Monkhouse and Pearson in for Gowling and Arnold, both on the bench with Pittman, Venney and East.

I must've missed something, did Monkhouse do anything to earn his place back?

My god, he's been one of the main squad members, I dont think you can moan at Hurst for giving him a game

You could say the same about Pearson. If he was picking the team solely on merit then Gowling and Nsiala start. He's rewarding two great squad members in a game that's a celebration of the end of our time in non league. I'm amazed anobody is picking at his selection.

All about opinions I guess, Pearson I get.

But Arnold too has played all season and was arguably MOM on Sunday. We looked a different side without Monkhouse and I'd like to see us win.

Amazed Rodley? Surely not!  :P

C'mon Town. Get into them!

I think the team is fair, suprised at the ommission of marcus marshall but his chance is at the expense of the young venney and hurst giving an opportunity like that to a young player must think he really thinks venney has potential

I know its early to judge, but does anyone else think we look a little bit too relaxed

plain to see we havnt got alot of attacking options with this line up, no width at all resulting in isolating the front two.

We look like we've been on the pop for a few days. They'll sweat it out no worries

Attendances look abit crap. Understandable tho I mean it's not exactly a cheap day out.

can see halifax getting a goal soon at the minute, they definately want it more

Just drop the chuffing Monkhouse bashing. We have been promoted. The Monk was a valuable part of achieving promotion. If he was that bad he wouldn't have started 40-odd games for Bristol Rovers last season. Just drop it! Please! Why do you have to have a scapegoat? If you love the club as much as half as you make out you wouldn't behave like this. Get behind the team. Has the last fortnight taught you nothing?! ;D

Looks like a very expensive pre-season friendly so far. Pretty poor stuff.

Think bogle has been doing pretty well actually, getting all the attention from halifax's centrebacks

Quoted from WHYWONTYOULETMESIGNUP

can see halifax getting a goal soon at the minute, they definately want it more

Halifax players will giving it there all not for the Team but for themselves. They've been relegated so it gives the whole team a chance to put themselves in the shop window. So some of these players that haven't performed all seasons will look like world beaters today.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

what an awfully dreary spectacle

Very pre season feel to it. Zzz

We look so disintrested

Non event.

Give us a chance Hurst and get another attack minded player on the pitch.

Bet venney would be motivated if he got a chance

Yawn.
Terrible half.
Still last week was the important one.
Pity for the support mind.

Has anyone seen those hotels.com adverts with the guy in the red military uniform and the grey beard? Would link to it but I'm a Luddite and you've probably got better things to be doing than following a link to some third rate accommodation website. Ps. This does not constitute Monk bashing. I would never bash my Monk.

Looks like they left everything on the pitch last week. Rocket from Hurst and up it second half.

Just proves what a pointless competition it really is.
Just a money making scheme that doesn't even make much of it for anyone.
Major fail.

Pace is needed, Monkey isn't doing to bad a job, but he has no pace. Give Monkey another 15 minutes then bring someone with pace on.

I love this thread - classic Fishy behaviour.  All week we celebrate promotion and say that today doesn't matter - it's just a party to celebrate promotion.  The players (who have partied all week) put in an indifferent performance and we are back to moaning about the performance, the selection etc...

Roll on next season

Quoted from sonofmadeleymariner

We look so disintrested

players are playing to their ability, not their fault....the defenders are defending, cant expect the full backs to be flying down each flank to provide the width as well as defend, Clay is spoiling, Disley is being calm and cool, Nolan is probing but only having two players ahead of him doesnt give him much option...Bogle is showing and holding but has to come back each time as no width to spread it to.

Little pace with the ball, no width, not much movement.

Quoted from LondonMariner43

I love this thread - classic Fishy behaviour.  All week we celebrate promotion and say that today doesn't matter - it's just a party to celebrate promotion.  The players (who have partied all week) put in an indifferent performance and we are back to moaning about the performance, the selection etc...

Roll on next season

People are saying that a crap game is crap. Getting promoted doesn't rid you of your eyesight.

Exactly.
Atmosphere seems to low key,weres the drummer and Fish!!?

Quoted from Marinerz93

Pace is needed, Monkey isn't doing to bad a job, but he has no pace. Give Monkey another 15 minutes then bring someone with pace on.

You must be joking hehasn't benn anywhere near the run of play for about 40 minutes of the half

3 things different today Monkhouse (waste of a shirt on a big pitch like this), Pearson and formation-get Arnold on so we have 3 players to press there defenders as at the moment Bogle and Amond are wasting a lot of energy chasing down three defenders and not getting near the ball. Halifax are rubbish, thats why they got relegated so why are we looking no better than them. >:(

Back to half pace running and poor passing.

No width on the left flank again, Monkhouse gets his medal, now let's have Arnold on for some pace, maybe Venney on to put himself around in the spotlight??

Bogle showing well, but very little support from wings to go wide and centre for Amond.

Poor atmposphere here, poor half

Quoted from LondonMariner43

I love this thread - classic Fishy behaviour.  All week we celebrate promotion and say that today doesn't matter - it's just a party to celebrate promotion.  The players (who have partied all week) put in an indifferent performance and we are back to moaning about the performance, the selection etc...

Roll on next season

It doesnt matter but when it kicks off, your team, you get sucked in with the emotion.  

Simple - no wingers - 30 + year olds in midfield - strikers starved of real service. Halifax able to snuff us out. Therefore 0-0 so far.

Bogle has got him man beat all day

FFS

Sh!t 0-1 We can't lose to this shower surely. Got to end on a high - embarrassing

terrible defending there from Tait

urine poor defending

Quoted from Teestogreen

Simple - no wingers - 30 + year olds in midfield - strikers starved of real service. Halifax able to snuff us out. Therefore 0-0 so far.

Correction - 1-0 Halifax!

1-0 England for anyone interested.

Loosing 1-0 so what do we do hoooooof to you know who

They're a pub team FFS, two divisions below us Come on Town!

GET MONKY OFF FFS!!!

Their system is dominating ours and I don't think we've quite got the right players on the pitch. We need to change it. Arnold for Monkhouse ASAP, and more attacking intent.

Outplayed  and outsung so far playing like the team we have become accustomed to.

Best fans in the world!  :)

Too slow, lousy passing. Get Arnold on for Monkhouse now !!!

Arnold warming up, probably take Amond off or Bogle instead of his buddy

Sounds like most of our games since Xmas , lets hope he's not too stubborn to make the changes that we all know will win it for us

ooohhh....two (ish) wide men

Another sh!te performance just likethe last few league games and Braintree 1st leg. Thankfuck we didn't play like this last week.

FFS!!! He's got his blinkers on again, Clay for Arnold, 432 it is then

C,Mon Town!

I'm sorry but Monkhouse getting injured is the best thing that happened to our season.

If anything we are getting worse. Surprised he left Monkhouse on although Clay was playing poorly. We're not really in the game.

Just why? Monkhouse!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All I can say is I'm bloody glad Monkhouse wasn't fit to play last weekend!  
I'd really like to know what Hurst has got against width and balance.

Get JPP on for Monkhouse

We've approached this game completely wrong.

67 minutes too late wih that sub

Glad I didn't go today normal service has been resumed, league 2 clubs have nothing to fear.

Bit more effort and running now Monkhouse is off !!

Quoted from Grim74

Glad I didn't go today normal service has been resumed, league 2 clubs have nothing to fear.

ABUSE REMOVED

Not to get our knickers in a twist too much over it but it's frustrating when you think this could have been any easy win for us , I can understand him wanting to give players a run out who have taken part this season but I'd have rather have waited until we was a couple of goals up ;D

Get East on for Robertson

We'rd moving the ball better now, but its just like it has been all season, too late as halifax have shut up shop

Robertson, Monkhouse and Clay have all got to be released next year. Clay is utterly flipping dogshit in the middle

Pi$$ about with the team to fit his mate in, wait till we're losing then change it FFS!

Oh sh!t now the Yorkies are taking thepiss.

Haven't make a decent chance all game, really going to terrorise Div 2 defences

I hadn't realised Halifax had the worst defence in the conference.

Quoted from Ipswin

Haven't make a decent chance all game, really going to terrorise Div 2 defences

We have made 1 so dont exaggerate, Arnold had one saved when slid in by Toto  :P

Quoted from chaos33

I hadn't realised Halifax had the worst defence in the conference.

Yes but fortunately they haven't needed one this afternoon

Quoted from GtfcGarner

Robertson, Monkhouse and Clay have all got to be released next year. Clay is utterly flipping dogshit in the middle

I thought Clay did very well last week

I bet the moaners and Hurst haters are loving this - seem to have forgotten we won last week.  Players aren't gong to be a their peak mentally or physically today - Halifax bound to want this more

Quoted from sonofmadeleymariner

We'rd moving the ball better now, but its just like it has been all season, too late as halifax have shut up shop

We've just been promoted.

Hearts just aren't in it unfortunately, last week was too much excitement I think

After the Lord Mayor's show, what a poor showing - the fans have been robbed today - poor starting line up !

Well played to Halifax Town !!

ohhhh.....now it all makes sense....Ross Joyce the fourth official...no wonder we are losing

Interesting that most of the posters on this thread have hardly been seen all week.  Must really hate how we got promoted and Hurst is staying.

I'll roll my eyes if our players do that lay down and look really gutted thing at the end of the time, just smile and applause don't try and act like it really really meant something to them

Quoted from Freemoash88

intercourse off you deluded male masturbator

Why the abuse? free speach and opinions on here warrior boy come say it to my face or nomt at all warrior boy blundell hotel 18.30 for a little chat.

Oh well....League 2.   ;D

Shame we didn't get the double but the main aim was promotion and we got it.

Who's starting the Hurst out thread  ;D

Seriously get a fuckin grip

Tin pot cup anyway league 2 here we come.

Ah well, mainly dissapointed for the fans who've paid their money to go, I don't think we we're terrible, in some ways we were more composed than we were last week, just didn't have that aggression and extra stretch we had last week

Normal service resumed on the fishy.
Enjoyed the previous week.

Nothing till Monkey came off the pitch says it all, this is why people wanted Hurst sacked 4 games ago, he came accross a winninfg formula against 3 at ther back then changes it for the next game against 3 at ther back-plonker and if he gives that complete waste of a shirt Monkhouse a new contract he needs his head looking at. >:(

Quoted from Balthazar Bullitt

Who's starting the Hurst out thread  ;D

Seriously get a fuckin grip

I wouldnt say Hurst out but one or two of these players will not be good enough for the league

P*ss poor performance, oh well league 2

Regardless of if we've been promoted or not this is a final. Anyone who thinks it's acceptable to lose a final because we've been promoted is disillusioned. Both teams was utterly poor today but what a horrible taste from last week. I feel for the town fans that have gone down there to see what has failed us latter in the season with no pace in Monkhouse or Robertson which the latter couldn't stop falling over and Monkhouse looked like he wanted his zimmerframe. Bad end to a good season.

Ah well....not a good performance and maybe we didn't get the selection or tactics right today, but we won the one that mattered. Disappointing, but it means nothing really and a lot of players looked like they didn't really have anything left to give after last weeks heroic effort. Last week was what mattered. Season over. Hope we don't see too much anger and criticism today despite the disappointing performance.
UTM.

Know I will get intercourse on here but it was a dog excrement game deserving of a dog excrement trophy.
Should have gone out 1st round and saved a lot of people a lot of money.

How can you call it a tin pot cup? The trophy that Halifax town have just lifted looks absolutely amazing.

There was always the high possibility of an "After the Lord mayor's show" but that really was excrement and all caused by Hurst's urine poor set up and tactics. Do you think Hurst will ever ever learn that a team needs width and more importantly balance?
I flipping hope so. If not its going to be a long hard season in division 2.

Quoted from TAGG

Know I will get intercourse on here but it was a dog excrement game deserving of a dog excrement trophy.
Should have gone out 1st round and saved a lot of people a lot of money.

None football related :)

A game too far for Town, a game too far for Monkhouse in a competition most didn't want us to compete in. Fair play to Halifax, they lifted themselves from the disappointment of relegation and deserved the win. I hate to see us lose, especially to a side who let in so many goals last season but for me, the Town players just couldn't reproduce that intensity that they did last week. I thought we would be flat and we were. We have league football to look forward to, so..................................

Halifax snuffed us out - and we had no response. (particularly given the 2 divisions between the teams)

Poor effort really.

Having said that - Halifax's manager Jim Harvey was brilliant at Morecambe and was largely responsible for building the team, which took them in to the football league. Jim had to retire through ill health but Sammy McIlroy finished it off. Today, Halifax were the hungrier and better organised side in my view and deserved to win - well done.

No idea how much money we could have won for winning - but it is unfortunate that all of our wingers appear to have been unavailable today.

Very flat all round. Dont care, we're up

FFS folks, some of you need to get a grip. If anyone ahd asked at the start of the season that we would lose in the FA Trophy Final but win promotion we'd all have snapped their hands off. Well done Halifax, I hope it gives you a springboard to get back into the Conference and eventually the Football League......like us.

I think if you ever ask me about Andy Monkhouse, he'll always be fondly remembered by myself as the guy who won us promotion by being injured for the play offs.

Quite how he got on and stayed on for so long after the past 2 games of superb football from us is beyond me. Arnold & Marshall must be absolutely perplexed.


Goodbye Non League, hello football league.

Well if we are charitable perhaps the manager was giving a swan song to one or two or three players or maybe he just wanted to see who really should be released.

One thing is for sure, if Hurst wanted to win this game he would never have chosen this team for starters ..... would he?

Well i personally was a fan of Monkhouse and all this sh1te he is getting is unfair IMO.  :-/

Well done Halifax. Best team today by a mile, and perhaps their supporters deserve to enjoy their day in the sun given their recent history. Today wasn't fun to watch but try not to get too down fellow Mariners, enjoy the summer, we're in League 2 :-)

It's not as if we haven't seen performances like this , Braintree  Guiseley etc .  Big lads double up on our forwards no way through . Podge has been nullified for the past 4 or 5 games .  They had 3 shots , we had more  . Team selection is up to the manager but after getting the one we really wanted I suppose it was time for others to prove that they deserve another contract.    Time for a break , been a long hard season .

The lop sided nolan on the wing thing just doesnt work for me, he is best at centre mid pushing forward with clay or disley playing bit deeper.

Certainly not for league two, a couple of quality wingers needed so nolan can be at his best.

We did not have enough in the tank. Not quick or sharp enough going forward. As for their goal, a good strike but we had 3 chances to clear the ball properly. Oh well interesting times ahead, let's return in a positive mood with a few new additions to take us to the next level.

Feel sorry for the fans that travelled and Josh Venney, would of been nice to see him come on, Was clear Halifax wanted it more and town just coasted.

Looked liked this was Monkeys retirement game and shame East wasn't given a start, Taits been solid all season but think this weeks celebrations might of took it's toll!

Halifax won and are going down. Town lost and are going up. I have cursed this competition over the past few seasons as it has probably cost us promotion. If you have a run in this competition you get a fixture backlog in the league and that means playing loads of games in a short period of time. Wrexham beat us as well but they are still in this awful league.Everyone said they feared losing to Forest Green and then winning the Tinpot Trophy.
We are promoted and we will never (hopefully) play in the Tinpot Trophy again. One hundred hurrays!

Oh well, terrible performance, but like everybody else says, we won the one that matters. Thought it was a very tired performance  but didn't think Halifax were up to much either. I'm certain a performance like last week with a similar team selection we would have blown Halifax away. Congrats to the team who wanted it more.y

they've had 3 weeks to prepare for this watching vids and training not to mention quality rest.  We looked tired if i'm being honest, no urgency, and the amount of times the ball went back, when we had the chance to turn and run or make them defend.  That to me is mental tiredness.

Anyway sruff the FA Trophy we have the Capital One Cup, The FA Cup and the JPT Trophy to look forward too.

I'm still got 'We're on our way, on our way - to the Football League, we on our way' in my head so although it's a shame not to win, Halifax were tenacious and we were not at the races today, my mood is still VERY high and looking forward to August.

Gas fan. Should have done what we did, get beaten 2-0 by our nearest non league rivals Bath City in round 1. Crap until one week later when we won a league match. After 2 weeks everyone had forgotten it and we concentrated on league. Point is you are back in league, forget about the cup just as it seemed your players did! The worse part for you is that the fans and players and management don't seem very together which is amazing considering what you did last week and the direct opposite of us after last year. And that club spirit carried us through this season to promotion when we had some bad spells.

Pleased we are not in that tin pot league next year.. glad i didnt go today

Quoted from eadiee1973

Gas fan. Should have done what we did, get beaten 2-0 by our nearest non league rivals Bath City in round 1. Crap until one week later when we won a league match. After 2 weeks everyone had forgotten it and we concentrated on league. Point is you are back in league, forget about the cup just as it seemed your players did! The worse part for you is that the fans and players and management don't seem very together which is amazing considering what you did last week and the direct opposite of us after last year. And that club spirit carried us through this season to promotion when we had some bad spells.

The bit in bold would suggest you are talking balderdash my friend.

That game was like every Town match of the last 5 years where we've been unable to break down a team that parks the bus in front of goal. Still, that's it now. Teams don't play like that in league 2 and higher. Halifax fans deserve a trophy for having to put up with that rubbish every week.

Quoted from wigworld

That game was like every Town match of the last 5 years where we've been unable to break down a team that parks the bus in front of goal. Still, that's it now. Teams don't play like that in league 2 and higher. Halifax fans deserve a trophy for having to put up with that rubbish every week.

We need to move away from 4 - 4 - 2 which in league 2 we may be able to as not everyone will play 4 - 4 - 2.

Quoted from wigworld

That game was like every Town match of the last 5 years where we've been unable to break down a team that parks the bus in front of goal. Still, that's it now. Teams don't play like that in league 2 and higher. Halifax fans deserve a trophy for having to put up with that rubbish every week.

Teams play like that all through the leagues, in every division you have teams that recognise their strengths and weaknesses and set up accordingly, playing different formations and tactics home and away...yes you will have a number of teams who fear no one and play attacking open football , you will have a number of teams who plan accordingly for their opponents weaknesses and strengths and you will have a number of teams who outright set up not to lose.....
we need to be ready from the first whistle this season which is something Hurst hasnt managed in any season to date...that means he needs a full and balanced squad in during pre season, not waiting for the season to start to see whats left....not waiting for the loan window to see who becomes available but all his key players in place and all with a decent cover waiting in the wings....he also needs to work very hard on alternative methods of playing and have the balance of players to adapt during a game....
our first 6 game ambitions need to be to win them, not ... not to lose any of them.

I really can't be arsed. Watch this.

https://youtu.be/OWyqtjDeDyM

We lost this as soon as the team selection was made. The last 2 games we have achieved the results we wanted by playing a certain way. After these 2 wins I praised Hurst, thinking that he had realised the correct way to play his squad. I now realise I was wrong and that he only played the team that he did was because Monkhouse was injured. In the previous 2 games the formation of the 3 midfielders strengthened our defence and also gave Nolan more space to go forward and support our 2 attackers. Whenever the ball went out to the left wing the game stopped. A back pass normally followed and prevented movement . It may seem strange to some but playing a wide man like Monkhouse doesn, necessarily create space, in fact it stops movement. Look at the effect when Monkhouse was taken off but it was too late. For sentimentality he could have been on for the last 5 minutes if we were winning .I hope this was a one off and Hurst realises that at present he still has some way to go before he becomes a top class manager. O.k. he has ended the season with promotion and I congratulate him but can only hope that he looks back on this season and uses it as part of his apprenticeship on his way to becoming a top manager. A good manager learns by his mistakes.

Quoted from HertsGTFC

The bit in bold would suggest you are talking balderdash my friend.

Your forum, your view so I wouldn't disrespect your club by making an argument but having had a good day at Wembley last year talking to your fans have followed The New Fishy and your team this season and TBH a very large proportion of your posters do not and have not supported PH and his post FGR interview would seem to support that. Blimey, the bloke had just got you back into the league and he felt the need to say that! I just say what I have observed on here all season. Seems a good man, hope he does well next season. But I stand by what I said, everyone needs to get behind him and support because next season you will have a few bad runs just as we have this season. As I said, your forum and respect, good luck next season.

Quoted from eadiee1973

Your forum, your view so I wouldn't disrespect your club by making an argument but having had a good day at Wembley last year talking to your fans have followed The New Fishy and your team this season and TBH a very large proportion of your posters do not and have not supported PH and his post FGR interview would seem to support that. Blimey, the bloke had just got you back into the league and he felt the need to say that! I just say what I have observed on here all season. Seems a good man, hope he does well next season. But I stand by what I said, everyone needs to get behind him and support because next season you will have a few bad runs just as we have this season. As I said, your forum and respect, good luck next season.

You're right, we are a moaning bunch of w@nkers at times....think its partly due to the fact he is from South Yorkshire...never sits well with us here by the seaside....i guess if you imagined being managed by a Welshman.
But being English we all like a good moan rather than a good praise dont we so dont be too judgemental of our whinge @rsing on here.

Quoted from HertsGTFC

We need to move away from 4 - 4 - 2 which in league 2 we may be able to as not everyone will play 4 - 4 - 2.

442 only works if you play two wingers , We didn't yesterday

Quoted from grimps

442 only works if you play two wingers , We didn't yesterday

We didn't play 1!

Quoted from moosey_club

You're right, we are a moaning bunch of w@nkers at times....think its partly due to the fact he is from South Yorkshire...never sits well with us here by the seaside....i guess if you imagined being managed by a Welshman.
But being English we all like a good moan rather than a good praise dont we so dont be too judgemental of our whinge @rsing on here.

Plus most of us on here do change our minds a lot. ;D

Quoted from moosey_club

You're right, we are a moaning bunch of w@nkers at times....think its partly due to the fact he is from South Yorkshire...never sits well with us here by the seaside....i guess if you imagined being managed by a Welshman.
But being English we all like a good moan rather than a good praise dont we so dont be too judgemental of our whinge @rsing on here.

No I don't, and you're the same as us. We didn't think we should be where we were either but we were and we managed to get out of it but we still had our share of whingeing a***holes until we got out, luckily at first attempt. You should do well next season but my point was you will only do that if everyone gets behind PH without the guy dreading home games because of the fans. Anyway,good luck.

Quoted from eadiee1973

No I don't, and you're the same as us. We didn't think we should be where we were either but we were and we managed to get out of it but we still had our share of whingeing a***holes until we got out, luckily at first attempt. You should do well next season but my point was you will only do that if everyone gets behind PH without the guy dreading home games because of the fans. Anyway,good luck.

  O.K.  Paul,  have you finished the retained list yet  ?