Havant game ON

Weather is good for the rest of the day, according to BBC weather website. Let's hope we don't 'do a Truro'

Good news.

We are improving so want to keep playing. I think Batten is still available according to the Chronicle.

looks like it will be a slugfest long ball game........

1-0 down already - again.

With Pratt seemingly on his way back, this could be the night for McCootie to show the boss that he should be first choice striker. But not according to Bob Chester's summary of his first 40 minutes....

Andy Watkins  equaliser  90th minute

A very welcome point that keeps Havant at bay - a defeat tonight would really have been bad news for our survival hopes.

Something of a relief. Still unbeaten under Owers but it really looks like an uphill struggle. At least Watto has remembered how to score. Hemel will be a big test this week.

Well done to all concerned.
New management = new belief and no talk of relegation.
No way on earth will we be near the drop come April/May.
Bad luck Arsenal

Up to 12th in the last four games form table, Hemel are 20th.

Hemel have only won 3 matches at home so far this season!

I agree that we shouldn't go down, Sascha, especially with the bottom two looking doomed already. The commentators tonight agreed that Havant look too good to be relegated which suggests the three above them (Weston, Hayes and Chelmsford) are in the greatest danger. We have still to play all three and even results like to tonight's would be welcome. The defence seems more settled, although we shall miss Batten. The problem remains ahead of them and until goals come more freely I don't think we'll be well clear of the drop come the end of April.

Good result - not losing was almost as important as winning in the context of the season. Agree with Martin that similar outcomes against Weston, Hayes and Chelmsford will be okay, especially as I think we have better goal difference than all three. Hopefully a fit Dave Pratt will turn draws into wins if he can find his goalscoring boots again.

Drawing away and winning at home is all you can ask really. Watkins is doing great presently as well which wasn't the case even at the start of the season.

LB wrote:Hopefully a fit Dave Pratt will turn draws into wins if he can find his goalscoring boots again.

I thought Dave Pratt made a huge difference this evening. City's attack seemed transformed when he came on. It also helped that taking Liam Kelly off meant that Frankie Artus was then taking the corners. Dave Pratt got forward with the ball far more than McCootie had done, including the run that should have resulted in somebody, anybody just getting the ball over the line a few minutes from the end, and, of course, it was Pratt's flick on (from an Artus corner) that Watkins managed to bundle over the line in injury time.

On the other hand, one disappointing thing was that, after all the talk on here of new enthusiasm from the fans with the change of management, it was still just the same old faces on the terraces this evening. I actually brought three friends along with me who rarely watch City, but there was no sign of those that were supposedly staying away until the manager was changed. Well, maybe they will all turn up on Saturday!

I reckon you just beat me home Alan!

A36 wrote:

LB wrote:Hopefully a fit Dave Pratt will turn draws into wins if he can find his goalscoring boots again.

I thought Dave Pratt made a huge difference this evening.  City's attack seemed transformed when he came on.  It also helped that taking Liam Kelly off meant that Frankie Artus was then taking the corners.  Dave Pratt got forward with the ball far more than McCootie had done, including the run that should have resulted in somebody, anybody just getting the ball over the line a few minutes from the end, and, of course, it was Pratt's flick on (from an Artus corner) that Watkins managed to bundle over the line in injury time.

On the other hand, one disappointing thing was that, after all the talk on here of new enthusiasm from the fans with the change of management, it was still just the same old faces on the terraces this evening.  I actually brought three friends along with me who rarely watch City, but there was no sign of those that were supposedly staying away until the manager was changed.  Well, maybe they will all turn up on Saturday!

A bit harsh; after all, it's a Tuesday night re-arranged game. There were actually 2 on the coach, one of whom who has never travelled before, and another who hasn't travelled for years. There was also a director there who hasn't been to an away match since Harlow (although he did travel to Truro). That is a small but hopeful start.

the demon headmaster wrote:Something of a relief. Still unbeaten under Owers but it really looks like an uphill struggle. At least Watto has remembered how to score. Hemel will be a big test this week.

Fair result. City were under the cosh in the first half, and could have been 2 or 3 down at half-time on that dreadful sand pitch. Great tenacity from the team and management has transformed the side's determination, and I think that we will climb higher. 5 points from Gary's first 3 games is more than acceptable.

Sir Ged Roddy wrote:

A36 wrote:

LB wrote:Hopefully a fit Dave Pratt will turn draws into wins if he can find his goalscoring boots again.

I thought Dave Pratt made a huge difference this evening.  City's attack seemed transformed when he came on.  It also helped that taking Liam Kelly off meant that Frankie Artus was then taking the corners.  Dave Pratt got forward with the ball far more than McCootie had done, including the run that should have resulted in somebody, anybody just getting the ball over the line a few minutes from the end, and, of course, it was Pratt's flick on (from an Artus corner) that Watkins managed to bundle over the line in injury time.

On the other hand, one disappointing thing was that, after all the talk on here of new enthusiasm from the fans with the change of management, it was still just the same old faces on the terraces this evening.  I actually brought three friends along with me who rarely watch City, but there was no sign of those that were supposedly staying away until the manager was changed.  Well, maybe they will all turn up on Saturday!

A bit harsh; after all, it's a Tuesday night re-arranged game.  There were actually 2 on the coach, one of whom who has never travelled before, and another who hasn't travelled for years.  There was also a director there who hasn't been to an away match since Harlow (although he did travel to Truro).  That is a small but hopeful start.

I think considering we've played at Havant countless times, regularly losing, put a few people off travelling, no matter who was in charge. I expect us to have a decent turnout at Hemel, and Oxford, as it's a new ground to tick off. And as pointed out, it's a midweek re-arranged game.

Deserved point. Apologies for the lack of radio for the first 20 mins. Not sure how much of the opposition reporter's childish ranting was caught on the mic for the final few, but it made the equaliser all the more enjoyable. They seem to have some people who have a packet of McCain's rather than just a single chip on their shoulder. Strange.

Buzzing after last nights result...first experience travelling away with Basil and the crew and thanks lads for making me feel very welcome. On the playing side thought the least we deserved was a point after battling second half performance, The pitch truly was a shocker but we played some good football on it. Getting Prattie on changed the game and we looked more dangerous once we pushed on a bit. Pity to lose Batten thought he was immense again. Up the Romans!!!

Personally I hoped Pratty wouldn't be needed but even half fit he is of more use than a blunt McCootie.

It is an excellent result and this is another game that would have got away from us with the mindset that had become ingrained in the squad.

Not sure about Havant being too good to go down. They didn't win at home to a near rival and that is a surefire symptom of a team going down. Exactly the same as we were.

Havant looked quite good in parts last night, especially once they went 1 up, but 2nd half they looked fragile, and we could/should have equalised well before the 92nd minute. However, once we did, they were hanging on for dear life. Another few minutes and we would have won it. Dave Pratt was inspirational once he was introduced. Bring on Saturday.

Vital result to keep the improvement going.

Nobody has mentioned the one that apparently crossed the line? BCIR mentioned City players being unhappy. Shows real fight though.

I did hear the ranting Havant man on the BCIR mic. He must have been close to a seizure when Watto scored the late equaliser!

It was actually really embarrassing and I commend Q for trying his best to carry on commentating with someone so irate sat directly next to him. Had it been a supporter you could understand it but for someone on their own radio it was a bit unexpected. He carried on the abuse after, towards us and our somewhat perplexed players, before apologising a few minutes later.

No-one else seemed to make a big deal out of it. Their players didn't appeal or anything. And the incidents were over a minute apart, they had a couple of opportunities to clear.

First half showing Havant looked a competent side to me, but second they sat back and we grew stronger.

pete mac wrote:Vital result to keep the improvement going.

Nobody has mentioned the one that apparently crossed the line? BCIR mentioned City players being unhappy. Shows real fight though.

I did hear the ranting Havant man on the BCIR mic. He must have been close to a seizure when Watto scored the late equaliser!

Most of us standing behind the goal thought that the ball probably didn't cross the line. The ball didn't go behind the keeper, and the keeper was not behind the line. Difficult to say but perhaps the film will show us.

Just watched the priceless equaliser on Romans on Demand. Great to see a set piece goal for a change.

Dave strangles his delight as it goes in!