Jeez....I've not got the time or inclination to read 15 pages of people's largely super critical and derisory comments from yesterday. So, apologies if I'm repeating anything others may have said.
Yes, it was annoying and frustrating in equal parts. Yes, it hurt to lose in the 96th minute of a match that we should have won easily. Yes, one or two players didn't pull their weight. Yes, some of the selection and substitution decisions were odd, and, yes, some of the tactics were baffling.
Kev played that game with a hand tied behind his back, with illness and injuries to key players, so, had to select a team based on what he had available. On paper, that team should still have ripped Sittingbourne apart, and you can't deny we had chances, but, I had the feeling when several had gone begging that it was going to be one of those days, and if the footballing gods are against you, then they're just against you.
I lost count of the number of handballs the officials failed to see, despite being in front of their noses. The goalmouth melees at the South end in the 2nd half should have resulted in a ball poked home.
I like Charlie Kendall but, yesterday, for me, he took one look at their defender who was built like Gary Deegan and decided he didn't fancy it and then never made a challenge thereafter, just ran about. There was no understanding between the front three at all. I know we're all desperate for Tom Hopper to come good, but I don't think he'd have scored in a month of Sundays. Josh Walker was the only one of the front three who looked up for it, and had several decent runs and shots.
Midfield was pretty non existent. Morton is usually a tidy player but his passing was off yesterday unless it was a simple one, and even a couple of those got cut out. KAF easily our best player, but faded badly. Coker should have been brought on much earlier. The two wing backs didn't do badly, and Ralph would have been my other contender for MOTM. Gus put some decent crosses in too.
Defence was where my biggest issues were, Goodliffe is decent, but why drop Golding (edit, didn't know he had a slight knock)? I'm not particularly taken with Gubbins, and thought Taylor had one of his worst performances for us. Would rather have seen Goodliffe and Golding alongside Taylor. Keeper did ok, though some wayward kicking.
I'm not going to blame Bonne for the goal conceded. It was one of those bizarre freakish things that happen sometimes, he's tried to clear the ball, and it's cannoned off their player and into the net. Simple as that. Where I do have an issue is the reason he was back there....why do we defend in numbers that mean there is literally no-one left up the pitch? It means there are extra players in a crowded area so mistakes do happen, and if we clear it, it inevitably comes straight back. Absolutely kills any chance of a quick break and possible goal attack.
We're far too defensive. I know we rely on the aerial prowess of our number 9s defending, but let's leave others up PLEASE.
Sittingbourne didn't really threaten us, I was expecting more from them to be honest, after all the hype. But they have their scalp, and they have their win to progress into the next round. I always like the "little guys" to do well at these stages of cup competitions, so best of luck to them.
) are ridiculous.
pile. Need a week to get over this and once again looking for a reaction at Maidenhead. This one on the players although KM also not blameless for playing 5 defenders in his 3-4-3 formation. UTB
