Just back

Good game of football that was.

1st half we were the better team although Exeter still got in some decent positions (mainly from crosses). We played some really nice football at times. Hendrie looking to play into people's feet, RHJ the same on the other side.

Rose very composed on the ball and some excellent long switches of play from him. The number of times we got into the middle third but instead of forcing it forward, calmly went back to start again, changed the point of attack and then went forward in another area was pleasing to see. So often in the past we've recycled the ball only for a defender to just lump it down the channel for a percentage ball. Was much better to watch today.

Boateng for them was lucky to only get a yellow. As soon as I saw it I though "red card" but as another post I've just seen said, I think our reaction to it saved him. Clifton stayed down for a second but then got straight up. And no-one seemed to make anything of it. I'm not suggesting or advocating surrounding the ref or anything like that, that's another debate to have, but I bet we'd have been down to 10 there if the boot was on the other foot as they'd have made the ref feel like he had a decision to make. As it was, the ref got away with not having to make a controversial call and I bet he was relieved.

Lovely passage of play leading to Vernams chance and that's an inch away from hitting the post and going in.

2nd half we had our best chance of the game (which I'm surprised no-one had mentioned yet) when Thomas did really well to turn the defender but failed to hit the target when he really should've scored.

Then Exeter got more and more into the game. We sat off and sat deeper, probably ran out of steam a bit in key areas and stopped playing football the way we were in the first half. Clifton and Rose worked their socks off but probably tired a bit after being first to everything in the first half.

I stopped following the ball when the foul for the pen happened but really good save from Macca. He's really got the hang of these penalties now hasn't he after what felt like years of not saving one  

Thought Cook took too long to get up to the pace of the game and failed to make it stick when it went up to his feet the first 3/4 times.
Good to see Akheem Rose get on and continue his development even if he barely had a touch.
7pts from 9 and 3 consecutive clean sheets definite signs of progress.

I thought a point a fair result.

I’d have taken a point before the start today and I’m very pleased with how it was won. I think both teams will be sat at home tomorrow thinking they might have won it. Exeter were quite good when they got forward and I definitely think if we’d scored first they would have had another gear to go up to get one back as they did seem to sit back off us at times today to let us ask the questions.

Special mention for Mitch Rose who was brilliant. Great penalty save from McKeown - who I noted was also keen to get it going again quickly whenever he caught it today which was a nice change.

We’ve played some nice stuff in the last couple of games and that’s helping me to start enjoying going to BP again. Looking forward fo Tuesday - let’s back it up with a win.

I'm quite excited about what we "could" be on the basis of today we look fitter, passed the ball better, and most importantly tried to make things happen rather than waiting for things to happen to us which was underlined by the performances of a number of Town players today. I can't understand where the new found confidence had come from maybe a couple of decent wins, an energetic youthful side coupled with 3 clean sheets might just be the difference.

Both sides eased into the game for the first 10 to 15 mins but then Town looked the more likely with great energy and a few good ideas, the move where Verman hit the post was really good and just underlines how much the passing has improved. I also thought  that in his approach play Wes was unlucky that the ball just didn't drop to him despite him being in the right place at the right time. I like Wes he reminds me of Amond (not as clinical though) in that he has some craft which we have been missing since Podge left.

It could be said that in the second half Exeter where the better team which I'd agree with as they pulled us about a fair bit and with better finishing should have killed the game but then it could be argued that Town dealt with another challenge and ticked the box, I'll plumb for the latter but I'm bias. Big shout out for Macca though as that was a really good penalty save. When MJ made the changes you can see the recent improvement has come from as removing the pace of Verman and creativity of Embeleton (he's a great prospect) arguably meant that we didn't have what we needed to snatch the game, though Cooke and Hess did OK to be fair.  

The lads,

Macca - Despite his slip after the kick off looked confident and the pen save was excellent.
Hendrie - A bit guilty of over playing but as he gets fitter he gets better
RHJ - Not his best day but did o.k. and I'm glad he's back
Whitmore - Best game for Town and looked really confident in possession, careful and brave.  
Collins - Looks like DC is back, the arm band suits him.
Rose - The footballer is coming out, I though he was excellent today, a real holding midfielder who "kept us shape".
Clifton - Did well worked hard, his energy is the difference in his natural position, needs his 1st goal
Embeleton - If we can sign this kid for the rest of the season we won't struggle, good today but offers much more and is always available and wants the ball.
Charlie - This kids pace excites me and scares the sh!t out of defenders, good today and felt for him when he hit the post, a good signing and potentially a good investment
Thomas - See above, the youngsters can learn from his guile, a goal or two will get him firing for sure.
JJ - Someone said on RH he looked lazy and disinterested i don't agree but he had a lot of possession and needs to do more with it, that said he's clearly a "confidence player" and had enough to back himself on a number of occasions which the optimist on me thinks will come good.    

One thing to note Town got more players into their box when attacking, this bodes well.

Anyway in summary a good and relatively entertaining 0 - 0, one where we got out of jail a few times? definitely! One that has me looking forward to and willing to do the 300 mile round trip on a Tuesday night? Yup without a doubt.

UTM!      

  
    

I think the confidence has come from a settled side and more importantly a settled defence with a right and left back.

Cannot get my head around the fact that Verman, Thomas and Embleton are subbed leaving Hooper still on!

For goodness sake don't pass the ball back to Macca from kick off again. Nearly cost us a goal.
He is a great shot stopper but needs to work on his kicking and patrolling of the penalty area.

UTM, roll on Tuesday!

For 0-0 draw, I thought it was an enjoyable game to watch. Town came out and as in the previous home game, showed they can actually play some nice pass and move football. Confidence looked very high and it's  just a shame we couldn't find a goal in that period.

Second half, Exeter were a better side and started to dominate play. Although it was disappointing the see our more creative players leaving the field, I think on balance it was probably the right thing to do. Overall, quite a few positives for Town to take from this.

Good team performance all round, but stand outs for me were a really good 90 min performance from Rose and the impressive Hendrie at LB.

0-0 games are normally pretty boring but this was a game that could just have easily have ended 3-3. Either side could’ve taken the game but I think they’ll feel more disappointed than us on account of the missed penalty and their current league position.

I thought that we played so well in the first half that it shocked them. They looked to be expecting an easy game and when they didn’t get it they didn’t seem to know what to do in the first 45 minutes.

They were always going to improve in the second half, and they did, but while we weren’t quite as slick as we had been we were at least resolute. I’m not sure it’s been called out, but three clean sheets in a row is a massive improvement on the defensive shambles we’d been for much of the early part of the season.

If we can sort the goal scoring side out, we’ll be ok.

I agree with marinerdazza, the two full backs made all the difference to me, Hendrie and Hall Johnson were everything you could ask for, defending when required and overlapping at every opportunity.
Thoroughly enjoyed it today and really looking forward to Tuesday

UTM

Certainly a lot better than what was produced against Oldham, Morecambe etc. We were clearly the better side in the first half but our lack of cutting edge and quality is still a big concern as we could easily have gone in behind when that shot just trickled past the post that I thought was going in. Vernam always looked the liveliest and most threatening of our players but his final ball needs to improve. He does get defences worried and going towards their own goal which is a sodding sight more than most of our attacking players do.

I agreed with Macca as MOM, the penalty save was really good and a vital moment in the game and nobody else contributed such a big helping hand.

Whitmore and Collins look to have built a decent partnership as the much coverted Stockley was largely irrelevant barring some ridiculous play acting. I thought their No. 44 was their best player. He had RHJ on the ropes in the 2nd half and that culminated in the penalty, 4-5 times he beat RHJ or got goal side of him.

Rose and Clifton both worked hard and we never looked like getting overrun or out battled in midfield as those two both put the graft in. I’m still not part of the Rose love in mind, he rarely effects games in an ostensibly positive manner, he looks quite clever and pretty with fancy flicks and sprayed passes but I’d question his overall effectiveness. Not questioning his work ethic but he can be a liability in possession and when he’s trying to win balls he’s got no chance of winning.

The side looks much more balanced now as barring Hendrie everyone appears to be playing in their best position and he’s doing a good job at LB I feel. It would be good to have a left footer down that side though. On 2-3 occasions we were bursting forward on that side and it needed someone to whip in a cross but both Hendrie and JJ always looks to cut back.

Thomas worked hard to little effect. Feel the ball needs to drop for him as he clearly has some quality on the ball and some guile.

The only genuine concern is our fitness levels. We looked absolutely knackered for the last half hour and our propensity to concede goals in the 2nd half can’t be coincidence. Is Jolley working them too hard in training and they’re knackered by matchday or is it not enough fitness training or are they simply using the wrong methods to keep them fit? Whatever it is it needs solving fast as other teams won’t miss the raft of chances Exeter did today and we’ll lose those matches more often than we pinch a point.

Quoted from Mariner_09

Certainly a lot better than what was produced against Oldham, Morecambe etc. We were clearly the better side in the first half but our lack of cutting edge and quality is still a big concern as we could easily have gone in behind when that shot just trickled past the post that I thought was going in. Vernam always looked the liveliest and most threatening of our players but his final ball needs to improve. He does get defences worried and going towards their own goal which is a sodding sight more than most of our attacking players do.

I agreed with Macca as MOM, the penalty save was really good and a vital moment in the game and nobody else contributed such a big helping hand.

Whitmore and Collins look to have built a decent partnership as the much coverted Stockley was largely irrelevant barring some ridiculous play acting. I thought their No. 44 was their best player. He had RHJ on the ropes in the 2nd half and that culminated in the penalty, 4-5 times he beat RHJ or got goal side of him.

Rose and Clifton both worked hard and we never looked like getting overrun or out battled in midfield as those two both put the graft in. I’m still not part of the Rose love in mind, he rarely effects games in an ostensibly positive manner, he looks quite clever and pretty with fancy flicks and sprayed passes but I’d question his overall effectiveness. Not questioning his work ethic but he can be a liability in possession and when he’s trying to win balls he’s got no chance of winning.

The side looks much more balanced now as barring Hendrie everyone appears to be playing in their best position and he’s doing a good job at LB I feel. It would be good to have a left footer down that side though. On 2-3 occasions we were bursting forward on that side and it needed someone to whip in a cross but both Hendrie and JJ always looks to cut back.

Thomas worked hard to little effect. Feel the ball needs to drop for him as he clearly has some quality on the ball and some guile.

The only genuine concern is our fitness levels. We looked absolutely knackered for the last half hour and our propensity to concede goals in the 2nd half can’t be coincidence. Is Jolley working them too hard in training and they’re knackered by matchday or is it not enough fitness training or are they simply using the wrong methods to keep them fit? Whatever it is it needs solving fast as other teams won’t miss the raft of chances Exeter did today and we’ll lose those matches more often than we pinch a point.

You're seriously questioning the Mitch Rose 'love-in'? Watch the game again and tell me when he lost possession yesterday because I can't remember it.