Just Back on the Bus

Back home and, the first 30 mins or so apart, enjoyed the day.
Thought Hess played really well and now really growing into the team. Can’t comment on sending off other than from my far away spot it looked like he was fouled first (?). I think we will miss his experience and calmness

The team showed great spirit and 2nd half were by far the better team. Northampton fans a really strange bunch, got lots of abuse from grown men as I headed back to the car, despite being well into my sixties!

We are a fair bit short of a top 7 side but I maintain organisation and spirit can take you a long way at this level and we are looking better than a few months ago, even scoring 2 in a game away from home!

Looking forward to Tranmere on Tuesday and hope those that can attend do so in good voice

Quoted from Cloudy

Back home and, the first 30 mins or so apart, enjoyed the day.
Thought Hess played really well and now really growing into the team. Can’t comment on sending off other than from my far away spot it looked like he was fouled first (?). I think we will miss his experience and calmness

The team showed great spirit and 2nd half were by far the better team. Northampton fans a really strange bunch, got lots of abuse from grown men as I headed back to the car, despite being well into my sixties!

We are a fair bit short of a top 7 side but I maintain organisation and spirit can take you a long way at this level and we are looking better than a few months ago, even scoring 2 in a game away from home!

Looking forward to Tranmere on Tuesday and hope those that can attend do so in good voice

No problems as I skipped back to the car. They all seemed a bit deflated!  Having learned my lesson, I try not to engage with anyone AFTER the game. Listened to
the pundits on Radio Northampton as I drove back and their chat with their manager. You would have thought we had thrashed them 5-0. Unprompted, he said that some players who could not adapt would be replaced in Jan. He over criticised and under praised. His players, in their interviews, were more professional. From what I saw we made them look better than they are perhaps, but if they can replicate the intensity of the first half hour they  won't need to change personnel too much.
Thought A Rose would have been  the first sub. Shame about the header but he timed his run well.

Having seen the highlights Collins sending off was nowhere near as clear cut as it seemed live.

I couldn't make today but how did the infamous Mr Kettle do?

Quoted from barralad

Having seen the highlights Collins sending off was nowhere near as clear cut as it seemed live.

Yes, when Collins slides in for the ball their player is behind him and if Collins gets anything on the ball surely no pen. Given by the lino? After the injustices of last week, it seems a little galling that we were given little benefit of the doubt here. More pressure from opposition players again although, apart from holding Cardwell several times in the box (not seen by the other lino) they were one of the cleaner sides.

Thought Barra and big dog got it largely right. Great support as usual. Mckeown made 2 great saves BUT his failure to command his 6 yard area cost us dearly in the first ten. Personally I thought Hendrie had a v poor game compared to what I've seen before.fox on the other hand is spirit personified.hes never going to go own in the annals of great gtfc left backs but you cant fault his committment. Best I've seen Pringle play, he's quality.
Collins sending off may prove to be a blessing in disguise coz I thought he was awful, an accident waiting to happen. Some good football played at times and great resilience to see the game out as it was v easy to see us being on the end of a d1cking at one stage.
Few old timers mentioned parallels with the early development of buckleys squad.
Heres hoping

First half we were poor and couldn't cope with their pressure and hoof balls.

Second half at times I thought we were outstanding.

That was a good point and a fair result considering how poor we where before Verman's well worked and well taken goal and we actually started to play some football.

Their first should have been dealt with and it was hard to believe that they had so many unmarked player in our box so early in a game, In the next 30 minutes we struggled to win and keep the ball and didn't have any real phases of passing but the one time we did we scored a decent goal and nearly got a second a few minutes later. The other highlight in the first half was another top class save from Macca I know I'm bias but I don't think there is a better keeper in L2.  

When we came out we where the better side, credit to MJ he adjusted things a bit with Embelton moving in behind Thomas and Verman moving a bit wider. This made sure we passed the ball better which enabled us to to move out wide and actually get some real traction with the impressive Pringle making a difference whilst linking up with Foxy, who will be a big loss if he leaves in Jan. Though he's not the quickest now he's getting fitter Ben Pringle looks like a really good addition.  

Their 2nd was a really good strike by Van Veen but the grit and determination we showed to get back into the game carried us through to level again which Cardwell took well and followed it with a celebration to match. On another thread I posted that I thought it was the wrong change to bring Cardwell on ahead of Rose but I was delighted to be proved wrong.

After that Rose A might have snatched it but he just got under his header a bit and it went over. Looking at the Collins sending off we need to appeal that as their player did a job on him however I think it possibly exposed his lack of mobility and aged legs maybe giving Whitmore and Davis a run might be worth looking at as they will both be with is next season.

So a well earned and hard fought point against a decent outfit from a Town side that look like they are improving each week. If we can just get a bit more urgency in attack and resist the temptation to move the ball backwards in good positions.that should help us move away from the threat of relegation.

I can see what Jolley is doing and true to his word he's putting faith in young players and it was great to see two of them repaying him with goals today. At the moment this side is a massive work in progress but days like today should give us real optimism.

Well done Town,,,,,, UTM!      

Good Post Herts
Lot more positives today
A result (Win) against a high flying scoucers on Tuesday will start to show light at the end of the tunnel
Well Done Today Town!

Not too much to add to some good posts already on this thread.

Enjoyable game after a difficult-to-watch first half hour. MJ moved Embleton central and Vernam out wide at around the half-hour point and although it sometimes left Thomas a bit isolated, it meant we could build possession and progress up the pitch a bit more comfortably.

Second half we were well on top at times and moved the ball around quite well and had some spells of sustained pressure which I don't often see us do (pinning them in their half and forcing plenty of corners in a short time).

A lot of good play down our left with Fox and Pringle linking up well. Pringle's never going to fly past full-backs - more of a Kingsley Black type with good delivery and sensible use of the ball.

The player I was most impressed with today though was Hessenthaler. Thought he was really good in the middle, particularly second half. Composed, gave himself a lot of time on the ball at times, and 2 or 3 times he turned away from pressure from 2 players brilliantly to get us going forward.

Thomas got nothing from the referee despite being pushed and shoved about for most of the game.
Davis was good, much happier seeing him at centre-back than having to play right-back.

Delighted for Cardwell getting his first goal. I don't expect them to be regular starters yet, but how much more confident are Cardwell and A.Rose going to be when coming off the bench now they've both notched their first goal.

All in all a good point, and a well-deserved point.