Match Ratings

[Dreams]

A massive improvement from Saturday and there was a great buzz in the away section I thought last night! Haven't see the replays yet but apparently it looks like a dubious penalty but hey we have had our fair share of bad luck and refereeing crimes in the past year (LDV final comes to mind-so offside) its about time we had a little luck our way.

Anyway

Bart 7 - Made some crucial and solid saves in the first half which kept us in it in my eyes. Very vocal again and owns his box which is a pleasure to see. Would have got an 8 except for the couple of scary moments in the second half.

Juppy 7 - Much better performance IMHO. Looked positive coming forward particularly in the 2nd. Could have done better for the goal according to Tilly but I think it would be unfair to point the finger solely at him. Much better effort.

Nicky Nic 7 - Obviously someone has taught Nicky the art of putting his boot through the ball since saturday! Looked a lot more solid defensively but still looked exciting coming forward. Looked a lot more settled with Petts in Front of him.

Eagle 7.5 - Despite maybe losing his man for the goal I thought he had a good game! I can't actually remember him losing a header he went up for? Made some crucial challenges and looks to be developing a good understanding with Juppy and Spinner.

Spinner 8 - Complete rock last night and showed his class! 2nd half especially I thought he ran the show really at the back. Made interceptions time after time and didn't really ggive their strikers a sniff.

Gower 6 - Very quiet last night I thought. Not his usual self I thought, but I won't worry as I know he will be back! I have noticed on saturday and last night that teams have started to see him as a priority but is that just me?

Maher 7 - Usual Kev! Solid reliable and put a lot of hard work in. With Bentley along side him looked like a good solid centre midfield partnership.

Bentley 9 (MoM) - Class!! Took 10 mins to get into the game but after that was box to box. Looked a threat when coming forward and solid when defending! Looks stronger, fitter and faster than last season and will be a class act for us!

Petts 7 - Looked beter on the left and was his usual committed self! Linked up well with Nicky and looked good going forward.

Drreeewwweee 8 - Brilliant game! Did what he was asked to do, win every header and hold the ball up! Look his usual passionate self and looked well up for it. Only down point for me was his yellow card, very pointless!!!

Wayne 7.5 - Got about well and looked strong and when he opens up looked lightning. Brilliant penalty!! Looks to be forming a good relationship with Drew, give it a couple more games though!

Subs:
Lewis 6 - Didn't really have much to do, came on as extra defensive option really.

Dudders 7 - Only on for short time but looked hungry and wanted it! Obviously up for fighting for his place!

Very good night and I was a happy man driving home! One of the highlights for me was when we put the penalty away, the amount of players who pointed to the fans giving it some COME ON action was brilliant! Obvious passion and want in them, good to see! Oh yeah, I shook Barts hand when he came over at the end.......hands like dinner plates!! Huge!!

Dreams

 

[Shrimper JK]

I've seen the penalty incedent on Sky Sports News and to me it looked a blatant penalty and as Tilly said, surely as the penalty was given the keeper should have been sent off as he was the last man

Wasnt even shown a yellow!

 

[South Bank Hank]

Well it's all about opinions.  My impression on seeing the penalty on Sky Sports News was that it shouldn't have been given (although I'm most certainly not complaining).  The goalkeeper ran out as Wayne Gray was running in.  Looked like a fifty-fifty tackle as both went in with a foot.  What convinced me it wasn't a penalty was the direction of the ball following the tackle which suggested that the keeper got to it first.  If anything it should've been a throw-in to us.  

Just my opinion of course.
Given that we got the penalty - I'm pleased to be so "wrong".

The inexperienced ref was certainly brave.

 

[The General]

First off. The penalty incident. I think most people who were there knew we were VERY, VERY lucky to get that penalty. A pretty poor touch from Gray took him wide and it looked like the goalkeeper got the ball and it went out for a throw/corner. The linesman, however, had a different view, from just 10 yards away (whereas the fans were about 70 yards away) and he gave the penalty as the ref' didnt have a good view. Watched SSN earlier but didn't see our game so cant comment on the replay as yet.

The team was 10 times better last night. It wasn't pretty at times but it did a job. I thought we were pretty unforunate to only come away with just a draw. They started off strongly but we had a fair number of corner's/free-kicks and the pressure told when we got the penalty, which was superbly tucked away by Wayne. The 2nd half was end to end stuff without too many chances being created.

Here's the ratings:

Bart - 8 Made a few superb saves, had no chance with the goal and looked very strong and determined. Only 1 slight mis-hap in which we nearly ended up scoring in. Claims the ball excellently under pressures and is proving to be a good signing so far ...

Jupp - 7 He tired at the end after he ran up the whole of the pitch, only for Hunt to give it away. Looked at mistake for the goal but over-lapped well a couple of times and did an OK job.

Prior - 7 Was beaten for pace due to sliding in too much at times but he and Eagle won everything at the back and had a solid game.

Edwards - 7 Was on a par with Prior, and like his defensive partner, was also sliding in too much and getting beaten because of it. Won everything in the air and also had a good game.

Nicky - 6 Not as impressive as the rest and was targetted alot by the Lincoln team due to his lack of height and strength and this could happen alot this season. Does however have the pace to cover the centre backs. Perhaps Cheese will get his chance soon ...

Gower - 5.5 Not too impressive from our most talented player. Had a poor game and didnt really create too much. Need more from him. Lets hope he hasn't been rushed back too quickly after his op'!

Maher - 6.5 He did his job. Got in the way of all the free-kicks, corners and must have got alot of £10 bonuses last night. Can do much better.

Bentley - 9 He's back and gets my MOM. Optimises what a central midfield should do (ahem) and made a few excellent bursting runs. A great player to have and he and Smithy could be quite some partnership come the winter months.

Pettefer - 6.5 Not a winger and can't do a winger's job. Much rather see Jimmy out there, or even Husbands. Did OK, got involved and it was good to see him out wide more last night. Also he and Nicky work together much better, as we saw last season.

Gray - 8 A very good performance and his penalty was a joy to behold. Calmness, coolness and all those types of words can be used to describe it. He and Drewe worked very well together and as long as he gets enough goals, could be a very good partnership.

Dreweeeeeee - 8.5 He's back and it showed. Ran Bentley very, very close to the MOM award but did start to tire in the last 15, which was expected. Won everything in the air and didn't give many free-kicks away. With Gray's alertness and pace this partnership could get 25/30 goals between them, if used regularly although it would be harsh to leave LD who could easily get 15 goals if he was used regularly. It's down to Tilly to decide and im sure alot will depend on who the opposition is.

Subs:

Dudfield 6.5 - Replaced Gray.
Hunt 7 - Replaced Pettefer.

Kev

 

[Upminster Blue]

Irrespective of whether it was a penalty we were well worth at least a point. After the first 10 mins we stood up brilliantly to Lincoln's long ball physical game - there was only one team playing the football. We just need to gel up front a bit more to get that cutting edge.

Drewe was awesome - held up the ball well, put himself about, looked sharp and even found time to come over and gee up the away fans in the second half.

Gray's penalty was coolness personified - a little stutter in his run up, John Aldridge style, keeper dives to his right and Gray rolls the ball in at snails pace to his left!

Slightly dissappointed in the negative substitution of Hunt for Pettefer. Personally I would have brought on Husbands to give their left back a roasting - he and Lincoln were there for the taking in the last 10 minutes.

Really appreciated Tilly and the players coming over to the away fans at the end. You could tell what the result meant to them - a good sign for the months ahead.

Overall, very encouraging. Lincoln are the sort of well organised, hard working team with limited footballing ability we typically loose to. However, that's all you need to do to make the play-offs so I wouldn't be surprised to see them make the top 7 this year.

 

[BoyWonder2]

Just a couple of points:

Firstly, Upminster Blue, Husbands wasn't a named subsitute for the game. The 5 subs were Flavs, Barratt, Wilson, Hunt and Lawrie. Husbands was involved in the pre match warm up and the half time kickabout though, which I found a bit strange.

Secondly, I thought Drewenaldo was man-of-the-match. Him and Bentley were the difference from saturdays performance to tuesday nights performance. Drewenaldo ran his socks off along with Gray. Drewenaldo won every header, held the ball up well and brought others into play with his lay offs. He was the first other the us fans and I managed to shake his hand. He was absolutely shattered and some fella called him a legend.