Torquay United v Grimsby Town – Saturday 18th October

[brucie]

Greybeardgull - Rice isn't a professional goalkeeper. He isn't good enough. By all accounts yesterday he berated his centre half for his own cock up. Berated a fan when he kicked a ball into touch and had the away supporters openly taking the piss out of him.
I am sorry but the blokes form (and sanity) seem to have gone out of the window. He has made so many howlers in the last few weeks he has lost the plot completely.
He has let in three sitters at Telford. At fault for the first goal at Forest Green when he didn't come off his line, Made a hash of the Wrexham goal, cocked up for the Alfreton goal (disallowed) got beaten on his near post for Alfretons fourth, and let in another two yesterday.
The only thing I cannot understand is how he is still in the team.
It is nonsensical to suggest that the forwards/outfield players have any fault in this. How many free kicks is Luke Young supposed to score each game? or does Downes have to score five headed goals from corners per game just to cover for Coco the Clowns ability to hand the oppostion two or three goals every game.
Clearly goals change the complexion of games - we have fought back twice yesterday only for Coco Rice to still hand the points to the opposition.
He is a liability he has to go.

[brucie]

Fl's post has just had me in stitches.

[tomogull]

I just try to be honest with what I write about games, but it has to be remembered at the back end of last season most of us agreed Martin Rice was the most improved player at the club, at the start of this season he was making the difference between 3 pts and 1 pt with some superb displays I haven't forgotten that.

But there's no hiding from the fact of late he's dropped more than a few clangers, yesterday I looked at the Grimsby keeper and not just focussing on saves he made, but his all around domination of his area, crosses, corners a keeper who knew what he needed to do, and his defenders had complete confidence in him, the Grimsby keeper who looked fully confident all game.

Martin Rice, again I sorry to say this because he has been good for us recently, looked like a scared rabbit. That said no blame can be put on Martin Rice at all for their first goal, but the second indecision, and their 3rd, not just the fumble but the fact he appeared to dive backwards, which any keeper will tell you is a major fault, all keepers are coached to push their weight forwards on a dive, you then dive forward and narrow the angle.

I'm not going point any finger of blame at CH, as said on another thread he has a very limited budget, he still has a number of major wage earners from last season at the club, he has to get the wage bill down, we have Seabright, saw some of him in pre-season, he looks a younger version of Ricey, not he answer, and with 2 fit keepers CH can not justify going into the loan market, it is what it is, we got relegated we're non-league, our income after this season will drop massively.

You may be right about Grimsby's first goal because John-Lewis finished well. Maybe you had a better view of the goal than me (standing on about the halfway line) but it looked as if Rice was horribly slow coming off his line thus making the striker's job easier. On the question of finances, I agree it's a very fine balance. But for at least the last two matches, the usual gate of about 2000 has been swelled to over 2300. That's an extra £6000+ per home match in the coffers. If we begin to drop down the league, many of those 300 will drift away again. They're what we call the fickle fans.

Sadly, the differences between the Grimsby keeper (and the Wrexham keeper) and Martin Rice were clear to see as you wrote in your post - all round domination of his area, crosses, corners etc. Yet if we go down the loan route which to be honest I think we will have to, we could end up having a succession of keepers as we did one season when two or three keepers were recalled at short notice (I think it was the season when that useless Icelandic keeper played about two games and then was sent packing). Yet as Brucie posted a couple of weeks back, if we're going to challenge for promotion, we must have a reliable keeper. It really is a dilemma.

Another poster wrote that he didn't think Rice has the right temperament to be a good keeper and I think there's a lot of truth in that. After Young's winning free kick against Wrexham, Rice charged over to the Pop side shaking his fists and pumping his chest. He did the same on Saturday when Downes equalised. If you watch most top keepers, they keep calm and show little emotion. Rice seems to get too hyped up and it seems to affect his judgement.

[Dave]

tomogull, will have to watch the first goal back on video, the reason why I say the first goal wasn't down to Martin Rice, from memory and the view I had top step near the half way line, was our defender not sure who, was the wrong side of John-Lewis, and it was to far out for Martin Rice to come of his line for, good ball in, good finish.

Your right, having a top keeper wins points, wins games, not doubting that, but as said all weekend, as a club we are where we are, the time gamble big style was last January in League 2, that was time to gamble money on retaining our league status instead of forking around with those time wasting free loans (note those who want a free loan keeper) so the club takes it's last £50k and brings in a top keeper, maybe a centre half and perhaps a forward if there's anything left, well that would be like staking £50k on red 25 down the casino, if the ball drops into red 25 and we win promotion great, if it doesn't like not winning promotion, we lose everything, including the club. After all the parachute payment is for one season.

[hector]

I didn't particularly think Grimsby's 1st goal was down to Rice, but their 2nd and 3rd most certainly were, plus Wrexham's in the previous home game, plus goals against Alfreton, Telford, and against Dover (but the forward missed an open goal). Just too many errors.

[tomogull]

I didn't particularly think Grimsby's 1st goal was down to Rice, but their 2nd and 3rd most certainly were, plus Wrexham's in the previous home game, plus goals against Alfreton, Telford, and against Dover (but the forward missed an open goal). Just too many errors.

Yes - I'm getting the first and second goals muddled. It was the second goal where he was too slow coming off his line.

[ferrarilover]

He was too bloody quick coming off his life for the second one. Downer was in total control of that situation. All the bloke could do was what he did, poke it towards goal at 0.00000000000000000000000003mph. Because knobhead had come haring needlessly off his line, the ball trickled,embarrassingly, into the unguarded net.

Matt.

[lesgtfc]

The ball did go over the line, the fan reaction gave it away, every single Grimsby fan cheered that in the same instance, a dead give away, plus spoke to my Grimsby town mate, he said it was over but not by much. Comedy moment half way through the second half when the Ton fans started singing ' Nice one Ricey, nice one son'

Just back home in Grimsby Dave having stayed at Petes last night. Was great to meet you, Martin and Billy again.

You should really have been out of sight before we scored but McKeown (who was voted "Best Keeper in The Conference" on a non-league forum for the past 2 seasons) kept us in it. Whatever happens this season, I guarantee he'll be playing league football next season. Thought we were a bit lucky to get away with a couple of handball shouts too, the other way round I'd have been screaming for them.

When our winner went in I immediately called it in but I expected to look over at the lino and seeing him waving play on. It wasn't over by much but it was definitely over, so fair play to him for that.

I disagree on the comedy moment though. I also liked the "Ricey, Ricey Man of the Match" chant but the best one for me was when one of our fans shouted at him "Bring your Uncle Ben next game, he'll do a better job"

Anyway, might or might not see you again next season. Would be nice if it were in League 2 though.

[tomogull]

You should really have been out of sight before we scored but McKeown (who was voted "Best Keeper in The Conference" on a non-league forum for the past 2 seasons) kept us in it. Whatever happens this season, I guarantee he'll be playing league football next season. Thought we were a bit lucky to get away with a couple of handball shouts too, the other way round I'd have been screaming for them.

When our winner went in I immediately called it in but I expected to look over at the lino and seeing him waving play on. It wasn't over by much but it was definitely over, so fair play to him for that.

I disagree on the comedy moment though. I also liked the "Ricey, Ricey Man of the Match" chant but the best one for me was when one of our fans shouted at him "Bring your Uncle Ben next game, he'll do a better job"

Anyway, might or might not see you again next season. Would be nice if it were in League 2 though.

Cracking game on Saturday - shame about the wrong result ! The Mariners should be up there in the mix again at the end of the season. I can see why McKeown has been voted the best non-league keeper for two seasons. Also impressed with your no. 4 - Brown - and the bloke sponsored by a well known store ..... er, John-Lewis. Glad we don't have to play you again this season (until the play-offs, maybe) - three points each, that's fair I suppose - good luck for the rest of the season.

[brucie]

Yep - if he keeps scoring goals like that he is going to put himself in the shop window

[Dave]

Just back home in Grimsby Dave having stayed at Petes last night. Was great to meet you, Martin and Billy again.

Indeed it was, of course the honour of spending time with me before the game was all yours and brother Pete's..

[tomogull]

Yep - if he keeps scoring goals like that he is going to put himself in the shop window

That's TERRIBLE Brucie. You should be banned for that .......

[eastmoorgull]

I'm sure Reading and their sponsors are watching him