Reaction to the Cheltenham game
By Nathan Jackson
October 8 2005
We bring you the random smattering of reactions to Cheltenham's "smash and grab" victory at Sincil Bank on Friday. The game was controlled by City but Cheltenham's usual awkward formation meant that the Imps couldn't find a break through and Cheltenham scored with their only decent chance.
Let's face it, it wasn't a surprise. It just had that inevitable feeling and if any of our players could have hit a barn door tonight, we'd have won very comfortably. Cheltenham came with a plan and too their credit, made it work absolutly perfectly. The only thing I have against their tactics is that they are dirty as hell. I can't recall seeing a team give away so many fouls that weren't punished. However, as I said, although they were lucky not to conceed, they probably did deserve the points.
THere are few positives to come out of tonight and I am still confused as to why we have brought Butcher back. If you added his forward runs, shots, passes, challenges made and minutes he looked like he could be arse, I very much doubt you'd get into double figures. He was exactly the same after his injury in 2003/4, before that, he was arguably our best player but to be honest, I can't see why we brought him back.
Without trying to sound harsh to Ollie Ryan, because I like him but I'm just curious as to why he started the game? It was a fairly odd time to give him his first start for the club and maybe the LDV, FA Cup or even the Carling Cup would have been a better platform for him but he still did quite well considering and had 2 sitters that he really should have scored but it just signals the difference between the reserves and the first team. However, we respect that he needs the games so we'll leave it at that for now.
As for Raynor, overall in the 3 games, he's done fairly well I though, didn't do much wrong and his kicking was about as iratic as Marriott's but I don't think he's done enough to nudge Alan from the number 1 spot and Alan will more than likely retake his place in goal in next weeks game against Orient.
"I'm disappointed with the result, especially as we played well at time"
"They've come away, sat behind the ball and sent in a set piece for the goal. I'm disappointed with the marking but there's nothing you can do about that."
"At home, we've got to do better"
"Ollie was tiring towards the end but I was delighted with his performance and will be a prospect for the future.
"We came here to do a job and we did it and I'm delighted to pick up the 3 points despite not being as in the game as I would like. This is a difficult place to come and not many sides will come away with maximum points. Our season has started well and I'm delighted with some of the results and hopefully we can now push on and cement a playoff place.
John Ward, manager, Cheltenham Town.
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"We couldn't field a single central midfielder last night and that's where we lost the game. Had Easter, Boshell, Wolski, Singh and Raynes been playing our performance would have been very different." | |
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"Can't be doing Franny Greens confidence much good when Keith puts Hughes on upfront instead of him and he then mistimes a tackle and we're 1-0 down." Ian Greaves !It wasn't Butcher, but simply we were out muscled by a team whom play a similar style to us, but were bigger and stronger tonight and very difficult to break down. |
