Just back

Well - I do only live round the corner.

What to say. First half  er.., can't remember. Probably a good thing too.

Second half, both teams came out and looked more positive but we clearly had the edge without looking spectacular. As the game went on we started to look more and more dangerous with Colbeck getting in some excellent crosses.
Cook and Pearson didn't have much of a game up front, and we looked a far better prospect when Elding then Soares came on. Despite blazing a good chance past the post, Elding seemed to make all the difference for me.

We looked like we were going to score and surprisingly enough we did. We had good possesion round the box a few times before indecision gave the ball away too many times, Thomas was played the ball and looked to have lost it to two defenders when he somehow managed to get a toe to it and get through and put in a decent cross for Disley to stick it in.
It was no less than we deserved. Southport looked pretty poor to me and not a top 7 team that they were last year.

As ever, the script says we score and then sit too deep for the opposition to equalise. It was pretty much all Southport for the rest of the game but they lacked any guile or skill and for a few minutes I started to believe we'd get the win. The defence with Pond dropping deep looked rock solid and won pretty much everything in the air. Pond looked pretty good for the most part, but he did make a couple of errors for which I think we should let him off in his first game.

Then (I think it was Wood) tried to shepherd a ball out for a goal kick and bizarrely tried to rugby tackle the Southport player to give away a free kick. Then we know what happens next. Their first attempt at goal of any significance was scored. Shame about it really, as Wood had a pretty good game for me. He cleaned out their winger a few times and was rounded only once that I recall.

Overall, I'd have to say that we looked like a pretty strong team that clearly wasn't playing at its best. I think we can expect to see a good few home games again where we really turn over the opposition and there's lots to look forward to.

Today was 2 points dropped for sure, but I'm still confident of our chances this year.

Pretty much agree with the above. Pearson and Cook were fine holding the ball up back to goal, but once they turned there was nothing.
Elding made a big difference.
Pearson was outstanding, Wood was until he cocked up in the 87th minute. Pond was was well off the pace but got better. We still need a dynamic midfielder.
Southport offered nothing and we should have beaten them.

I´m sick and tired of us getting a goal and sitting back. We need to take the initiative and go for it. We have better players than most teams in this league and Southport are part time, we should be fitter than them. If we went for the kill and gave them problems at their end, they´re much less likely to cause us problems at our end.

Very disappointed with the goal against.

I thought it was a scrappy game. Can't not of the life of me understand WHY miller was dropped for pond..? Miller and pearson have been brilliant together. Pond only trained once with the squad and that showed. Very shaky ever header was headed down into the ground rather than high and far..

For me Bradley wood was superb today my MOM the attitude and commitment from the lad was second to none..
S pearson played very well won everything in air as you would expect..

Derek Niven runs around a lot but to me seems to just keep running away from the ball and when he does get it just hooks it long.

Disley was he playing? Apart from the goal was non existant.. Come on Craig your captain lead from the front.

Franky was ok. Turned to many crosses down. On the ball he was very neat.

Colbeck did ok first half spent to much inside rather than wide. When he stayed wide a ran at the left back he caused problems..

G pearson to me looks ok but unfit. Never looks to get in behind and can't win nothing in the air, looks as tho he don't want to get hurt. Him and cook played to far apart..

Cook won almost every header hold the ball up ok. Again never looked to go In behind at all. Looked very leggy.

Subs- thought elding made a massive differance when he came on had desire energy and showed a great attitude towards not starting. Watching him warm up even encouraging the players from the side. He had a header that should have been put back across goal he knew as soon as he headed it I think he thought the defender was gonna get a nick, he made 2 great runs across the front of the keeper one where wood put in a fantastic cross only for the keeper to just gather, the other the keeper just got a touch away from him, in a result of that run keeper touched it into Disley path..

Soars did well played things simple.

Other all happy ish with a point.

Look forward to winning ways at home Tuesday..

A stupid free kick to give away by Wood. Thought the selection might bite us, and it did. In some respects, it's same old Town.

Despite having not seen any of the pre season games I was a little surprised at the selection.

We largely dominated the game. First half we had uch mor eof the play but didnt create anything. G pearson seemed to come in for some heavy treatment from the home defence and I have to say i was disapointed with Cook who many posted had been very good in pre season.

Colbeck seemed a typical wide man in that he did some excellent things, a couple of superb crosses then disappeared for half an hour.

Impressed by Thomas. Did well defensively and when he started to get forward more looked excellent and created our goal.

Shocking decision by Wood to conceed the free kick. Concentrate of the ball and not the man. Stupid free kick to give away 3 mins from the end. That should cost him his starting place for Tuesday but why wasnt Grand picked up. He is a big lump and should never be allowed an unchallenged header in the middle of the six yard box!

Mckeown did well enough, had no chance with the goal but frankly i cannot recall him having to make any save
Wood- all his good work was undone by a moment of total stupidity
Pond- very shaky to start with but improved as it went on.
S Pearson. My man of the match. Dominant
Thomas- very close to man of the match
Colbeck- flashes of excellence
Niven- did a lot of unselfish work for the team. Distribution not great. Had one great effort headed away which nearly killed the defender
Disley. Busy, looked fitter than last season. Easy goal and a good celebration with the crowd
Artus. Started well but drifted out of the game in 2nd half
G Pearson- looked decent in flashes but no real goal threat
Cook- struggled to get into the game at all

Subs
Elding- we looked better once he came on but shoudl have scored with a free header at far post. Didnt even hit the target
Soares- only had a few min

We were the better side but we need to be more clinical and we need to concentrate for 90 minutes in defence!

Hullberside said that Miller's wife is about to give birth imminently.

Unreal some of you lot... I take it none of you have made a mistake??? A point at Southport isn't ideal but it'll do to start the season off... Give it a few games, at least, before we start writing the season off...

Quoted from SlouchyMetal

Hullberside said that Miller's wife is about to give birth imminently.

Is JT going to do commentary?

We had real problems against all the teams above us for most of last season. Make no mistake about it, Town were far superior to Southport, and bar one moment of madness would have had 3 points in the bag, which would have been justified. Glad I backed the draw before hand with Paddy Power at 21/10, which were very good odds for what was always going to be a tight match.