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Post by 61666 on Mar 7, 2022 10:29:36 GMT
So, it's Saturday and Tuesday for the next couple of weeks. No idea what Braintree are like, but can only hope they at least try to play football. Third in the form table, but far better at home than away. If their ground and pitch haven't improved since I went there, maybe that is why. Certainly hope to see Booty and Hadler back in the starting eleven. Whether it is Odusanya, Powell or even Phillips taking the other midfield slot is an interesting choice for Hak. Dom and Johl both did well, especially in the second half on Saturday. A clean sheet and a couple of goals for us would be nice - six would put us top of the league🤫🤫🤫🤫
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Braintree
Mar 7, 2022 15:38:11 GMT
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Post by swampy on Mar 7, 2022 15:38:11 GMT
Ryan Maxwell the Braintree Manager has today been announced as the Manager of the Month for February. So if there is such a thing as a curse then finger's crossed.
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Post by eclipse on Mar 7, 2022 15:49:48 GMT
Yes Braintree have picked up of late, their last 5 games all finished 1-0, 4 wins 1 loss, so going for 2-1 Stones with 2100 in attendance with dry weather forecast and 8°
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Post by sword65 on Mar 7, 2022 18:05:27 GMT
Alas once again I will be absent as I battle my asthma demons. I think it will depend on just how fit the boys are after their exertions on Saturday. I think it will be tight but we will win by the odd goal in 3. Attendance , well Braintree will bring a dozen and so I will go for 2012.
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Post by Benny on Mar 7, 2022 19:56:36 GMT
Dour 1-0 Maidstone win. Attendance 1801.
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Post by jdl on Mar 7, 2022 23:30:05 GMT
When I first pencilled this in on my calendar, I naively thought "easy game" - after all, it's only Braintree, and they were in the bottom three at the time. But, as others have pointed out, their recent/current form is nothing like their league placing!
Potentially a hard game - and then maybe an even harder one at their (shitty) place. And in-between we get Slough away - never an easy game - Hamlet (currently 6th in the table), and then St Bloody Albans, currently 7th!! Who's have thought that in a run of six games, Havant and Waterlooville would be the one I was least worried about?! A few weeks ago, I thought we had a much easier run-in than Dorking...
Still, I suppose you don't get promoted if you can't win even difficult games.
Prediction? 6-0, of course. Champions!
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Post by holysmokes66 on Mar 8, 2022 9:04:17 GMT
When I first pencilled this in on my calendar, I naively thought "easy game" - after all, it's only Braintree, and they were in the bottom three at the time. But, as others have pointed out, their recent/current form is nothing like their league placing! Potentially a hard game - and then maybe an even harder one at their (shitty) place. And in-between we get Slough away - never an easy game - Hamlet (currently 6th in the table), and then St Bloody Albans, currently 7th!! Who's have thought that in a run of six games, Havant and Waterlooville would be the one I was least worried about?! A few weeks ago, I thought we had a much easier run-in than Dorking... Still, I suppose you don't get promoted if you can't win even difficult games. Prediction? 6-0, of course. Champions! I remember Max Rushden said once that when you look at your teams calendar and see games in hand, you automatically just assume you're going to win them. The storyline for the past few weeks has been beat Dorking and we go joint top. Now we didn't, the Hungerford game became huge and this little game in hand against lowly Braintree has become massive to keep pace in the league. I'm going 1-0 Stones. It won't be good, it won't be fun, and it certainly won't be pretty, but with Booty back in the side and the wind in our sails after Saturday's comeback, we'll have enough to get it over the line.
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Braintree
Mar 8, 2022 11:22:38 GMT
via mobile
jdl likes this
Post by pinkpanther on Mar 8, 2022 11:22:38 GMT
So, it's Saturday and Tuesday for the next couple of weeks. No idea what Braintree are like, but can only hope they at least try to play football. I saw them lose at Dulwich ten days ago (their only defeat in the last ten games) and they're a horrible team to watch and play against. I wouldn't expect a team in a relegation battle to play fancy stuff but they're on a par with Hungerford and Havant in the "anti-football" stakes. They had no individual flair apart from one winger (Da Costa) who went off injured just after Dulwich scored the only goal after 28 minutes. It was all about battling and teamwork and making it hard for the other team to play, even when they were behind for over an hour. The pen pictures for their players suggest they're basically an Isthmian League standard squad, in which case the manager is probably doing a good job against the odds with a minimal budget.
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Post by jdl on Mar 8, 2022 11:40:50 GMT
So, it's Saturday and Tuesday for the next couple of weeks. No idea what Braintree are like, but can only hope they at least try to play football. I saw them lose at Dulwich ten days ago (their only defeat in the last ten games) and they're a horrible team to watch and play against. I wouldn't expect a team in a relegation battle to play fancy stuff but they're on a par with Hungerford and Havant in the "anti-football" stakes. They had no individual flair apart from one winger (Da Costa) who went off injured just after Dulwich scored the only goal after 28 minutes. It was all about battling and teamwork and making it hard for the other team to play, even when they were behind for over an hour. The pen pictures for their players suggest they're basically an Isthmian League standard squad, in which case the manager is probably doing a good job against the odds with a minimal budget. That sounds horribly familiar. What is it about Essex teams?! Hoppefully these days we've got what it takes to unlock that sort of defence, but I fear another grindingly frustrating 90 minutes.
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Post by steveh21 on Mar 8, 2022 12:04:46 GMT
The key against these anti-football teams like Hungerford is to score early.. really go at them. If you get in front it is harder for them to employ their spoiling tactics. We tried it Saturday for first 10 mins but couldn't put the ball in the net. You do wonder if the players really enjoy playing for such negative sides? Although winding up the crowd is all a bit pantomime.
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Post by grovergreenstone on Mar 8, 2022 16:03:58 GMT
Not that is will be in place tonight, but does anyone know what the Gallagher Stadium Capacity is when fan segregation is in place ?
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Braintree
Mar 8, 2022 19:07:53 GMT
via mobile
Post by 61666 on Mar 8, 2022 19:07:53 GMT
Booty and Hadler back. Good.
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Braintree
Mar 8, 2022 21:46:50 GMT
via mobile
Post by 61666 on Mar 8, 2022 21:46:50 GMT
That feels like a very good win and keeping a clean sheet almost as important. Well done everybody!
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Post by Nick on Mar 8, 2022 22:09:39 GMT
Not the best performance of the season by a long way with the lads still looking a bit leggy after their efforts on Saturday. Not an awful lot between the teams either with few chances created over 90 minutes. So it was all pretty tight and when the goal came 6 minutes from time from our Spanish wizard, it was almost a surprise. As always the boys worked their socks off and if they wernt as quick or fluent as usual, they kept trying to play football. Ultimately it is the 3 points that matter and very grateful we are for them. Another very good result against a resolute and well organized Braintree.
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Post by pwoodstone on Mar 8, 2022 22:25:51 GMT
Agree with Nick. Pretty average performance but I think much of the reason for that was the effort and organisation of Braintree. I thought they were excellent. If they’d had a Luque they could have scored a couple. Their tricky winger was a bit wasteful and ours was clutch.
What a goal by the way. The pass, the first touch and finish was proper class. That’s what it took to break them down .
Massive 3 points.
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