Just Back

Came back on the bus after the game and it was all kicking off on the High Street, police jumping out of vans all over the place.

Unless the main stand gave him some excrement then I think its the first time Challinor has been back and not had abuse.

Seen a few mention it but Quigley doesn't come off for a defender if they've got ten men does he?  I get what you're saying but Quigley went off at HT after we had a chance for a teamtalk and a reset.

For what it's worth, I thought Waterfall won the ball in that challenge. The chance came from a really poor backpass though. During a spell when we looked like we were trying to shoot ourselves in the foot.

Not much I can add to the posts above other than I thought our lads held their nerve really well today and applied themselves to the task in the 2nd half.

I think Challinor overthought it with their change at half time as even with 10 men before the break they looked in control and like they could find another gear.

I know we’ll quite rightly talk about the scorers but mentions need to go to Smith & Amos, relatively young and inexperienced up against some of the best players they’ll face at this level.

I’d expect a couple of changes for Monday one being Cropper back in if fit as his long throw might come in handy against the 11 they’ll put behind the ball.

Beating the leaders 2-1 is catching today. Derby were a goal down at HT tonight to Fulham.  Derby won 2-1 with 2 second half goals, which delayed Fulham’s Promotion party.

Good Friday? That was fúcking brilliant.

Some unusually unanimous views on here tonight, and I can’t disagree with the common theme. Aside from the first 5 minutes when we started brightly but without much real threat, they looked such a good side for this level in the first half. I’m struggling to think of a better side I’ve seen in seven seasons of non-league football; maybe Jamie Vardy’s Fleetwood but either way they’re special for this level.

Clearly, much of that is the product of a wage bill probably 2 or 3 x ours, but credit where it’s due after their early season inconsistency under Simon Rusk, they’ve clearly developed an understanding and way of playing that works wonders for them. The movement, the high press, those angled dinks - we were just powerless against it at times.

That said, whilst the pressure they applied was no doubt a major contributing factor, I thought we were poor ourselves in the first period. The basics just weren’t good enough, and way too often we settled with an aimless ball forward which just kept coming back at us.

Half an hour in I saw no way back for us, and I was already readying myself for an afternoon of trolling from the impressive Stockport support. Around that time I text a mate to say we would need a miracle to get anything out of the game, and then not one but two arrived in the form of a couple of massive Stockport brain farts.

The first was Sarcevic’s red card. I saw it first-hand and again in the bar at half-time and it looked to me to be high and reckless. I’d want to see it again, but regardless of that, given how comfortable they were in the game at that point it just struck me as a totally unnecessary challenge to make in that area of the pitch.

Still, in the remaining 10 minutes of the first half they continued to look the superior team, and we continued to look terrified of them. I felt getting to half-time was important if we stood any chance of getting something out of the game. And then came Stockport brain fart #2.

Returning to my seat after a half-time pint, I couldn’t believe they’d taken Quigley off and replaced him with a defender. The collective reaction around me was one of “fúcking hell, they’re going to sit back and let us have a go”. It just seemed so patently obvious that that was absolutely the last thing they should have been doing, certainly at half-time. That was a terminal decision for them, and the rest is history. They were utterly docile from there on in, and it gave us the confidence to get our tails up.

As much as they handed the game to us on a plate, it still needed winning and I thought the players took to the task brilliantly second half. We were well worthy of the two goals we needed and not once looked like conceding. By the end the atmosphere, which was understandably flat in the first 45 minutes was absolutely bouncing - as others have said almost as good as it’s been in a long, long time. Suffice to say I have a very sore throat this evening. Marvellous scenes.

Most of all though, that’s a massive result. Boreham Wood look out of the running now, leaving our only real challengers for 7th spot Dagenham at arms length 4 points behind, albeit now with the edge on GD having put 7 past Barnet. 6 winnable games on paper with only Torquay and out of form Boreham Wood at home above the bottom 8, while Dagenham still have to play Torquay, Solihull and Wrexham.

Don’t do anything silly and we’ll make the play-offs. It’s ours to lose now.

Cracking win, even more so at this stage of the season because they’re clearly the best side in the league and showed as much in the first half.

The red card obviously changed things but we’ve seen us fail to take advantage plenty of times before.

Top atmosphere at the end.

Quoted from promotion plaice

Never thought I would say this but I thought Lenny could have done better than Taylor today.

WOW. Really? I wasn't their so can't comment too much but the commentary mentioned him doing atleast 2-3 fantastic one touch passes or flick ons to put Mcatee in.

Funny game at times is football..

Stockport..top of the league..flying…and it showed in that first 45..had us in the back foot, they played with confidence..as you’d expect. Scored early and it looked like we’d be chasing shadows for the afternoon. And then the red..which changed the game..we went from a first half of Town looking nervy/edgy, to a second half in which they didn’t panic, exploited the spare man well by moving the ball a little better and quicker, using the full width of the pitch.

Maguire Drew made a huge difference, in that respect. Got a very good first goal as he started the move, which led to Taylor and McAtee linking up (or being allowed to) for the first time, great finish and from then on it was ours for the taking. Could they do it? BP was rocking..and then Waterfalls composed back stuck header into the oncoming Holohan and cue wild celebrations.

Yes..card changed the game..but we still needed to turn it around..and that took some doing against a team that had forgotten how to lose in the League. It was a challenge..and we rose to it. Sometimes we’re all to quick to moan and knock..I heard a few walking home that chose to take the negatives..’oh they were battering us..we were crap..’ etc ..- why not enjoy the win? Beaten the form team for months..leaders..and credit should be given to players and manager for turning it around.

How many times have we seen decisions not go for us..or being unable to break teams down..Kings Lynn a good example of that.. we should have had a pen - didn’t get it..and didn’t have enough on the night to break through. It’ll be another test on Monday..but our team is evolving, growing..peaking at the right time..

As for Stockport..looked a very good side..will probably go up as Champions, and deservedly so - will be interesting to see how they react in their next game also.

I thoroughly enjoyed it..felt like a ‘proper’ game..good crowd, good away following who added to the occasion..and two good teams.

UTM