City v Ebbsfleet

Team as v St.Albans apart from Axel for Chas with latter on bench.

Axel injured in warm up so team unchanged.

My main feeling after the match was that Ebbsfleet are a horrible side getting players booked by play acting but overall I was pleased with our performance. I'm not happy about what McCoulsky and Morgan offer up front - at least Shaq had a decent shot when he had his cameo. But Frankie had a good game, probably his best all season and apart from gifting them a goal the defence looks good.

We slipped over a lot. Did we have the wrong studs in?

Yes a lot of theatricals but they were the better team and didn't need to do it.

Worried about McCoulsky. Fails on the basics.

Frankie my Motm.

Good crowd and atmosphere though.

Enjoyed it despite the defeat.

The keeper needs to wear looser clothing!

Thought we done enough in the second half to get at least a point. Disappointed with Ebbsfleet's cynical approach to the game and the poor referee performance.

Once Ebbsfleet got their gift goal they were always going to employ their usual spoiling tactics. Good enough to get out of this league but they'll struggle at the higher level if our two matches against them are a fair indicator.

A good test for our team - I thought we paid them too much respect in the first half but had a go towards the end. Let's hope we're sharper in front of goal next week as Dartford may be tougher still.

I thought they were probably the best team we have played this season and it shows how far we've improved this season that an equaliser wouldn't have been undeserved.

As Pete says they didn't need to result to the play-acting and time-wasting so blatantly but it does seem so automatic - especially from Ashmore - that they can't help it.

I gave man of the match to Chas but agree that Frankie was very good - probably his best game this season. I thought McClousky did well in the first half but faded out the game in the second. Watkins wasn't involved as much as recent games either, which was probably a reflection on the Ebbsfleet defence that was much better than any we have played recently.

Dartford drawing at Oxford today means they are starting to lose touch with the top two so it will be interesting to compare them to Ebbsfleet next week. Then Maidenhead at the start of April but we always beat them at Twerton so that won't matter.

The noted gamesmanship will continue in football forever probably. It happens at all levels. Do I like it? Not at all. But unless we take the lead in games like this they will always be the same. Do Ebbsfleet care? Nope, record books say a 1-0 win for them and that they're now joint top. We won a few games by the odd goal when we won the league and probably did it quite a lot to opponents. The only way it'll stop is if officials are brave and actually enforce the 6-second law for goalkeepers (on one occasion Ashmore had possession in his hands for 16) and add on copious stoppage time.

Bit of sympathy for the officials. What are they meant to do? There was an appeal for the free-kick almost every single minute. Do they seriously think every challenge on them is a foul, and every throw-in is their way? Footballers are liars, they'll do anything to gain an advantage.

Agree that Ebbsfleet are the best opposition side we've seen this season, and so they should be with their resources. Quite amusing that it took us three seasons to escape when we won promotion in 2010, and that was from the league below. If they blow it again this season, their fourth back in NLS, it'll be ridiculous. They have got some super players - moan all we like about Ashmore but he's a top-notch keeper, Deering dictates play in midfield and Kedwell is a handful up top. With these factors in mind, we should be content with out performance which proves we aren't a million miles away. Can't see us reaching the play-offs but with a couple of changes in the summer we could go one better next time. Huge improvement from last year anyway.

stillmanjunior wrote:The only way it'll stop is if officials are brave and actually enforce the 6-second law for goalkeepers (on one occasion Ashmore had possession in his hands for 16) and add on copious stoppage time.

This is the one I don't get. I assume 6 seconds is still in the law book and it should be easily to enforce. I would do it from the second the keeper is in control of the ball. So, if like Ashmore continually did, the keeper falls to the ground he is immediately using some of his 6 seconds.

And the referee today seemed to take the approach of give one free-kick when they went down screaming then next time not give it. Suggested he didn't really know. And then he misses Watkins clearly getting shoved over in the corner just to further the impression.

We've played against Ashmore 11 times and haven't won one. We've been in the lead against him for about 27 minutes during that time I think. If life is fair, next time we play we'd take the lead on about 85 minutes and witness him rushing about for the remainder like a lunatic.

I honestly can't remember the last time the six second law was enforced. One of those that when it was introduced it was a bit, but not now.

With the ref I expect he just had to guess a bit by the end. It was all 'boy who cried wolf.'

A sterling effort against the pantomime villains. There were a few feisty challenges on our part though. I agree with other posts that we have progressed and are not far away. I think we perhaps just need a Ross Stearn type game changer.

My overwhelming feeling is that of frustration. Frustrated that the referee was so weak and gullible over the play acting and time wasting. Frustrated that we only seemed to take the game to the opposition once we'd conceded and frustrated that our only real shot on target was blocked by our own player. We tried, put their defence under some pressure and mostly defended well, but our inability to carve out a clear chance was telling. Having said all that I like those games that are a real contest and we did battle well.

I would say that this was the best team I have seen at twerton this season. They had a few very good players. Referee seemed to have no idea what was going on but I thought ebbsfleet were well worth their win. If you consider actual chances we had none of note and they had several good ones. We did really well to come back at them second half. There was gamesmanship and play acting but to be honest, I see that with most teams that we play now. Their keeper is like something out of the WWE , I thought he was quite funny. Clearly an extrovert as it odd that we notice him when he rarely had a save to make! . Only real sour note was a group of their fans in the main stand who I thought were pretty obnoxious at the final whistle jeering and mocking us. You wouldn't want to have to separate fans but if you are sitting in the home end then you should show some respect.

Can't agree about Ebbsfleet's quality. Considering the money thrown at them, I think they're a very functional team and in our matches against them over the past two seasons, Maidenhead have impressed me far more. Sutton and Maidstone were better footballing teams last year and should they go up, I think the Fleet will need to recruit widely to make any impression at the higher level. Kedwell looks a spent force and several others looked short of pace.  

But from a selfish point of view, I hope they go up as Maidenhead is a far more attractive away fixture for us!

Yes I wouldn't be sorry to see them go. They are not a pretty footballing side but I thought they handled us pretty comfortably and we're effective. I think they have enough quality to go up although no. 9 and the keeper maybe need to lose a couple of stone, how can you train full time and still be overweight? Genuinely surprises me.

Mcnulty wrote:Only real sour note was a group of their fans in the main stand who I thought were pretty obnoxious at the final whistle jeering and mocking us. You wouldn't want to have to separate fans but if you are sitting in the home end then you should show some respect.

I could hear but not really see what was happening there. Didn't realise there had been some stirring up. When we beat Ebbsfleet away thanks to a last second worldie 14 months ago I was excited on commentary (obviously) but never intend to rub it in peoples faces, and the City fans I saw in the stand didn't either. It always comes back to haunt you.

A shame it got a bit silly. Grown-ups should know better.

From the start, I thought that we would be very very happy with a 0-0. They are a really good dangerous side and, like others here, I think they are the best team I have seen at TP this season - antics notwithstanding. Once they went ahead, we wouldn't have a chance of scoring aside from, perhaps, one of Nick's hit and hopes from outside the box or a Batten header from a corner. Morgan and McCoulsky were ineffectual while Nick did very well, I thought, in his more withdrawn position really thinking about and selecting good passes. Aside from the forward two, I can't really complain at all. Having said that, I would like to see Josh, Shaquille and Naby making more starts.

Marc has a good point about Josh et. al. As it looks like we won't make the playoffs I think we should drop Morgan and cycle through the fringe players to see if worth keeping next year. Need to give Shaq, Josh etc. a decent chance with a strong team around them.

Steve Whites Missus wrote:Marc has a good point about Josh et. al.  As it looks like we won't make the playoffs I think we should drop Morgan and cycle through the fringe players to see if worth keeping next year.  Need to give Shaq, Josh etc. a decent chance with a strong team around them.

Totally agree, but the trouble is, as I see it, is whilst we still have the possibility of two teams (Poole and Hungerford) finishing in the play off positions but not being allowed to play in them, teams are still targeting 6th and 7th as play off positions. Therefore, one could argue, we are still, potentially, within reach of the play offs, and GO is unlikely to tinker around with team selection.
Anyway, I'm sure the league will bend the rules, as they have done in the past, and allow both of them to enter the play offs. Lord knows what would happen if they got promoted!

The looks on the faces of those associated with Leyton Orient/Tranmere/Wrexham turning up at Hungerford or Poole would be priceless.

And getting beaten by them even more priceless. Remember our two wins v Cambridge United?

I am not suggesting starting Naby, Josh and Shaq to try them out in meaningless matches, I am talking about starting them because the two we had upfront on Saturday haven't pulled up any trees and we need to score goals in games like Saturday. Marvin has scored two in the last 20 games with pretty much all our centre-backs as good if not better goals per games ration presently and McLousky has scored 1 in 4 with the games stat looking like it will increase before the goals one does.

On the other hand, Shaq's league goals are 3 in 6, Nick and Watkins are on fire (relatively) and I don't think Josh has had enough of a run to prove himself.