City v. Poole

Artus for Hemmings and Morgan for Diallo changes from Saturday. Hunter on bench. 5 subs. Marshall misses out from squad.

City 1 up at Ht thanks to Marvin's 9th of season.

And 2-0 with McCoulsky beating offside trap to net.

City cap a comprehensive performance with Chas making it 3-0 and full time.

One of the best performances of the season.

Morgan McCoulsky and Frankie all had their best games while Max hardly had a save to make.

Ref let a lot of things go which possibly benefitted us as we got into the flow. Their number 8 would have been sent off in any other game. But we were a pleasure to watch. Had a goal disallowed for a very tight offside, hit the post and the bar as well as playing some nice football.

If Morgan played like that regularly he would become a fans' favourite. Forget the holding on Marvin and just play football.

Miles deservedly MOM, can we keep him for next season?

Well said, Benny! A great response from all the players after the disappointing performance at Thurrock. Special mention to McCootie - didn't expect to see him again this season after he limped off on Saturday, but he put in a great shift today and fully deserved the crowd's appreciation when he was subbed (later wearing an iceberg on his leg)

They're clearly a better team than we saw today, but Poole were dreadful. I don't think our fans would have tolerated such a gutless performance...

Goals and highlights on Chris Stone's Facebook page, including the (which one) offside goal, making four.

Right; if City beat Chelmsford and Welling (total of 65 points), we just need Wealdstone to draw with Hungerford at home and East Thurrock away (64 points) and Hampton to draw away to Welling and home to Concord (65 points, but by then an inferior goal difference).
Simple!

Beau Nash wrote:Goals and highlights on Chris Stone's Facebook page, including the (which one) offside goal, making four.

for those of us not on social media, could someone put a link to it please. It usually comes up on the official BCFC Twitter page but it ain't there yet.

Agree about Morgan - I think it was his hold up play that set up McCoulsky for his goal - if he had stayed on he might even have got mom!

Also agree about the referee - couldn't believe that he didn't give either of the clear fouls on Andy Watkins, but loved the bit when Frankie pushed him out of the way,

All round a really good performance and it must be the first time this season we have beaten a team higher placed than us.

LB wrote:Also agree about the referee - couldn't believe that he didn't give either of the clear fouls on Andy Watkins, but loved the bit when Frankie pushed him out of the way

It was his last game as a referee. Thought there were a few odd calls, how on earth McCootie wasn't cautioned in the first half is beyond me. I don't blame him for calling it a day, I wouldn't want to spend my time being on the receiving end of constant dissenting voices. Particularly their manager, one of the more animated ones I've witnessed.

I thought the ref called that incident right. The lad screamed like he'd had an arrow in his eye but got up with hardly any pretence at a limp.

kermit wrote:

Beau Nash wrote:Goals and highlights on Chris Stone's Facebook page, including the (which one) offside goal, making four.

for those of us not on social media, could someone put a link to it please. It usually comes up on the official BCFC Twitter page but it ain't there yet.

Allez ici mon ami grenouille - http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/p__/images/3/3c/Kermit_the_Frog.png/revision/latest?cb=20150102173217&path-prefix=protagonist  

https://www.facebook.com/chris.stone.182940/videos/1054070408059118

et ici...

https://www.facebook.com/bathcityfc/videos/1348133428639232 - où Chris peut être vu filmer.

BenE wrote:I thought the ref called that incident right.

I'll need to watch it again, then. First instance I thought it was clumsy rather than malicious, but a poor challenge. I swear if one of our players had been taken out like that the crowd would be in uproar demanding a card.

Beau Nash wrote:Play offs latest - http://www.pooletownfc.co.uk/club-statement-regarding-national-south-playoffs - so Hungerford need 1 point to qualify if the appeal fails.

But I thought Hungerford were in exactly the same position as Poole.

I do think these appeals are a bit ridiculous though when the clubs have known what the requirements are and have had all season to meet them.

Lb you are correct - http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/hungerfordtownfc/news/hungerford-town-fc-play-off-ground-grading-1785472.html - so if both are excluded that opens up the last play off spot, any of the clubs currently 7th to 11th could qualify.

Thanks Rob

It was a thoroughly excellent performance from the whole team. Though Poole offered little up front I thought the defence was tight and well marshalled by the outstanding Andresson. The running off the ball by the front players was the best I've seen this season which made some of the pinpoint passes possible. On a better day we would have scored 6, including McCootie's excellent finish, which was incorrectly judged offside. Morgan had his best game ever. Hardly recognised him as the same lumbering player we've carried for most of our the season. On that form I'd definitely keep him.

Shame we didn't find this kind of performance earlier in the season!
I thought their number 8 should've been sent off for the challenge on Rigg, thought the McCootie incident was basically a 50/50 challenge, strongly disagree with the Chronicle who said he was lucky not to be sent off. If that's a sending off then the Rigg one was attempted murder.

I was dead inline with the offside call - McCootie was at least level. Linesman on the popular side had a nightmare, also missed a stonewall handball.

As long as we can re-sign a few of this season's loanees or find some decent replacements then I reckon with GO in charge we've got a chance at the play-offs next season.

Beau Nash wrote:Lb you are correct - http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/hungerfordtownfc/news/hungerford-town-fc-play-off-ground-grading-1785472.html - so if both are excluded that opens up the last play off spot, any of the clubs currently 7th to 11th could qualify.

I think you will find that the play off qualification only applies down to 7th place. For me, the runners up should be given a bye to the play off final if 5th place is unable to take its place in the semi.

comrade powell wrote:I think you will find that the play off qualification only applies down to 7th place. For me, the runners up should be given a bye to the play off final if 5th place is unable to take its place in the semi.

The 7th place spot could finally be filled by any of the clubs currently placed 7th to 11th;  so with Poole and Hungerford, finishing 5th and 6th, yet disqualified from taking part in the play offs the 7th place club would take their place.

Are you saying there is a rule which states the 2nd placed club gets a bye to the final of the play offs?

Phil Weaver has posted this on FB: "Right; if City beat Chelmsford and Welling (total of 65 points), we just need Wealdstone to draw with Hungerford at home and East Thurrock away (64 points) and Hampton to draw away to Welling and home to Concord (65 points, but by then an inferior goal difference). Simple!"
I will leave it with you to discuss with Phil.  

Very unlikely we will finish 7th but not impossible.

I think if we did manage to sneak into seventh place we'd do the honourable thing and lose to Ebbsfleet.

It would be really funny if we did beat them though.

Going back to yesterday I agree that it would probably one of our most complete performances of the season. It was interesting to see the return of the pre-kick off huddle which we hadn't done since the first half of the season. I get the feeling Gary's (harsh) words after the Thurrock game had an effect.

Once again we see a glimpse of how good a player Marvin Morgan can be - I was surprised he wasn't motm (though he was given it on the website strangely enough!) - maybe he is trying to earn a new contract.

The Chronicle comment about McCootie being lucky not to get sent off is an odd one. I think had he been booked that would have been about right given the 2 or 3 bookings Poole had in the 1st half (as their bench was continually pointing out after his foul). I thought their no.8 was lucky not to get a second booking after bringing down Watto but it was one of the many challenges both ways that looked clear fouls but the ref didn't give.

It is a shame that's his last game as any ref who gives as good as he gets - telling a Poole player he was talking bollocks at one point - is fine by me.

I think we've both misread each other's posts! Yes, there are 5 clubs, including us who could finish in 7th position - I wasn't saying there is a rule re 'no lower than 7th' but I think there is!

I believe the answer lies somewhere in this thread from the conference south forum...

http://conferencesouthnomads.freeforums.org/the-play-offs-t1403.html

I agree about the ref, Yuffie - my favourite from the last few years. As a tribute to him, please post that photo...