Play-Offs

[yogi bear up the cagire]

When you get to the fag end of the season, things are down to very fine margins. Explained by the fact that, in the space of two games, we have moved from quite strong play-off hopefulls to almost play-off non starters...........it was in our hands, now it's hard to believe it is anymore. Notwithstanding the manner of dropping two points, the idea of a point at Sutton didn't exactly scupper the great play-off plan. Four wins, a couple of draws, even four wins a draw and a defeat looked doable on the form we were in. Saturday's defeat was cataclysmic and very few people saw it coming. A defeat yes (away to Gateshead?)................but certainly not at home to Solihull! Even four wins is not certain to see us there, it would probably rely on another team or two slipping up. I won't even think about the last time we achieved four consecutive wins, even in our present form it was hard to achieve two or more.
Even if we did scrape in to a play-off place, the real promised land would still be rather distant. IIUC we would have to win seven games on the trot to get promotion..........five of them away and three of them against teams higher in the league than us.
On the positive side we have virtually got to the end of the season with something still to play for. That doesn't mean in anyway that failure should be celebrated but i seek small crumbs of comfort where I can find them!

 

[Mick]

Will Barnet have to replace their hybrid pitch with all grass on their promotion to the EFL?

Of course not.
Hybrid pitches are standard practice in the PL and FL especially at the higher level.

 

[Callum]

We beat Braintree and ebbsfleet and Halifax lose both games it’s game on stay positive

 

[yogi bear up the cagire]

We beat Braintree and ebbsfleet and Halifax lose both games it’s game on stay positive

Exactly but that just confirms what I said. A few games ago we had our fate in our hands, now we have to rely on other clubs slipping up. Sadly, this kind of reasoning never usually ends well!

 

[Callum]

Exactly but that just confirms what I said. A few games ago we had our fate in our hands, now we have to rely on other clubs slipping up. Sadly, this kind of reasoning never usually ends well!

It’s a tough 1 to take I say it’s 4 points we are up against it

 

[tsbl2000]

There's still a chance, but it's a Ronnie Lane one. It's probably for the best, York would embarrass us in the play offs.

Today's result shows to everyone including COSU that we need a quality striker or two. Ollie Pearce scored a hat trick among York's 7 goals today.

How come? Sorry, I'll get my coat........

 

[graingerroad54]

Of course not.
Hybrid pitches are standard practice in the PL and FL especially at the higher level.

Thanks, from one Mick to another. The world moves on. When we will get one

 

[graingerroad54]

There's still a chance, but it's a Ronnie Lane one. It's probably for the best, York would embarrass us in the play offs.

Today's result shows to everyone including COSU that we need a quality striker or two. Ollie Pearce scored a hat trick among York's 7 goals today.

How many goals he would have got down here with the way we are set up compared to York? Reckon he made the right choice

 

[GBJ]

How many goals he would have got down here with the way we are set up compared to York? Reckon he made the right choice

Hard to say, but we have created plenty of clear cut goalscoring opportunities this season. We just haven’t had someone good enough to put them away.

There’s barely a game that goes by without Bonne adding to his catalogue of misses. And Kendall/Hopper have had their fair share too.

 

[It'sGrimUpNorth]

sshhhh



(although I have no idea what you're on about - pretty sure I fell asleep in your motor on the way back)

And wet yourself (and the seat of the car) apparently.

 

[Leeboy]

And wet yourself (and the seat of the car) apparently.

its an age thing

 

[It'sGrimUpNorth]

its an age thing

Trust me, I know.

 

[Barling Magna]

OK. Time for my consistently inconsistent predictions:

Friday 18 April

ALTRINCHAM v ROCHDALE What a crucial fixture this is for us. We cannot afford Altrincham to win. A defeat for them would be preferable but I predict a DRAW

Fylde v HALIFAX Fylde have collapsed recently with seven straight defeats following good performances at Gateshead and Altrincham last month. Halifax's form isn't much better with four draws and two defeats in their last six matches. It's Halifax that we have the best chance of catching I think but unfortunately I predict that they will WIN

GATESHEAD v York Surely Gateshead will lose this despite their recent upturn in form. I predict LOSE

OLDHAM v Hartlepool I predict DRAW

SOUTHEND v Braintree Difficult..... we have to win so I predict DRAW

TAMWORTH v Solihull Tamworth Tamworth will WIN this.

If all that comes to pass we will slip down the table:

4th Oldham 67 points
5th Halifax 67 points
6th Gateshead 66 points
7th Rochdale 65 points
8th Tamworth 63 points
9th Altrincham 61 points
10th Southend 61 points

 

[Barling Magna]

Altrincham fans also suggesting a draw v Rochdale tomorrow. For example:

"Hope we are buoyed by a few returning from injury. Need a win but must also avoid defeat, I guess they would be happy with a draw as we do not gain anything on them."

"We are very fortunate to have Rochdale, Halifax and to a lesser extent Tamworth in our remaining fixtures. Victories against these would certainly increase the wobbles of the beaten teams."

"Look, I don't expect us to win any of these games tbh, but what I am saying is that this could very well still be in our own hands. Rochdale have a tendency to bottle it as much as we do, and Haliax have a huge injury crisis."

 

[Shrimpergonzo]

Altrincham fans also suggesting a draw v Halifax tomorrow.

They'll get a shock when they find out they're playing Rochdale then!

 

[Ally les Bleus !]

OK. Time for my consistently inconsistent predictions:

Friday 18 April

ALTRINCHAM v ROCHDALE What a crucial fixture this is for us. We cannot afford Altrincham to win. A defeat for them would be preferable but I predict a DRAW

Fylde v HALIFAX Fylde have collapsed recently with seven straight defeats following good performances at Gateshead and Altrincham last month. Halifax's form isn't much better with four draws and two defeats in their last six matches. It's Halifax that we have the best chance of catching I think but unfortunately I predict that they will WIN

GATESHEAD v York Surely Gateshead will lose this despite their recent upturn in form. I predict LOSE

OLDHAM v Hartlepool I predict DRAW

SOUTHEND v Braintree Difficult..... we have to win so I predict DRAW

TAMWORTH v Solihull Tamworth Tamworth will WIN this.

If all that comes to pass we will slip down the table:

4th Oldham 67 points
5th Halifax 67 points
6th Gateshead 66 points
7th Rochdale 65 points
8th Tamworth 63 points
9th Altrincham 61 points
10th Southend 61 points

Interesting thoughts and I agree with a lot of what you say. A couple of things that give me a little more hope that I will cling to for at least the next 24 hours !

If Fylde lose they are gone - its not unheard of in these situations for sides to rally so I'm hoping for them to beat a Halifax team who have been struggling in recent weeks

Solihull parked the bus very effectively against us last week and have also achieved some other good away results of late. Encouraged by their win at RH, I'm hoping they can get a surprise draw at Tamworth.

And FWIW and fingers crossed I think we'll beat Braintree tomorrow - hopefully the crowd will be behind the lads from the off!

 

[Barling Magna]

Interesting thoughts and I agree with a lot of what you say. A couple of things that give me a little more hope that I will cling to for at least the next 24 hours !

If Fylde lose they are gone - its not unheard of in these situations for sides to rally so I'm hoping for them to beat a Halifax team who have been struggling in recent weeks

Solihull parked the bus very effectively against us last week and have also achieved some other good away results of late. Encouraged by their win at RH, I'm hoping they can get a surprise draw at Tamworth.

And FWIW and fingers crossed I think we'll beat Braintree tomorrow - hopefully the crowd will be behind the lads from the off!

Good points and may well happen.

They'll get a shock when they find out they're playing Rochdale then!

Whoops! I'd better change that then....

 

[Morty01]

Looking near impossible now

 

[Suffering shrimper]

Close the thread

 

[Supershrimper]

Seems like noone outside the top 7 fancies getting in the play offs.

If by some miracle Southend made it I'd worry about our firepower. We look toothless in attack.

Major surgery required on the attacking element of this squad required in the summer. We kept trying to put balls into the box but that's pointless when we haven't got a Corr type player who could competently get their head on the end of things. Invariably when someone does get their head on it it's not headed to goal but an attempted knock down to try and keep passing the ball around.