Stevenage Last Saturday

[JEFF]

I can't find any comments about the performance last Saturday at Stevenage, so i will make my own observations. I thought that the defence played O.K. against Hereford so I wonder why Coley made three changes. We ran them ragged in the first half taking the mikckey out of them in the last quarter of an hour. Danny Ventre does not come out for the second half so instead of replacing him with another defender we drop Jaggers to full back and bring on Boco. Coley keeps saying that we must sort out the defence but he keeps tinkering with it. Any comments ?

[maccawozzagod]

I agree wholeheartedly. I wasn't at the game but it seemed a strange decision to me. I aint read the match report neither as of yet, but it does seem to me that Jaggers is playing well at the moment, scoring and causing problems. I f we have defensive cover it should be used and let the forwards play as forwards. If you remember Chris Grimshaw playing, he was the best attacking right back in the league but a country mile, but strangely the worst defender as well. Also he had the near post on corners....... responsible job for someone 5'2". What position does Jags take up on corners?

[LongLostSon]

I was so dis-appointed coming away from Stevenage at the weekend, that I resolved not to post until the gloom had lifted to reveal the bright spots. It still hasn't so I'll have my two-pennoth. Being based down south, it was my only view since the Cambridge debacle. Met my Accy resident cousin in the stand and heard all about the encouraging displays at home of late. So who were these imposters who turned up at Stevenage ? First 20 mins resembled any Sunday pub league game with passing pidgeons in greater danger than the 'keepers. Then settled down and thought we looked marginally better until an over physical home team paid for one foul too many. Remarked at the time they went down to 10 that now we're in trouble. Initially we got the lead and started spraying the ball around as to overwork their 10 and probe for an openning. One clearance off the line was the nearest we came and what 'shots' ? we managed were a bit powderpuff. Queued at the tea hut at half time hearing the conf scores from a Stanleybrother next to me. Strolled back to my seat wondering if we could avenge last season here. Don't know why the change in personnel, but assumed John was opting for an extra attacker, seeing that even with 11 they hadn't really caused much concern to the defence. What happened was that they were really up for it in the 2nd half and we didn't have the experience to know how to play against 10.
When the home fans chanted "you don't know what you're doing", I honestly didn't know whether they were addressing Stanley or the lady ref ! Their first - Dibbs couldn't hold a shot, which their attacker anticipated and two defenders didn't. Their second - thought it was a clear dive for the pen, but once beaten our lad must play the odds and not attempt a futile challenge from behind , didn't give the team a chance to defend the situation. The third was just a bizarre o.g and typified a muppet 2nd half display." 1 - 0 and you c--ked it up" sang the oppo fans - they were right ! Struck me that our side is relatively young and lacked a midfield general to organise, a la Marshy - wonder if Peter Reid's doing owt these days ?. Had laughed at the stupidsticious Stevenege keeper kissing each post and crossbar before the game - having witnessed two poor 3 - 1 defeats this term, am considering banning myself from the Grays game in case it's me thats the problem - getlostson not longlostson !