That was the performance we all wanted to see

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Post by KOB - 01-02-2023, 11:27

We mustn't let the final scoreline dictate what we all feel about the overall performance last night. It was exactly the response we all wanted to see after Saturday. After North Leigh I asked for us to deliver in fundamental areas, and last night the boys did that:
Pride: Delivered
Passion: Delivered
Confidence: Delivered
Balls: Delivered

Forget the result - everyone in the ground knows that wasn't a 5-1 game. We were well in the match until the sending off. The officials were too weak for the level and both teams suffered from that, but the big decisions went against us; and Chesham were very good at manipulating the referee. The sending off and then the harsh penalty decision for 3-1 resulted in the boys getting dispirited and their energy sapped away. I can understand that; anyone who has played the game can accept that, and the goals that followed added to the pain but were irrelevant.

So much of that performance against a top 4 side was good. Front foot from the start, positive, bags of effort and energy - everything we didn't show at North Leigh until flashes in the second half. I'm baffled why we didn't show it on Saturday, but we certainly didn't miss Hodgey last night. Tom did well in midfield until, I guess, running out of steam later on. He worked hard, as did all the boys.

Well done Rowan, Holla and the players for the reaction to Saturday. Another of the top 4 sides this coming weekend; go in with the same attitude and we will all be behind you 100%.

And the pride and passion, that goes for Millers too last night. If he doesn't pay the FA fine on behalf of the club for pointing out the many shortfalls in the way the game was officiated, I will; it'll be worth it for hearing that articulate expert analysis at the end!

Tyler

01-02-2023, 12:15
Where to start!?

I think first of all, well done to the boys for last night. We’ve taken a bit of a bruising in these last few weeks but they all came back fighting and that’s all we can ask for.

Chesham was always going to be tough. A very good side, 3rd in the league and probably the strongest looking squad that I’ve seen from any side this season. So, by the time you have four crucial refereeing decisions go against you, there’s only one winner.

From the start, we really looked up for it and got ourselves on the front foot. Chesham still looked a threat, which made for a competitive half of football, but we did more than enough to deserve a lead at half time.

After taking the lead, the equaliser came from a Chesham throw in when it should have been Hartley’s, and then we had a stonewall penalty not given as well.

Then, the second half was a game I’ve seen so many times watching Hartley. Different referee, different opponent but always the same outcome. The opposition influence the referee too easily, and we are punished for it every time.

When Jonny makes the first challenge, their no. 2 feigns injury in front of his own dugout. When the referee then goes over to the player, it’s just an excuse for their bench to surround the referee to try and get in his ear.

The more of them that say it’s dangerous or it’s a red card, all while no. 2 lays on the floor pretending that he’s in agony, we run the risk of being punished for a challenge that didn’t even hurt the player. Even the goalkeeper was involved at one point?

Once the yellow card was shown, the player was back on his feet and taking the free kick. I’ve seen it so many times before! So there was no way Jonny was getting away with a second one. It wasn’t dangerous and it was inside Chesham’s half, but the referee let the earlier incident influence his decision.

It’s wrong but it’s happened so many times before. Very harsh on him as he was otherwise having a great game.

Then, not long after, their no. 5 makes two more challenges on Sham, even when he’s already been booked, and nothing is done about it. The decisions were so inconsistent, and went against us again.

Chesham ran away with the game because they have the quality to do so. When the decisions go against you like they did, how are we supposed to stop that from happening? It was competitive as 11 v 11, but not 10 v 11, and the players and management aren’t to blame for that.

The important thing now is not to dwell on the final few minutes but to take the first half of last night and try and do it all again on Saturday. I know it’s been tough and it must feel like it’s getting even tougher, but I know the boys can do it.

They deserved so much better last night.

Reply
- Rob.b
  
  01-02-2023, 17:23
  
  I do that that last nights games summed up many things about this season. We ere beaten heavily but we were very much in the game until a decision went against us. We also gave away a sloppy goal for their first. The defence is something we really need to work on, particually letting in early goals.
  However there are some massive positives in the way we played with desire and passion. It felt like they were asked to get more tackles in and be more physical? Of course that has its risks as we saw. I think we are oftern too nice and don't get into the refs ear enough.
  Overall it is an improvement but it is all probably too late. I could have some confidence in avoiding the drop if we had played the same number of games as the others. I think Plymouth will start to pull away leaving us hoping we can get a few wins and Gosport, yate and Hendon go on terrible runs. Trouble is we need to almost double the number of points we have now to survive. 35 points maybe be enough but probabaly need 40. Anyway we need to just take it a game at a time.
  
  Rob