It’s a worry

Didn’t deserve to lose in football terms. But it’s not the not deserving to lose that is the problem. It’s the lack of deserving to actually win games that is the issue.

The poor run is miserable, and feels a bit like last seasons hiding to nothing

Constant muting of things like fine margins. But we just never seem to be able to make those fine margins into positive fine margins. The team just doesn’t seem to be able to grind out a result

Where has that early season resolve gone, when to be honest we went behind in so many games and crawled back to victory

Mid table team at best at the moment

Unfortunately I have to agree with PN it is fine margins and all the other teams seem to have that margin. We really need a proper no 9 soon as lack of goals is making it very difficult.

Steve Evans with Paul Raynor anyone ?

Too many lazy or useless passengers. Massive overhaul required this month, there's no depth in this squad at all.

Halifax. flipping halifax. On 1800 gates. Stronger and fitter than us. Went better. We gifted them a penalty and 3 points. And never looked like getting back into it

Very very fed up

Quoted from Fillipe Noche

Steve Evans with Paul Raynor anyone ?

You are such a member

Its because we still shop in poundland  in the reduced to sell section .. Jason wont sack his buddy and hurst wont spend . We are all being and have been led up the garden path again.. We are truly non league pub team.. With nice scotch eggs

The owners are full of belief in Paul Hurst and I do like to see that

But I think it’s only natural to wonder just how much worse this has to get, before Jason and Andrew to the stage feel they have to wield the axe.

It is very interesting to watch

Quoted from Hagrid

Halifax. flipping halifax. On 1800 gates. Stronger and fitter than us. Went better. We gifted them a penalty and 3 points. And never looked like getting back into it

Very very fed up

And we aint won their since the 70's

Quoted from Hagrid

Halifax. flipping halifax. On 1800 gates. Stronger and fitter than us. Went better. We gifted them a penalty and 3 points. And never looked like getting back into it

Very very fed up

Agree. The biggest concern is that Hurst won’t get sacked. He should.

Not enough goals in this team..  can't knock the effort tonight but goals win games

Quoted from denni266

Its because we still shop in poundland  in the reduced to sell section .. Jason wont sack his buddy and hurst wont spend . We are all being and have been led up the garden path again.. We are truly non league pub team.. With nice scotch eggs

Isn’t Jason just supporting his manager?

Quoted from denni266

Its because we still shop in poundland  in the reduced to sell section .. Jason wont sack his buddy and hurst wont spend . We are all being and have been led up the garden path again.. We are truly non league pub team.. With nice scotch eggs

Yeah and Halifax spent a fortune on players.

It's about squad building and it doesn't happen overnight. All the teams doing well in this league, whether they have spent big money or not, took time to get to where they are and have all had their struggles.

Yeah I know, I'm a Hurst apologist and happy clapper.

It’s relegation form - to put it bluntly.

All the excrement performances, the appalling form,  the embarrassment of losing every week but the thing that worries me the most is the fact for all their wonderful work at the club, it doesn’t strike me that our owners have even the most remote plan to sack Hurst this season.

Hurst knows his job is absolutely safe and that’s completely unacceptable to me.

Gotta also say, i dont think joel grant touched the ball in the 14 mins he was on. Genuinely not one

Quoted from ginnywings

Yeah and Halifax spent a fortune on players.

It's about squad building and it doesn't happen overnight. All the teams doing well in this league, whether they have spent big money or not, took time to get to where they are and have all had their struggles.

Yeah I know, I'm a Hurst apologist and happy clapper.

Agree Ginny, not nice losing but we cant grumble if they show the effort, and like you, takes a few windows to get the right players in (some dont always come off).

Quoted from pontoonlew

All the excrement performances, the appalling form,  the embarrassment of losing every week but the thing that worries me the most is the fact for all their wonderful work at the club, it doesn’t strike me that our owners have even the most remote plan to sack Hurst this season.

Hurst knows his job is absolutely safe and that’s completely unacceptable to me.

Are you free to take over ?

Quoted from Madeleymariner

Unfortunately I have to agree with PN it is fine margins and all the other teams seem to have that margin. We really need a proper no 9 soon as lack of goals is making it very difficult.

We've needed one since July.

We are told there is money available to sign players but Hurst says we can’t take Hunt on loan again for remainder of season because Sheffield Wednesday want better loan terms. Explain please.

Quoted from pontoonlew

All the excrement performances, the appalling form,  the embarrassment of losing every week but the thing that worries me the most is the fact for all their wonderful work at the club, it doesn’t strike me that our owners have even the most remote plan to sack Hurst this season.

Hurst knows his job is absolutely safe and that’s completely unacceptable to me.

But they are not sh1t performances- that's the frustrating part.

Appalling form yes.

Quoted from ginnywings

Yeah and Halifax spent a fortune on players.

It's about squad building and it doesn't happen overnight. All the teams doing well in this league, whether they have spent big money or not, took time to get to where they are and have all had their struggles.

Yeah I know, I'm a Hurst apologist and happy clapper.

We know it doesn’t happen over night, we endured 7 years of Hurst squad building, and even then we limped to promotion (the final aside). In those years we never really troubled the title winners and I doubt we will again while he’s in charge. It’s nothing against Hurst, it’s the reality of his track record.

Quoted from HerveJosse

We are told there is money available to sign players but Hurst says we can’t take Hunt on loan again for remainder of season because Sheffield Wednesday want better loan terms. Explain please.

Put the knife away lol

Quoted from ginnywings

But they are not sh1t performances- that's the frustrating part.

Appalling form yes.

Ultimately games of football are won by scoring goals. Play as well as you like everywhere else on the pitch but if you can’t put the ball in the net then the performance isn’t good enough.

The difference between tonight and the display 3 months ago at Altrincham (pre red card) is alarming. We look very much like a side that's lost its last 47 (or whatever it is) away games.

Quoted from HerveJosse

We are told there is money available to sign players but Hurst says we can’t take Hunt on loan again for remainder of season because Sheffield Wednesday want better loan terms. Explain please.

I imagine Hunt is probably on a fair whack at Wednesday and we've probably only been paying a small contribution. They see that we want him so try their luck at making us pay something like 3x as much for him to do the same job for another few months. I'm with Hurst on not rolling over there.

11th January, lets see what rolls in over the next 3 weeks.

Quoted from chaos33

Are you free to take over ?

Do you believe 1 win in 11 is form that keeps your job safe?

Quoted from jamesgtfc

I imagine Hunt is probably on a fair whack at Wednesday and we've probably only been paying a small contribution. They see that we want him so try their luck at making us pay something like 3x as much for him to do the same job for another few months. I'm with Hurst on not rolling over there.

11th January, lets see what rolls in over the next 3 weeks.

I heard that bottom line last season when Hurst failed to bring in any players for the majority of January and when we did, the nails were already in the coffin.

Forgive me for not being all that confident this time round.

Quoted from pontoonlew

Do you believe 1 win in 11 is form that keeps your job safe?

It appears to me some on here are happy to lose every week ….. I’m not

Quoted from Mariner93er

We know it doesn’t happen over night, we endured 7 years of Hurst squad building, and even then we limped to promotion (the final aside). In those years we never really troubled the title winners and I doubt we will again while he’s in charge. It’s nothing against Hurst, it’s the reality of his track record.

I would counter by saying that was under the old regime.

I just keep asking myself what has happened since Hurst left last time. A series of increasingly sh1t managers and back into non league.

Changing managers has got us nowhere in the past.

Frustrating, i'm all for giving someone time but one win in eleven is just not good enough in any League

Let’s see how we get on this Saturday against a should be beatable team……UTM

Quoted from ginnywings

But they are not sh1t performances- that's the frustrating part.

Appalling form yes.

I haven’t seen the away games, have you? I don’t think we have played badly at home but, at all times, we have missed the striker that we were promised in August.

We have completely spunked away a great start, and let’s be honest, thank God we had it.

Quoted from pontoonlew

I heard that bottom line last season when Hurst failed to bring in any players for the majority of January and when we did, the nails were already in the coffin.

Forgive me for not being all that confident this time round.

We've been told by our owners that we don't want to turn the squad over every summer and our strategy for this window is longer-term permanent signings so I'm willing to see what comes through the door this month. If we only sign players on loan or short-term deals then I think questions need to be asked.

Halifax clearly did a better job of learning from last week. Although he had a poor game Sousa was tightly marked all game. Sadly the only time he showed his speed was when he ran off to be substituted.
Wright had no room afforded to him.
We defended well especially Pearson and Waterfall but going forward we created very little-their keeper made two saves in 93 minutes-simply not good enough. For what it's worth I doubt they'd have scored without a penalty.
The last 20 mins or so was the Polar Opposite of the home game. No pressing, no invention and no-one with a bit of skill capable of getting us back in it.

M62’s closed and we’ve been diverted. This gets better…


Crookes had his worst game in a Town Shirt also. Ball bounced off him, crossing passing poor. And he conceeded the pen

Think everybody was over come with the euphoria of getting rid of Fenty ,they could not distinguish the hype from substance,so far I cannot see the new owners living up to expectation a matter of presentation over substance,some of you need to wake up and smell the coffee.

Quoted from jamesgtfc

We've been told by our owners that we don't want to turn the squad over every summer and our strategy for this window is longer-term permanent signings so I'm willing to see what comes through the door this month. If we only sign players on loan or short-term deals then I think questions need to be asked.

I’m not sure I want Paul Hurst to have that responsibility given he’s built a squad who’ve won 1 game in 11 and have seemingly lost all the spirit we saw at the start of the season.

Quoted from jamesgtfc

I imagine Hunt is probably on a fair whack at Wednesday and we've probably only been paying a small contribution. They see that we want him so try their luck at making us pay something like 3x as much for him to do the same job for another few months. I'm with Hurst on not rolling over there.

11th January, lets see what rolls in over the next 3 weeks.

So your saying we shouldn’t pay  a salary for 3 and half moths in which we have 23 games .

Quoted from friskneymariner

Think everybody was over come with the euphoria of getting rid of Fenty ,they could not distinguish the hype from substance,so far I cannot see the new owners living up to expectation a matter of presentation over substance,some of you need to wake up and smell the coffee.

I’m wide awake. Football clubs thrive on results, our first dozen games showed that.

I’m also well aware that things need to be improved off the pitch. However, one win in eleven, seven straight away defeats and a shrinking squad together with continued support for a failing manager in the non league will not keep the turnstiles turning.

There seems to be a lack of on field ambition. It’s a results based business Mr Stockwood.

Quoted from barralad

Halifax clearly did a better job of learning from last week. Although he had a poor game Sousa was tightly marked all game. Sadly the only time he showed his speed was when he ran off to be substituted.
Wright had no room afforded to him.
We defended well especially Pearson and Waterfall but going forward we created very little-their keeper made two saves in 93 minutes-simply not good enough. For what it's worth I doubt they'd have scored without a penalty.
The last 20 mins or so was the Polar Opposite of the home game. No pressing, no invention and no-one with a bit of skill capable of getting us back in it.

Pretty much what I heard about the game. He used the same phrase as you- no invention.

We need some in this window.

Concerned that the owners from day one have been saying that it’s a project and didn’t seem to believe promotion was a necessity this season, that’s why I believe Hurst is safe this season but, it may also mean that there will be no massive spending this season, even though I would assume the attendances to date are above expectations. They do seem to be concentrating on off field projects more then the actual football side.

Promotion is the objective. Saying it’s a ‘necessity’ is unrealistic and unhelpful.

Quoted from HerveJosse

So your saying we shouldn’t pay  a salary for 3 and half moths in which we have 23 games .

Think he was saying we might be required to pay a higher % of his salary and for whatever reason a deal is not getting done despite us trying to sign him on a permanent deal. Hunt may not want to drop into non league and probably feels he has the ability to play at a higher level.

Was not a Hurst fan first time around and rarely attend away matches so not had to endure some of our poorer performances but whilst a couple of home matches have been mediocre mostly we have played well at BP and I have mostly enjoyed the way we have played even in the two defeats. I would refer back to a number of posts I have made over many a season and reiterate that once again we are not good or strong enough in midfield and of course as everyone knows we need a striker and I was concerned to hear PH discussing this after the Halifax game and implying that getting a striker in may mean changing how we play and might mean leaving Taylor out who had just had a good game. I rate Taylor but he just doesn’t score the number of goals we require from our main striker albeit I’m happy to get someone to play alongside him with McAtee playing just behind them.

Sat here as former strikers Matt and Rhys Oates are still making positive contributions for their respective teams and although Oates was only here for a short period were many of us upset when we didn’t try and retain Matt? Sometimes we fans aren’t the best judges of players.

Personally I would give Hurst this window to see if some of our weaknesses can be addressed but if we fail to make the playoffs would probably accept a need for change.

Quoted from HerveJosse

So your saying we shouldn’t pay  a salary for 3 and half moths in which we have 23 games .

No; I'm saying we shouldn't pay substantially more for him than what we've been paying to do the same job for another few months.

If you had 6 fence panels installed down one side of your garden for £500 and then decided you wanted the 6 panels replacing on the other side; would you pay £2000 for the exact same panels and posts?

Quoted from friskneymariner

Think everybody was over come with the euphoria of getting rid of Fenty ,they could not distinguish the hype from substance,so far I cannot see the new owners living up to expectation a matter of presentation over substance,some of you need to wake up and smell the coffee.

Right. And you need to learn about punctuation.

It is starting to feel that the football side of things do not matter to our glorious new owners. Its about time they got some round things and told Hurst to get it sorted and stop fluffing about or here is the door.. Never mind its ok son your safe so cary on  saving money and putting a pub team out , The fans are happy with there scotch eggs and over priced beer. There may be a decent gate for saturday as even we are expected to win this one .. Famous last words .. but drawor loose you can put the ticket office on part time as the fans will walk away as they have in the past

Quoted from Gaffer58

Concerned that the owners from day one have been saying that it’s a project and didn’t seem to believe promotion was a necessity this season, that’s why I believe Hurst is safe this season but, it may also mean that there will be no massive spending this season, even though I would assume the attendances to date are above expectations. They do seem to be concentrating on off field projects more then the actual football side.

Did you listen to Stockdale’s recent interview on RH? He firstly clarified that this year’s budget was based on an average home attendance of circa 4500 which surprised me a little I must admit but if our results continue to be indifferent for the remainder of the season this may prove fairly accurate. He also explained how the off field projects are being managed and how these will benefit player recruitment in the longer term. He also emphasised that the football side is left to PH and that financial support is there if required but it won’t be at levels being spent at Wrexham and Stockport. So yes they are more focused on off field matters but only because they currently trust PH on the football side which in normal circumstances would be more than an acceptable approach but when a team is losing fans will be critical of pretty much everything that is taking place at the club not least the introduction of costly scotch eggs!!!!

Quoted from jamesgtfc

No; I'm saying we shouldn't pay substantially more for him than what we've been paying to do the same job for another few months.

If you had 6 fence panels installed down one side of your garden for £500 and then decided you wanted the 6 panels replacing on the other side; would you pay £2000 for the exact same panels and posts?

If the alternative was having a hole in my garden where the fence should be then the answer would be yes

Quoted from jamesgtfc

No; I'm saying we shouldn't pay substantially more for him than what we've been paying to do the same job for another few months.

If you had 6 fence panels installed down one side of your garden for £500 and then decided you wanted the 6 panels replacing on the other side; would you pay £2000 for the exact same panels and posts?

If the alternative was having a hole in my garden where the fence should be then the answer would be yes

Quoted from denni266

It is starting to feel that the football side of things do not matter to our glorious new owners. Its about time they got some round things and told Hurst to get it sorted and stop fluffing about or here is the door.. Never mind its ok son your safe so cary on  saving money and putting a pub team out , The fans are happy with there scotch eggs and over priced beer. There may be a decent gate for saturday as even we are expected to win this one .. Famous last words .. but drawor loose you can put the ticket office on part time as the fans will walk away as they have in the past

Funny how many on here criticise Lincoln’s plastic fans and ask where were you when your team is crap but as soon as we hit a bad patch, albeit a very bad patch, our true and hardy fans will be walking away again. As I said in an earlier thread if you just attend home matches why would you stop going as we’ve hardly put in a bad performance and we even lost two home games on the bounce in 71/72 so even the best lose home matches some times.

Quoted from Meza

And we aint won their since the 70's

And if I remember correctly one was a Tuesday night and Hurst's first full game in charge and we were dicked 4-0.

Quoted from Hagrid

Halifax. flipping halifax. On 1800 gates. Stronger and fitter than us. Went better. We gifted them a penalty and 3 points. And never looked like getting back into it

Very very fed up

I was at the other end of the stand.... gifted them a penalty you say? Was it that bad?

All I could see from where I was, was their man going in to  the box and then going down under a challenge

To me this game was a bit like the one at Kiddy.... did we deserve to lose it? Not really. We should have had a draw but have come away once again with nothing

I don't feel unhappy with how they played tonight but going back to the OP, we don't have that spark to take us beyond what we're getting currently

Injuries to Efete and to McAtee as well so the squad is going to be a bit threadbare come Saturday if they don't recover

January is going to be a big month for us.... if we don't win our games at home then sad to say, we probably will just end up somewhere middle of the table

UTM

Very frustrating because I thought we edged it overall. We weren’t good enough in the final 3rd but tbh neither were they. The only thing they were better at was falling over.
Biggest frustration for me though was that we looked hesitant and indecisive whenever we got in their half and I reckon the same players, in the same situations, would have scored 2 or 3 in the first part of the season. So I am now quite concerned because we are not getting the results we should be getting, and it’s not bad luck, and it’s not fine margins, it’s poor execution and a complete lack of confidence.
Also worried about the injuries to McAtee and Efete.
Mcatee looked like he might have done a hammy which could be a few more weeks out. Hopefully it’s just a strain from not having played for a while.
Efete, dunno, but it’s not great timing with Sears having just left is it?

Efete's injury was a major loss. Crookes had a poor game but even playing well he isn't an attacking threat. So with him and Longe-King at full back and we had nothing there going forward. Thought we looked very leggy after going behind as well and wouldn't be surprised if McAtee is a concern for Saturday - constantly looked on the verge of pulling up towards the end.

Quoted from denni266

It is starting to feel that the football side of things do not matter to our glorious new owners. Its about time they got some round things and told Hurst to get it sorted and stop fluffing about or here is the door.. Never mind its ok son your safe so cary on  saving money and putting a pub team out , The fans are happy with there scotch eggs and over priced beer. There may be a decent gate for saturday as even we are expected to win this one .. Famous last words .. but drawor loose you can put the ticket office on part time as the fans will walk away as they have in the past

Have you ever contributed anything well written, positive, fair and balanced..ever?

Quoted from FishOutOfWater

I was at the other end of the stand.... gifted them a penalty you say? Was it that bad?

All I could see from where I was, was their man going in to  the box and then going down under a challenge

To me this game was a bit like the one at Kiddy.... did we deserve to lose it? Not really. We should have had a draw but have come away once again with nothing

I don't feel unhappy with how they played tonight but going back to the OP, we don't have that spark to take us beyond what we're getting currently

Injuries to Efete and to McAtee as well so the squad is going to be a bit threadbare come Saturday if they don't recover

January is going to be a big month for us.... if we don't win our games at home then sad to say, we probably will just end up somewhere middle of the table

UTM

For me it was gifted, he didnt need to make any challenge.

Quoted from Hagrid

M62’s closed and we’ve been diverted. This gets better…

I just made it through there as they were putting the cones down at Jct 26....

Only had to come back as far as Goole but after that defeat the sooner I got back the better

It’s interesting, I think most would agree that the starting eleven out there tonight was relatively strong for this league. The performance was ok in general, and the effort was there for all to see. Defensively, barring that tussle in the box which led to their penalty, I thought we looked alright against a side that is adept in getting in behind you.

To be fair, most of the above could be applied to any of the recent 1-0 defeats we’ve been arguably unlucky to lose, but lost we have, all the same.

This is the thing for me; I’m not convinced we’re going to bring in many or any players that are demonstrably better than the eleven that started tonight (though I’d love to be proved wrong).

But is that the issue? Halifax, as average as they looked for periods tonight, had a clear identity and plan going forward. They knew how to create space in attacking areas and get in behind our back line. They were unspectacular but very well drilled in that respect.

We on the other hand, look like we’re winging it, and not very well. We’re generally organised at the back but rudderless up top. And thinking back, this is a classic Hust / Doug combo isn’t it? Two defensive minds working in tandem. Solid defensively, but generally reliant on individual spark in an attacking sense. A spark that has disappeared given recent results.

We clearly need to reinforce given the number of outgoings, but I’m not sure the players are our biggest problem right now. Given the focus on infrastructure recently, do we not need to consider bringing someone into the coaching set-up who has a strong attacking pedigree?

Quoted from chaos33

Right. And you need to learn about punctuation.

If that is the only adverse comment you can make I'll take that.In reply you need to learn not to make pathetic irrelevant comments,just to give yourself an inflated sense of superiority.

Halifax fan here. Agree with a lot of what you were saying. The only thing I will say, is that we looked a lot more comfortable once we went 1-0 up. Completely different response after the goal from
Your lot compared to the first game between us. Honestly think you are one of the better sides we’ve played, Dagenham were the other team that impressed. Wrexham who beat us at shay weren’t half the team that you have been the last two games. Keep your heads up, a couple of wins and you will be back challenging.

Couldn't go tonight as I'm away working in the bottom end of nowhere in Cornwall but from what I heard on RH it jus sounded like most of our 1 - 0 defeats hinged on 1 pivotal moment.

Well done to all of those that made the trip on a Tuesday night, the team might be bang average eat the moment but the support sounded awesome on the radio.    

Looking forward to Saturday, I think ...... :-/

Thanks mate. There you go.

Quoted from friskneymariner

If that is the only adverse comment you can make I'll take that.In reply you need to learn not to make pathetic irrelevant comments,just to give yourself an inflated sense of superiority.

I could make other ‘adverse comments’ if you like. You’re obviously the authority on ‘pathetic, irrelevant comments’; it’s just that you make them without a basic grasp of literacy, which undermines your already weak position, but you crack on….

Quoted from AussieShaymen

Halifax fan here. Agree with a lot of what you were saying. The only thing I will say, is that we looked a lot more comfortable once we went 1-0 up. Completely different response after the goal from
Your lot compared to the first game between us. Honestly think you are one of the better sides we’ve played, Dagenham were the other team that impressed. Wrexham who beat us at shay weren’t half the team that you have been the last two games. Keep your heads up, a couple of wins and you will be back challenging.

I'm not going to grumble about the outcome tonight

Funny after all those tussles at Blundell Park that you won this one on a penalty though and  despite our appeals, we never got a sniff of one. That's football I guess

After you'd scored I did hope we might have been able to end the game with a flourish but we just didn't move up a gear

Over the two games I've seen your team play, you seem to have a solid workman-like ethic and against us you've managed to grind out a good four points

Not sure if you'll stay top but who knows in this league.... I expect you will definitely make the play-offs though. Hopefully so will we and then anything can happen ( and probably will - I watched a fair few of them last season and teams that were expected to win flattered to deceive)

Anyway good luck trying to win promotion.... your lads can't afford to take their foot off the gas though if you want to hold on to that N° 1 spot

Halifax simply better on the night, on the pitch and in the dugout. Far fitter than us & we were blowing from about 60mins.

We started well enough but didn’t create anything clear cut bar one which JMD missed. As Barra said, Sousa was well marked but that’s done easy enough with the service he received - absolute píss all night from Crookes & the middle two. Slow, telegraphed balls, delayed until he had someone up his arśe, or floated aimlessly over the top to chase. No wonder he was completely spent in the second half. That’s where Hunt makes a different - spots a pass & shifts the ball before defenders have a chance to set up. Fox & Clifton nowhere near that level with the ball.

Efete going off killed us as an attacking force really. Longe-King did well but he’s obviously not an attacking full back and doesn’t have the energy that Efete offers. Also meant options off the bench were further limited which cost us, as we could’ve done with a change in that front 3/4 from the hour mark.

A combination of tired legs, poor passing and a more defensive back 4 meant the game got stretched, we were never able to hold it in their defensive third & were on the back foot for a period before the goal. They looked more assured and composed in the middle of the park without really knocking it around much.

After the goal we had nothing - literally in the case of Grant who was completely anonymous. The only thing their no.6 could do was head the ball, so they were happy to let us have it across the back 4 & invite long balls onto his head. Without a creative spark in the middle we were very limited going forward.

Waterfall, Pearson and Crocombe very unlucky to be on the losing side today - 2 centre halves immense and Crocombe with two great saves, one just before the goal (annoyingly), the other stopping a tap in from about 5 yards.

Fine margins & all that but Hurst has the air of a man who isn’t worried about losing his job, and lacks the ambition to really push for the playoffs this year. Not good enough in my book.

Thought we deserved something from what was a tight game, nothing really in it either way and it’s just typical of us to find a way to lose it - that being said, I don’t think we’d have scored in a month of Sundays.

The team is full of decent, honest hardworking players and I pretty much like them all but for me, the lack of quality going forward is telling, especially in the wide areas.

I think the most frustrating part is that we are nearly a very good side but just lacking that cutting edge at the moment, I really hope PH can pull 2/3 serious signings out of the that make the difference.

UTM

Quoted from GhostDan

Thought we deserved something from what was a tight game, nothing really in it either way and it’s just typical of us to find a way to lose it - that being said, I don’t think we’d have scored in a month of Sundays.

The team is full of decent, honest hardworking players and I pretty much like them all but for me, the lack of quality going forward is telling, especially in the wide areas.

I think the most frustrating part is that we are nearly a very good side but just lacking that cutting edge at the moment, I really hope PH can pull 2/3 serious signings out of the that make the difference.

UTM

Sounds like there is going to be some transfer news in the next couple of days. You need to listen right to the end of the report to find out though

https://twitter.com/_elliottjackson/status/1481035682000867330?s=21

Little to add to Poojah and Ska's comments apart from the failure of McAtee to signal to the bench that he was struggling. Sousa should have stayed on if not injured.
Crookes has a terrible touch and is clueless in attack. That fact and McAtee's injury limits Sousa's game. Maguire Drew needs a ball to feet and a bit of space but our passing was poor again. Without a balanced midfield the attackers are hamstrung in more ways than one. The breaks are not going for us at the moment on the pitch, or on Paul's phone apparently.

Quoted from FishOutOfWater

Sounds like there is going to be some transfer news in the next couple of days. You need to listen right to the end of the report to find out though

https://twitter.com/_elliottjackson/status/1481035682000867330?s=21

someone with a 4 month contract and a loanee doesn't really marry up with 1878's wish to get a settled squad on long term contracts does it?
got a horrible feeling we are heading for a season of mid table mediocrity

ps thanks for the contributions of those who actually went.As is usual they are far more balanced and illuminating than those who didn't go but who can immediately analyse the game

That was certainly a tough result to take. Don’t think anyone who was there tonight could say we definitively deserved to lose the game.

Sadly, however, it is a familiar tale in terms of how we found a way to lose. Lack of creativity in midfield was really evident, didn’t look quite as fit, organised, or well drilled as Halifax. Who, in my opinion at least, didn’t really look like a top side. Moreso perhaps a ‘top of national league’ side based on the qualities mentioned.

Crookes had a bit of a mare in general then add the penalty to that and we were subsequently managed out of the game really easily once 1 down.

Positives on the night?
Can’t really fault the effort of the players, fox was much improved on recent performances, waterfall and Pearson looked solid enough, DLK did a decent enough job when he came on, Clifton worked tirelessly but without real direction and for little reward. Taylor put himself about as usual and showed good touches.

Definitely some changes required in terms of personnel in the match day squads. Much more required from the bench. Joel grant was completely anonymous, Scannell not even an option. Plenty to improve upon.

Will we see what we want as fans during this window? Probably not - On account of what I perceive as a lack of urgency from hurst and Doig due to the lack of pressure from above but also due to uncontrollable poor circumstances in the transfer market itself.

Difficult to predict where we will end up come May, but I’ll be around to enjoy & agonise over every result until then.

Quoted from Gaffer58

Concerned that the owners from day one have been saying that it’s a project and didn’t seem to believe promotion was a necessity this season, that’s why I believe Hurst is safe this season but, it may also mean that there will be no massive spending this season, even though I would assume the attendances to date are above expectations. They do seem to be concentrating on off field projects more then the actual football side.

What projects. Revamp the board room, glass screens, sprinklers, getting rid of the core staff at the club. Some are blinded by Bull Sht.

Professional investors!!! Go on then. This was the season to bounce back and it’s being thrown away.

Think we need a change, Got that feeling back of
“Who are we losing to this week”
As someone said it’s Starting to feel like last season

Quoted from chaos33

Have you ever contributed anything well written, positive, fair and balanced..ever?

Dont like the truith do you  eh ?

Played well, nobody probably deserved to win. Gave away a stupid penalty. We lost. The end.

Quoted from denni266

Dont like the truith do you  eh ?

I don’t like losing games. Nobody does. The idea that you have any sort of purpose revealing ‘the truth’ to folk on here, is absurd.

Thought we played well in most PARTS but we lack pace to get in behind teams & also clinical finisher who can win us a tight game , plus points waterfall & pearson immense didn't deserve to be on losing side , love harrys workrate but at some point his passing must improve , crookes had a poor night culminating in a stupid penalty , we need 4 new faces asap !p.s please sign hunt

For all that we’re supposed ‘to be building a squad’, we’re down to the bare bones in defence and midfield and still haven’t found our goal threat promised in August.

We’re also told that having a kit man and a new chef will make us more attractive to players coming to the club. Don’t other clubs have a kit man and a chef? We’re still (hate to agree with Fenty) not ideally placed geographically and that’s one thing the owners can’t do anything about.

Fair assessment to say we look like a mid table side I guess. We are 10th. Scary thought what it’s going to take to get us out of this league though because I actually think we have some pretty good players and a good side. Which for the first time makes me wonder whether it’s the manager - is he getting the most out of them?

Quoted from FishOutOfWater

I just made it through there as they were putting the cones down at Jct 26....

Only had to come back as far as Goole but after that defeat the sooner I got back the better

Lucky you!..hit a pot hole coming out of Halifax, split my alloy, git to hartsead moor services, wheel nuts had been overtightened, had to call the AA and got back in my bed (in Hull) at 2.15am!..what a f@cking night!!..

Quoted from ska face

Fine margins & all that but Hurst has the air of a man who isn’t worried about losing his job, and lacks the ambition to really push for the playoffs this year. Not good enough in my book.

This is why he took the job on.  He knows full well that he’s got 3 or 4 years here, he’s loving this ‘long term project’ nonsense, it’s almost like he’s already given up on the season already.  

Shouldn’t have been allowed to carry on after he failed last season, anything less than the play offs this season and he’s failed again, needs to go.

Halifax(me) fans thoughts on your players. Pearson and Waterfall are very good for this level, getting on a bit but still excellent for this level. Thought your left back was a bit excrement. The pony tailed lad in midfield is similar to our two midfielders, a very good player. Also thought Taylor has been a menace in the two games against us. Does a lot of leg work up top. Thought Sousa and Maguire Drew are typical for this level, can win you a match one week, anonymous the next.  Was expecting more from Mcatee can tell he is a good player, but tonight seemed like he was snatching at trying to make things happen for you, instead of seeing what the game was offering to him.

Think our manager could do wonders with your team. Honestly think managers make a lot of difference this league, not necessarily money. Think Parkinson is excrement for Wrexham and look at  Stockport under Challinor now, instead of Rusk. Luke Garrard at Borehamwood is another one. Anyway again best of luck for rest of season.

Quoted from AussieShaymen

Halifax(me) fans thoughts on your players. Pearson and Waterfall are very good for this level, getting on a bit but still excellent for this level. Thought your left back was a bit excrement. The pony tailed lad in midfield is similar to our two midfielders, a very good player. Also thought Taylor has been a menace in the two games against us. Does a lot of leg work up top. Thought Sousa and Maguire Drew are typical for this level, can win you a match one week, anonymous the next.  Was expecting more from Mcatee can tell he is a good player, but tonight seemed like he was snatching at trying to make things happen for you, instead of seeing what the game was offering to him.

Think our manager could do wonders with your team. Honestly think managers make a lot of difference this league, not necessarily money. Think Parkinson is excrement for Wrexham and look at  Stockport under Challinor now, instead of Rusk. Luke Garrard at Borehamwood is another one. Anyway again best of luck for rest of season.

Thanks for that, though it’s no great comfort as I don’t see us appointing a new manager anytime soon.

I must try one of these scotch eggs,
Probably the only good reason to go to Blundell Park these days. We are now the laughing stock of this division.
I used to be proud of Grimsby Town in 1990s.
Then 20 odd years with Fenty taking us down the plug hole.
TWICE!
A beacon of light when the new owners took over and improvements made. However they have settled for a negative, inept, boring, proven to be useless manager and as a result we look set to be getting dangerously close to another plug hole. Don’t anyone think it cannot happen- just look where York City are right now!
Please Stockwood and Petite get rid of Hurst NOW!
These football players are good enough if they have a manager who can inspire, coach and believe in themselves.
And Get a Striker!

Quoted from AussieShaymen

Halifax(me) fans thoughts on your players. Pearson and Waterfall are very good for this level, getting on a bit but still excellent for this level. Thought your left back was a bit excrement. The pony tailed lad in midfield is similar to our two midfielders, a very good player. Also thought Taylor has been a menace in the two games against us. Does a lot of leg work up top. Thought Sousa and Maguire Drew are typical for this level, can win you a match one week, anonymous the next.  Was expecting more from Mcatee can tell he is a good player, but tonight seemed like he was snatching at trying to make things happen for you, instead of seeing what the game was offering to him.

Think our manager could do wonders with your team. Honestly think managers make a lot of difference this league, not necessarily money. Think Parkinson is excrement for Wrexham and look at  Stockport under Challinor now, instead of Rusk. Luke Garrard at Borehamwood is another one. Anyway again best of luck for rest of season.

Really good post which makes a lot of sense.

I think it's obvious that the manager is the most important person at a football club. Basically you can list the clubs and their revenues, press data/sort and that's where you finish. The manager is the person that determines whether you punch above or below your weight. He generally picks the players, motivates and organises them
Challinor is a good example in this league but he's a nasty man. From what I've read the bloke at Boring Wood is loathsome, and in days of old both Cowley and Evans were undesirable
Think Ian Evatt might be an exception but think we need to get a bit more nasty and horrible.

Probably against my better judgement but I'm going to keep quiet and give it 7-8 more games before I start to slip towards the 'Hurst out' brigade.
I've only managed to watch 3-4 games and each time I've enjoyed the games and believed the players are trying.

Quoted from chaos33

I could make other ‘adverse comments’ if you like. You’re obviously the authority on ‘pathetic, irrelevant comments’; it’s just that you make them without a basic grasp of literacy, which undermines your already weak position, but you crack on….

I refuse to get into a battle of wits with someone who is obviously unarmed.

What was Efete’s injury? Muscular I presume?

Quoted from friskneymariner

I refuse to get into a battle of wits with someone who is obviously unarmed.

That’s not the reason you won’t get into it. 😉

Quoted from Knut Anders Fosters Voles

What was Efete’s injury? Muscular I presume?

Looked that way, he went down off the ball as Clifton felled one of their players for a free-kick as they were breaking.

Quoted from Poojah

Looked that way, he went down off the ball as Clifton felled one of their players for a free-kick as they were breaking.

Cheers. Fingers crossed it was not serious.

Hamstring according to Hurst.

Looked like he did it about 25 mins in, in front of the away fans, as appeared to pull up slightly after chasing one over his head.

Quoted from Northbank Mariner

Lucky you!..hit a pot hole coming out of Halifax, split my alloy, git to hartsead moor services, wheel nuts had been overtightened, had to call the AA and got back in my bed (in Hull) at 2.15am!..what a f@cking night!!..

Sorry to hear that NBM

Adding insult to injury

In the cold light of day and when push comes to shove, your car experience almost mirrors the game

We were tootling along but then one bump and the wheels came off

Good to hear you eventually made it back although not really a consolation after a totally disappointing night around and about the M62

Quoted from Northbank Mariner

Lucky you!..hit a pot hole coming out of Halifax, split my alloy, git to hartsead moor services, wheel nuts had been overtightened, had to call the AA and got back in my bed (in Hull) at 2.15am!..what a f@cking night!!..

Very sorry to hear that. I can’t even begin to imagine how devastating it must be, to wake up and realise you’re in Hull…

It just goes to show how close the margins can be.

Other than a handful of away performances (from what I've read), we've been right in pretty much every game this season.

At the start of the season, we were pulling the rabbit out of the hat pretty much every game, turning draws into wins and looking a really good team. Unfortunately, the disruption following McAtee's injury (and Bapaga's loss of form) saw performances dip a bit and we've developed the unfortunate habit of turning draws into defeats. This was true against Notts County and Chesterfield at home and numerous clubs away from home. The results at the start of the season were probably a bit better than we deserved based on some of the performances (though some of the wins were excellent) and there is no doubt that the results during the bad run are definitely worse than the performances deserve.

I know Hurst likes to work with a smaller squad, but I think the stop-start way the season has progressed due to the pandemic with players coming in and out of the team with illness, isolation and injury means this was too much of a gamble. Truth be told, getting enough of the right strikers in was always the problem with Hurst and we were often starting the season a player short up top. Not a coincidence that our best outcome came when we started the season with Amond and Bogle, even though Bogle blew very hot and cold that season.

Quoted from chaos33

Right. And you need to learn about punctuation.

That's a battle you won't win !

Quoted from chaos33

That’s not the reason you won’t get into it. 😉

Quite right,one of my ex-bosses advised me never to get into arguments with stupid people,they have far more time than you and have years of practice,think I will take his advice..

Quoted from Poojah

Very sorry to hear that. I can’t even begin to imagine how devastating it must be, to wake up and realise you’re in Hull…

If it wasn't the fact my Mrs is as fit as f@ck, yep I'm punching well above my weight btw, I'd not be back on the right side of the river in a flash, believe me...plus, they so great patties over here, every cloud n all that..

Quoted from Northbank Mariner

If it wasn't the fact my Mrs is as fit as f@ck, yep I'm punching well above my weight btw, I'd not be back on the right side of the river in a flash, believe me...plus, they so great patties over here, every cloud n all that..

To paraphrase Arsene Wenger, "Everyone thinks they have the prettiest patties at home".

Quoted from Knut Anders Fosters Voles

To paraphrase Arsene Wenger, "Everyone thinks they have the prettiest patties at home".

Not everyone

😕😕😉