Just back

We didn't have enough men in the box in the first half especially, but things improved in the second. There were plenty of chances for us to get the ball to an attacker through a cross or a pass but most didn't get near our men. The cross for Paddy's header was one of the few decent ones we managed all night. Another was a cross which Brown (I think?) took off LJL's head in the first half.

With the possession which we had last night, we should have been peppering their goal but failed to do so and their keeper only had a few saves to make.

Quoted from Stevie Saunders

Quite surprised at the restraint and it's good to read

Box to box, passing, movement, desire,,,,9/10
In and around the box, cutting edge, bravery, trickery, guile, intelligence...1/10

Says it all; results business, goals are everything

If, and it might be a big if, Hurst can get a 'jack in the box' striker to the club it might (just might) turn things around... but even I don't quite believe that as I write it

A bloke next to me summed it up brilliantly IMO - "it's not sh*te, it's not crap, but it's not good enough"

Two positives: team are playing for Hurst - you don't put that amount of energy in if you don't give a crap and we have the second best defensive record in the league.

PLEASE Paul find a goal scorer

That sums up the entire reign of Hurst (and Scott) with his/their failure to sign a regular goalscorer. Only Hearn in the last 4 years has looked capable enough and he spent most of his time on the treatment table.

We are solid, sometimes play some decent football but just cannot score the goals to turn our umpteen draws into victories. This problem goes right back to when Hearn first got injured. We have never replaced his goal threat.

It goes back even further actually, we've not fallen this amount of divisions solely because of poor defending, names such as T Wright, Proudlock, Butler and far too many more for me to recall this early in the morning litter the last 10 years. Too many poor signings, too many decent ones that turn ordinary as soon as the ink's dried.

Quoted from ginnywings

That sums up the entire reign of Hurst (and Scott) with his/their failure to sign a regular goalscorer. Only Hearn in the last 4 years has looked capable enough and he spent most of his time on the treatment table.

We are solid, sometimes play some decent football but just cannot score the goals to turn our umpteen draws into victories. This problem goes right back to when Hearn first got injured. We have never replaced his goal threat.

For the last 3 seasons, Hearn was our marquee signing. He showed us what he could do in the first season but then, of course, his injuries meant that we spent most of the time the last two seasons without a 'main man' up front. This was pretty unfortunate for Scott and Hurst's plans and you can perhaps understand why they didn't have the funds available to replace him during those two seasons.

This year, Hurst has simply failed to sign a marquee striker to replace the departing Hearn, which is a real surprise. If we had signed a striker who hadn't quite managed to do the job expected of him (an Ashcroft-lite), you might understand, but the fact that nobody, but for Pittman (and bit-part player Oates) has joined our striking 'ranks' is just ridiculous at this stage of the season.

Hearn, Cook, Southwell, Tounkara - that's four strikers from last season who have gone, but we've replaced them with just one permanent signing, Pittman! If you were being (very) generous, I suppose you could say that Arnold can be played as a striker and Hurst has been unlucky that he's not been available.

Unless one or two of the few attackers we do have in the squad hit an unexpected purple patch, I'm sure that Hurst must realise that he needs to sign a striker this week. I reckon he's got perhaps a couple of games left before the axe falls.

About the only positive at the moment is that the defence is doing OK after a wobble and the return of Thomas ought to strengthen us further in this regard, but draws don't get you anywhere.

Quoted from Maringer

For the last 3 seasons, Hearn was our marquee signing. He showed us what he could do in the first season but then, of course, his injuries meant that we spent most of the time the last two seasons without a 'main man' up front. This was pretty unfortunate for Scott and Hurst's plans and you can perhaps understand why they didn't have the funds available to replace him during those two seasons.

This year, Hurst has simply failed to sign a marquee striker to replace the departing Hearn, which is a real surprise. If we had signed a striker who hadn't quite managed to do the job expected of him (an Ashcroft-lite), you might understand, but the fact that nobody, but for Pittman (and bit-part player Oates) has joined our striking 'ranks' is just ridiculous at this stage of the season.

Hearn, Cook, Southwell, Tounkara - that's four strikers from last season who have gone, but we've replaced them with just one permanent signing, Pittman! If you were being (very) generous, I suppose you could say that Arnold can be played as a striker and Hurst has been unlucky that he's not been available.

Unless one or two of the few attackers we do have in the squad hit an unexpected purple patch, I'm sure that Hurst must realise that he needs to sign a striker this week. I reckon he's got perhaps a couple of games left before the axe falls.

About the only positive at the moment is that the defence is doing OK after a wobble and the return of Thomas ought to strengthen us further in this regard, but draws don't get you anywhere.

Really?, the Southport and Dartford's goals and the free headers we let them have last night (thankfully they weren't good enough) would suggest otherwise.

They were poor and made us look like world beaters up to their box and from thereon our weakness showed, going over old ground I know, but we should have got a couple of strikers in weeks ago.

In fairness to Hurst after scoring 13 goals in two consecutive matches he would have thought that goal scorers would be the least of his problems especially after starting the season with the obvious choices injured, however saying that we all must have had that feeling that every time a striker was signed by another club other than us we could have done better, now we are chasing around panic buying through mis management IMO.

I still think all is not lost yet but the club needs a new input of ideas and players, and I`m not confident that Hurst can provide this, too negative in style and outlook

Quoted from arryarryarry

Really?, the Southport and Dartford's goals and the free headers we let them have last night (thankfully they weren't good enough) would suggest otherwise.

We've got the second best defensive record in the division, only bettered by Barnet.