strong in the tackle and always seemd to trya dn play his way out rather then just hoofing it, good passer of the ball and threw in some good corners which we should of done better from
Disley 9 all over for the midfield like Artus, my man of the match personally.
Hearn 7 moved into space didn't have much hope with the hoof balls unless they dropped just behind the defence like they did on a couple of occasion. Just needs to find that first goal, and throw himself into it a bit more he's a strong lad but plays like a bit of a pansy at times being muscled off the ball to easy
Spencer 6 was market out fo the game some times however showed some moments of promise, didn't look match fit and should of done better when connecting on the end of Artus's crosses.

Eagle 6 not really on long enough but when he was looked his normal self running downt eh wing and connected up well with green and Elding
Duffy 7 like Spencer marked out the game a little didn't challenge at all for the header, but ran around and found space a few time, linked up well with Elding at the end
Elding 7 though not really on long enough to make a major impact, his movement and link up play was good chased every ball down and looked more of a threat in the air and on the ground then Duffy and Spencer

Best game i've been to in a while thanks to the attmosphere as well as the performance. Loving the meat and veg chants and especially the "If you don't flipping like it don't come" chant see that being heard for a while with shouty and shorty still in charge. Final note well done to their Keeper in the second half going along witht the banter and joining in, in a friendly mannor and not taking it to seriously.

Nice to see GrimRob run past while i waited at the bus stop, can't believe he ran that, it was even nicer when we drove [ast him on the bus on the way back to stroud  

Great away win, UTM's!!!!!!

I'm quite jealous fellow Mariners, sounds like the sort of games we used to enjoy.  The work load I've got on at the moment should be coming to an end in a few weeks, hopefully.

Really enjoyed my first away game today. The whole FGR experience is superb (as it was last season), probably the friendliest of all clubs in the BSP. I can't see a similar atmosphere at our next away game. Even the quorn thai curry and rice was quite nice too. Thought we just about shaded it to be honest, I wouldn't say we played over well as we offered very little up front today but we defended superbly and kept one of the most sought after BSP strikers quiet all game. New lad Green looked ok after a slow start and as Big Chris said grew better as the game wore on. On today's display, and I can't really believe I'm saying this after last season but I'd rather have Duffy up front instead of Spencer who offered very little today.

A cracking atmosphere today with great vocal backing at times and I actually thought there were more Town fans that last season's 231.

Great win imo.

Think Spencer could be good but hes not going to be anywhere near match sharp yet.

Quoted from Les Brechin

A cracking atmosphere today with great vocal backing at times

Just watched the highlights you did us all proud,
Thanks to everyone for all the reports too.
Got to love FGR haven't you ? Great area, great highlights, black and white stripes great club.

Perhaps Scotty can have a relaxing week-end and his missus will stay in. You never know he might get his oats. Scott's porridge oats of course! Perhaps we should just refer to any future rants as a portion of Scott's porridge.

But why isn't Spencer anywhere near true fitness. Surely he should be putting in double the effort then to get fit, he's had long enough now...I'd personally play Duffy over him if I'm honest.

Quoted from oldun

Perhaps Scotty can have a relaxing week-end and his missus will stay in. You never know he might get his oats. Scott's porridge oats of course! Perhaps we should just refer to any future rants as a portion of Scott's porridge.

Porridge can be construed as something else, especially in the manner you've put it  

Quoted from aldi_01

But why isn't Spencer anywhere near true fitness. Surely he should be putting in double the effort then to get fit, he's had long enough now...I'd personally play Duffy over him if I'm honest.

You cant get really sharp without playing a few games, which has not been possible for him yet.

True but he can get fit enough to last 90minutes without actually playing surely, matches just get you match sharp...

Sweeping statement perhaps but what i have seen of Spencer I'd say he will never get to fitness. That is IF fitness is hs problem. I think he is just a big lad who is very limited.

There. That should ensure he gets a double hat trick next Saturday!

Quoted from aldi_01

True but he can get fit enough to last 90minutes without actually playing surely, matches just get you match sharp...

Last games, yes.  But not at the intensity of someone with 3 or 4 games behind them.  

Quoted from BIGChris

Sweeping statement perhaps but what i have seen of Spencer I'd say he will never get to fitness. That is IF fitness is hs problem. I think he is just a big lad who is very limited.

There. That should ensure he gets a double hat trick next Saturday!

my thoughts on spencer aswell, how did the left back do? edit  forget that i just read earlier what you posted

Finely just got back! enjoyed the weekend,watched England in the Green Man on Friday night,wondered down to the ground sat lunch(1 1/2 miles),solid performancr from Town,Pearsons best game,Town fans spot on,great support for Scotty. FGR very friendly, like to thank the gateman for stopping and giving us a lift back to our campsite,had a nice meal in the Rose and Crown in Nympsfield,(run by someone originally from cleethorpes)drunk it down this morning,but still a good weekend.Tent packed away now until Telford away in April,hoping for more Town campers! UTM

I got back not long ago. Obviously was very chuffed with the three points. It wasn't a great game to be honest, there were very few chances and I don't think either keeper had a top save to make. We played better against Darlington going forward but we were very organised in defence and that can make a huge difference if you can just nick a goal, which we did.

Great work from Makofo for the goal, shows what can happen when you put pressure on the goalkeeper and Coulson tucked it away nicely. We were probably the better side in the first half without looking that threatening. Second half, Forest Green dominated possession in the second half and while you're never comfortable when the opposition have so much of the ball, they never really looked like scoring.

Well done Town.

Why was Serge substituted?  Any ideas?  Was it tactical?

Quoted from marinette

Why was Serge substituted?  Any ideas?  Was it tactical?

I'd suggest it was because he had done very little in the 2nd half and Elding came on and Hearn switched to left midfield. Then Hearn went off for Eagle

Quoted from BIGChris

I'd suggest it was because he had done very little in the 2nd half and Elding came on and Hearn switched to left midfield. Then Hearn went off for Eagle

Oh, I see.  Liam Hearn in left midfield.  That's different.  Been away for a while so need to get used to things again.

(P.S.  Why are you in blue now Big C?  Have you become one of the muscle men on here?)

Quoted from aldi_01

But why isn't Spencer anywhere near true fitness. Surely he should be putting in double the effort then to get fit, he's had long enough now...I'd personally play Duffy over him if I'm honest.

Me too...although he had his worst game this season in a Town shirt yesterday.

Yesterday was very reminiscent of the Newport game for me in that it was a battling performance. The pleasing aspect was that we did show more attacking threat than at Newport, which tells me we are gradually moving in the right direction.

Going on FGR highlights game looked pretty scrappy but Town defence seemed well organised. Green seemed to slot in ok. Keeping a settled back 4 will help in games to come. We can build from there. S&H have not yet worked out how to get the best striker combination hence the constant changes, They all seem capable of missing chances at present whoever is up front. Hopefully this part of the game will come good in due course. Also not enough goal efforts from mid-field. This is not a moan as I am sure S & H are well aware and will work on it.

Quoted from oldun

S&H have not yet worked out how to get the best striker combination hence the constant changes

Not sure that's necessarily true - Spencer needed game time and what better way to give it than when you're set up to keep things tight away from home ?
If Duffy doesn't start on Saturday I'll be very suprised.

agree with most of the stuff on here. thought green was excellent - quite macca like in size and style of play. was v disappointed with spencer although he got no help from the ref and was constantly marked by 2 players. we didn't use to that to our advantage tho - if he's marked by 2 that means someone else is not being marked and didn't think we varied the attacks much.
mckeown's kicking ain't that much better than arthurs imho.
wood was ok but he looks very susceptible to the long diagonal ball - got caught out a number of times particularly 2nd half when they seemed to realise this was a possible weak link.
thought pearson improved as the game wore on after a very shaky start.kempson was excellent against that nasty piece of work styche ,who tries every trick in the book to provoke the defender
felt so sorry for hearn - did not stop running but doubt he touched the ball more than a dozen times and there was no sign of any understanding with spencer