Braintree match

I thought the first half was an excellent advert for NLS with Braintree really hanging on against our relentless pressure. That must have been one of the best goalkeeping displays against us this season. And the latest arrival took his goal really well - he certainly has a burst of speed! 
The highlights may clear up the controversy over Clark’s disallowed goal and whether the ref really was as weak as some are claiming. 
However it was the failure to convert chances, as on Saturday, which meant it was always going to be close and sure enough Braintree upped their game after half time and showed why they are on such an excellent run themselves. It will be very interesting to see how we bounce back in the upcoming pair of away matches.

I think we and the ref were conned by their dark arts of football. Stronger refs are needed.

I'm always embarrassed for players that scream when they are tackled. But Braintree players don't appear to have such sensibilities. And refs always seem to sympathise with it.
As someone said you can always tell when someone is really hurt as they don't tend to make any noise. The pain takes their breath away.
But frustrating as this is, as Martin said, we lost because we didn't take our chances, while they did. And to be fair we were hardly in it second half.
Our midfield couldn't get near the ball and could have done with fresh legs.

BenE wrote:I'm always embarrassed for players that scream when they are tackled. But Braintree players don't appear to have such sensibilities. And refs always seem to sympathise with it.
As someone said you can always tell when someone is really hurt as they don't tend to make any noise. The pain takes their breath away.
But frustrating as this is, as Martin said, we lost because we didn't take our chances, while they did. And to be fair we were hardly in it second half.
Our midfield couldn't get near the ball and could have done with fresh legs.

Their captain, Altintop (4) and Wakefield (17) were the most regular offenders and often cooned the ref. They were joined by their striker, who "gained" their penalty.

I have seen many good refs and umpires give up because of bad behavour. Liam Corbett needs to join them.

Watch the highlights - nailed on penalty. The fact that our players hardly complained rather proves it. And the footage suggests that the Russe incident aside, the ref wasn’t as bad as many are claiming.

It's a penalty in the sense that most people would give it on first sight, as the ref did, but it isn't a foul in the slightest. Coulthirst has pre-emptively sprung off his right foot beautifully, like a well trained pro-wrestler taking a bump, twirling in the air to land it safely, while making sure he tickles Josey with his left toes on the way over. Elite tier dive, but still a dive.

Dave wrote:It's a penalty in the sense that most people would give it on first sight, as the ref did, but it isn't a foul in the slightest. Coulthirst has pre-emptively sprung off his right foot beautifully, like a well trained pro-wrestler taking a bump, twirling in the air to land it safely, while making sure he tickles Josey with his left toes on the way over. Elite tier dive, but still a dive.

You could not have discribe better!!!

comrade powell wrote:Watch the highlights - nailed on penalty. The fact that our players hardly complained rather proves it. And the footage suggests that the Russe incident aside, the ref wasn’t as bad as many are claiming.

You should have watched on therpop side.

If that had been Clark ‘gaining’ a penalty at the other end would you have accused the ref of being conned?

comrade powell wrote:If that had been Clark ‘gaining’ a penalty at the other end would you have accused the ref of being conned?

Martin you do loveto put word in people's mouths.

I just like to debate City matters on here, but that’s very difficult with someone who posts often ambiguous one-liners. In future I won’t question your rants against officials…

In real time it looked like a penalty. As always with replays it looked a lot less clearcut. But I'm happy to accept the officials decision rather than have to endure VAR. Clark's disallowed goal looked borderline and to be honest I thought our legitimate goal looked more offside. As regards the game itself on chances created we certainly deserved to win . For all Braintree's procession in the 2nd half I didn't think they created much. BCR seemed to rave about their equaliser but it wasn't hit cleanly and was lucky to find a way through to the net.

Listening to the BCR commentary on the highlights they seemed a lot more impressed with Braintree than I was at the game. I'm usually very impressed with the commentary and didn't hear all of it but for this game I thought they went too far in trying to show no bias towards City.

Micawber wrote:In real time it looked like a penalty. As always with replays it looked a lot less clearcut. But I'm happy to accept the officials decision rather than have to endure VAR. Clark's disallowed goal looked borderline and to be honest I thought our legitimate goal looked more offside. As regards the game itself on chances created we certainly deserved to win . For all Braintree's procession in the 2nd half I didn't think they created much. BCR seemed to rave about their equaliser but it wasn't hit cleanly and was lucky to find a way through to the net.

Listening to the BCR commentary on the highlights they seemed a lot more impressed with Braintree than I was at the game.  I'm usually very impressed with the commentary and didn't hear all of it but for this game I thought they went too far in trying to show no bias towards City.

Mostly agree. If the ref had been able to see the pen from our direction he would at least had severe doubts. There appearsed to be very little contact.

There were a few very "professional" cons of the ref. Practised in Training?

Looks to me like a dive. I think Greenslade didn't appeal because it was his mistake and Casa Grande didn't because he probably felt the player touch him as he summersaulted past. Tom Daly would have been proud of that one.

And Clark's offside isn't clear cut either. But I have to give the lino the benefit of the doubt there. He had a better view.