Rockford's Love Child
Member
- Joined
- 15 Mar 2010
- Messages
- 13,905
- Player
- Jason Koumas / John Morrissey
- Manager
- John King
I think we just about deserved that. We were excellent in the first half, playing by far the better football, and should have gone in more than one goal ahead. However. Cheltenham regrouped at half time and dominated for most of the second period, albeit we had two or three great opportunities to finish the game on the break.
In the first half I thought Smith and Jennings ran the game, linking up almost telepathically at times. Both full backs got forward very well, and our attacks were fluid and full of pace and energy. Cheltenham had offered little, but after half time they kept it much better and their number 20, who reminded me a bit of Andrade, was the most influential player on the pitch. He took Smith out of the game by forcing him to run back to his own goal, with Mellon responding, firstly by bringing on Tollitt, and then switching to 433, to try and get a foothold in the game.
In terms of missed chances, it would be easy to criticise Norwood for the two one-on-ones he missed in the second half, but he can't put away every chance he gets. The other attacking players are going to have to step up with goals in the weeks ahead, and hopefully Smith, Stockton and others will break their duck soon.
Individually, I thought Smith was brilliant in the first half but ran out of steam in the second, similar to the Stevenage game last week. Jennings was very good again, and Banks was classy and cultured throughout. Stockton did better than last week, working hard and forcing one good save from the keeper. At the back, I thought McNulty was an absolute rock and Monthe did fine when replacing the injured Sutton.
I would say there have been encouraging signs from the first two matches, with a lot of the football really good to watch, but I still think we are couple of players short of really challenging at this level: a classier midfielder to accompany Banks and more support for Norwood up front (not that I am writing Cole and Mullin off).
Man of the match, Steve McNulty, closely followed by Jennings and Banks.
A good start ahead of two very tough tests in the next week.
In the first half I thought Smith and Jennings ran the game, linking up almost telepathically at times. Both full backs got forward very well, and our attacks were fluid and full of pace and energy. Cheltenham had offered little, but after half time they kept it much better and their number 20, who reminded me a bit of Andrade, was the most influential player on the pitch. He took Smith out of the game by forcing him to run back to his own goal, with Mellon responding, firstly by bringing on Tollitt, and then switching to 433, to try and get a foothold in the game.
In terms of missed chances, it would be easy to criticise Norwood for the two one-on-ones he missed in the second half, but he can't put away every chance he gets. The other attacking players are going to have to step up with goals in the weeks ahead, and hopefully Smith, Stockton and others will break their duck soon.
Individually, I thought Smith was brilliant in the first half but ran out of steam in the second, similar to the Stevenage game last week. Jennings was very good again, and Banks was classy and cultured throughout. Stockton did better than last week, working hard and forcing one good save from the keeper. At the back, I thought McNulty was an absolute rock and Monthe did fine when replacing the injured Sutton.
I would say there have been encouraging signs from the first two matches, with a lot of the football really good to watch, but I still think we are couple of players short of really challenging at this level: a classier midfielder to accompany Banks and more support for Norwood up front (not that I am writing Cole and Mullin off).
Man of the match, Steve McNulty, closely followed by Jennings and Banks.
A good start ahead of two very tough tests in the next week.