National league fixtures 28th December

[jacobncfc]

Wrexham the big winners today. And Stockport.

Big old game against Wrexham ain’t it. We’re losing a bit of ground through not playing, but it’s really tightening up ahead of us.

 

[Master D]

Big old game against Wrexham ain’t it. We’re losing a bit of ground through not playing, but it’s really tightening up ahead of us.

We're away in that one so I'm hopeful. But it's against a Brother, we never do anything against those.

 

[Master D]

I couldn’t care less mate I don’t support Chesterfield.

It's gone to extra time.

 

[jacobncfc]

We're away in that one so I'm hopeful. But it's against a Brother, we never do anything against those.

Annoyingly Rodrigues’ never-ending one match yellow card ban has rolled over again for it. We should be well-rested though if nothing else.

 

[Stocky]

Great win for us that.

We're going to be right in the mix. By the sounds of it we should have won by more. Testament to our fitness and character after Wrexham pulling a fake Covid card against Solihull so they didn't have to play BCD which suddenly cleared up 48 hour later for them to play Alty and inadvertently giving Solihull freshness in their legs for today.

We're coming.

 

[GTFCfish]

Secret footage of B2TF’s reaction when Chesterfields equaliser went in:

 

[B2TF]

Disappointing to concede so late, but probably a fair result over the 90 minutes. Ref at one point seemed to award Chesterfield a pen but changed but mind after consulting his linesman....

 

[OneDecentLester]

Disappointing to concede so late, but probably a fair result over the 90 minutes. Ref at one point seemed to award Chesterfield a pen but changed but mind after consulting his linesman....

He was a fucking disgrace, the worst I’ve seen since we came down here and that takes some doing!

 

[B2TF]

He was a fucking disgrace, the worst I’ve seen since we came down here and that takes some doing!

That's what we were saying.

 

[spireite]

Jack Clarke comes back after doing his hamstring... scores an equaliser, then in the dying seconds... re-does his hamstring. Just no luck that lad, what a horrid shame

 

[TheShayWay]

Wrexham the big winners today. And Stockport.

Jack Clarke comes back after doing his hamstring... scores an equaliser, then in the dying seconds... re-does his hamstring. Just no luck that lad, what a horrid shame

Who had the better game. Been stuck at work.

I'm content with a point even though you scored late.

 

[EnglishRed]

Great win for us that.

We're going to be right in the mix. By the sounds of it we should have won by more. Testament to our fitness and character after Wrexham pulling a fake Covid card against Solihull so they didn't have to play BCD which suddenly cleared up 48 hour later for them to play Alty and inadvertently giving Solihull freshness in their legs for today.

We're coming.

 

[Cashis]

Disappointing to concede so late, but probably a fair result over the 90 minutes. Ref at one point seemed to award Chesterfield a pen but changed but mind after consulting his linesman....

Was the correct decision in the end. Williams jumped and handballed it.
Agree draw fair result. Thought we’d go on to win after the equaliser but you stood strong. We look loads better when stop punting it long.

 

[B2TF]

Who had the better game. Been stuck at work.

And there it is! As predicted. The REAL fans sort it with their employer and GET TO THE GAME. This is why I've no time for these fuckers.

 

[karlready]

I was right about it being a run-of - the -mill match, but thriller it obviously wasn’t. Ends Shots unbeaten run, looking to grind out a point by saving players for Woking return match.
Ho hum.

 

[B2TF]

Was the correct decision in the end. Williams jumped and handballed it.
Agree draw fair result. Thought we’d go on to win after the equaliser but you stood strong. We look loads better when stop punting it long.

Thanks, we had had no idea what had happened, being as we were, down the other end.

 

[dan_wrexhamafc]

Comfortable 2-0 win, should of been more. Hopefully Davies is OK for Notts after going off injured. Mullin definitely isn't over his hamstring yet he can't run like he was earlier in the season.

 

[OneDecentLester]

Just home, what a great game that was.. if only there was a competent ref in the middle!!! But I’ll get onto that later…

First half Halifax were excellent and we really looked like a team that had had 17 days off from a game.. slow and lethargic in midfield, defensive mistakes that ended up costing us with a goal for Halifax, poor passing etc. Halifax more than deserved to go into the HT break in front

2nd half a different story, we were outstanding especially from the point Rowe changed the shape and brought Khan on. That lad is fucking dynamite, should start every game we play, he’s so good. You knew that equaliser was coming and it finally did late on with Clarke sweeping home. Just before that though, the ref gave us a pen before completely changing his mind out of nowhere after going to speak to the Lino (who was about 10 x the distance away from the incident than the ref anyway). He was absolutely horrendous, blew his whistle every 10 seconds throughout the whole game, wanted the whole occasion to be about him. Hopefully he’s demoted to Northern Premier league for the weekend after that shambolic display.

Halifax an excellent side, no doubt in my mind they will last the distance and be right in the mix. Solid, aggressive, pace upfront, and some really technical players. Particularly liked your left back, he was non stop all game. Wild seems to be a very good manager who will probably be managing in the FL next year even if Halifax aren’t!!

For us, Gunning and Kerr extremely shaky all first half and cost us a goal. Second half they settled down a bit but Grimes not playing was an absolute joke. He should go straight back into the line up for Saturdays game. Tshimanga led the line well despite not getting much service really, and miller/whittle combined well all game down the left. Best players were Khan and Mandeville for me when they came on, Halifax couldn’t live with either of them. Shame for Clarke if he has done his hamstring again also, such a classy player who always seems to have time on his side during the madness, as shown by his equaliser!!

Good luck for the rest of the season shay men!

 

[dan_wrexhamafc]

Comfortable 2-0 win, should of been more. Hopefully Davies is OK for Notts after going off injured. Mullin definitely isn't over his hamstring yet he can't run like he was earlier in the season.

Davies dislocated his shoulder according to Red Passion. Few weeks out if true which kills any goal threat from midfield.

 

[TheEndIsNigh]

Oooh big results for Stockport and Wrexham, maybe Halifax are going to stay in contention for longer than we all thought.

No Wrexham game for me, I’ve tested positive, though if that Woking wanker is right maybe I should go anyway…

 

[AJS]

Real top of the table clash that. Both teams looked nervy at times but there was evidently some quality on show and overall I’d say a fair result.

Thought the ref was absolutely dreadful for both teams. Never looked like a penalty even from our end. Our players were absolutely livid and it presumably got correctly overturned by the Lino. Some bizarre decisions for both teams in and amongst.

Thought we shaded the first half and Chesterfield equaliser in the second half was always coming despite how well we were defending. We have this awful knack of sitting back on a one goal lead after an hour and it came back to bite us today.

Both teams will probably be happy with a point in the circumstances.

 

[AJS]

Just home, what a great game that was.. if only there was a competent ref in the middle!!! But I’ll get onto that later…

First half Halifax were excellent and we really looked like a team that had had 17 days off from a game.. slow and lethargic in midfield, defensive mistakes that ended up costing us with a goal for Halifax, poor passing etc. Halifax more than deserved to go into the HT break in front

2nd half a different story, we were outstanding especially from the point Rowe changed the shape and brought Khan on. That lad is fucking dynamite, should start every game we play, he’s so good. You knew that equaliser was coming and it finally did late on with Clarke sweeping home. Just before that though, the ref gave us a pen before completely changing his mind out of nowhere after going to speak to the Lino (who was about 10 x the distance away from the incident than the ref anyway). He was absolutely horrendous, blew his whistle every 10 seconds throughout the whole game, wanted the whole occasion to be about him. Hopefully he’s demoted to Northern Premier league for the weekend after that shambolic display.

Halifax an excellent side, no doubt in my mind they will last the distance and be right in the mix. Solid, aggressive, pace upfront, and some really technical players. Particularly liked your left back, he was non stop all game. Wild seems to be a very good manager who will probably be managing in the FL next year even if Halifax aren’t!!

For us, Gunning and Kerr extremely shaky all first half and cost us a goal. Second half they settled down a bit but Grimes not playing was an absolute joke. He should go straight back into the line up for Saturdays game. Tshimanga led the line well despite not getting much service really, and miller/whittle combined well all game down the left. Best players were Khan and Mandeville for me when they came on, Halifax couldn’t live with either of them. Shame for Clarke if he has done his hamstring again also, such a classy player who always seems to have time on his side during the madness, as shown by his equaliser!!

Good luck for the rest of the season shay men!

Good summary that. Think we will both be up there at the end of the season!

 

[TheShayWay]

Just home, what a great game that was.. if only there was a competent ref in the middle!!! But I’ll get onto that later…

First half Halifax were excellent and we really looked like a team that had had 17 days off from a game.. slow and lethargic in midfield, defensive mistakes that ended up costing us with a goal for Halifax, poor passing etc. Halifax more than deserved to go into the HT break in front

2nd half a different story, we were outstanding especially from the point Rowe changed the shape and brought Khan on. That lad is fucking dynamite, should start every game we play, he’s so good. You knew that equaliser was coming and it finally did late on with Clarke sweeping home. Just before that though, the ref gave us a pen before completely changing his mind out of nowhere after going to speak to the Lino (who was about 10 x the distance away from the incident than the ref anyway). He was absolutely horrendous, blew his whistle every 10 seconds throughout the whole game, wanted the whole occasion to be about him. Hopefully he’s demoted to Northern Premier league for the weekend after that shambolic display.

Halifax an excellent side, no doubt in my mind they will last the distance and be right in the mix. Solid, aggressive, pace upfront, and some really technical players. Particularly liked your left back, he was non stop all game. Wild seems to be a very good manager who will probably be managing in the FL next year even if Halifax aren’t!!

For us, Gunning and Kerr extremely shaky all first half and cost us a goal. Second half they settled down a bit but Grimes not playing was an absolute joke. He should go straight back into the line up for Saturdays game. Tshimanga led the line well despite not getting much service really, and miller/whittle combined well all game down the left. Best players were Khan and Mandeville for me when they came on, Halifax couldn’t live with either of them. Shame for Clarke if he has done his hamstring again also, such a classy player who always seems to have time on his side during the madness, as shown by his equaliser!!

Good luck for the rest of the season shay men!

Thankyou for the kind words. Something feels different about our group this season. More steel about us as well as the quality. I think we might fall short of the title but no doubt in my mind we have a very good shot at getting 2nd or 3rd.

Very good point for us. I had a feeling you'd get us in the end. I just hoped we wouldn't concede again ala Wrexham at home.

Onto Wild. Great manager how he assembles a competitive squad every season on a shoestring budget is fantastic. When our better players keep getting taken every summer. Got a bright future in the game. He's a tendency to sit on goal leads though only fault I can pinpoint.

 

[Stocky]

As predicted, Torquay, Bromley and Altrincham all lost due to their disadvantage.

Some win for us to buck the obvious disadvantage. Challinor was supposedly extra animated at the end which I can understand because he has not only beaten 11 Solihull warriors today but he's also beaten corruption. And the whole league should celebrate that.

 

[SpireiteDan]

About right, that result. Stepped it up in the 2nd half but if i'm honest, i didn't think the goal was going to come due to a combination of good defending by Halifax and a ref who was determined to be the star of the show. Thankfully Clarke was on hand to put the ball away when the chance came, he had looked really good when he came on, really hoping the lad hasn't done his hamstring again but it didn't look good.

I think a neutral would have got their money's worth there, a good advert for the NL.

 

[GTFCfish]

Disappointing to concede so late, but probably a fair result over the 90 minutes. Ref at one point seemed to award Chesterfield a pen but changed but mind after consulting his linesman....

That's what we were saying.

And there it is! As predicted. The REAL fans sort it with their employer and GET TO THE GAME. This is why I've no time for these fuckers.

Thanks, we had had no idea what had happened, being as we were, down the other end.

You’re trying way too hard to convince people that you were actually there, maybe if you didn’t have form for lying about going to away games people would believe you.

 

[SuperHans]

Disappointing to concede so late, but probably a fair result over the 90 minutes. Ref at one point seemed to award Chesterfield a pen but changed but mind after consulting his linesman....

Strange game.

1st half Rowe got the selection all wrong and Halifax out manned us in midfield. 2nd half I think we deserved to go on and win the game. Can’t believe the ref overturned what seemed a blatant handball based on the advice of a linesman 40 yards away from the incident but such is non league football.

 

[ForzaCounty]

Massive win that, first time this season we've entered the playoffs (thanks, Steve Rusk)

Could have been much more, had two disallowed and had clearances off the line.

As an aside, the current top 4 are our final four games of the season... lot of football to come between now & then but still, it's going to be a cracking season

 

[Stocky]

Massive win that, first time this season we've entered the playoffs (thanks, Steve Rusk)

Could have been much more, had two disallowed and had clearances off the line.

As an aside, the current top 4 are our final four games of the season... lot of football to come between now & then but still, it's going to be a cracking season

We're getting better all the time under Challinor. On our day we'll beat anyone at this level. As said, our fixtures look sweet for the rest of winter barring maybe a rearranged Chesterfield game. And then we have a tough ending but I think by that time our team might be so gelled, we'll be wanting to play all these 6 pointers.

 

[eightiesrobin]

Ugh, now something like 1 win in 15. Actually quite hard to see from where the next win is coming.

In our last spell at this level, we managed to get ourselves relegated from a vey similar position to that which we hold currently, in the "difficult second season" of 2015/2016.

The difference this year is that there are only 2 relegation spots, and it feels like Kings Lynn are nailed on for one of them. Meh.