Braintree v Torquay United

[Dave]

The team go into this match off the back of what can only be described as a disappointing home defeat at the hands of Lincoln, this coupled with 1 win in Kevin Nicolson's 8 games so far has seen fans in some quarters call for Nicho to be replaced. Not going to speculate on how much Nicho gets paid or what length of contract he has, there will be a payoff here however small, and on the level of wages believed to be on offer not entirely sure who the club would attract down here, there is a reason why Paul Cox is now on a 3 year contract at Barrow and not at Torquay.

Shout and scream all we like, such a move to replace Kevin Nicholson would be counterproductive, rather than blowing the last few pennies on getting rid, in my opinion the club would be better served by seeing if there was someone out there with the experience who could come in as a consultant to help push things in the right direction.

No doubt we're in trouble now, Boreham Wood gained an excellent home point to Lincoln Wednesday, that leaves us 5 points behind safety with the halfway point of the season upon us, we're at a crossroads now, stating the obvious this could go two ways, it isn't to late to save ourselves, but we MUST now win match's, draws don't help us, otherwise we're going to be left with a mountain to climb.

When you're down the bottom every game seems like another huge test, and a visit to Cressing road home of Braintree is probably the last place we want to go right now. Braintree have coped well since there promotion to the non-league top flight, last season 14th place finish is their lowest finish yet, 2013-14 saw them miss out on the play-off's by just 3 points.

The Iron went into this season with a lot of questions being asked of them, the departure of successful manager Alan Devonshire had a lot of people outside of their club wondering how they would fair, the appointment of Dan Cowley seems to have worked for them, despite falling to three defeats in August, Braintree have only lost twice in the 14 games played since, and are currently sat 8th on 36 points.

In Cheek and Davis The Iron have two goal scorers with 14 goals between them, Cheek hit a hat trick in Briantree's last league outing, which ended up with The Iron picking up a 6.3 away win at FC Halifax.

For Gulls fans attending the match

http://www.braintreetownfc.org.uk/map.html

Braintree top goalscorer's

Michael Cheek 8
Kenny Davis 6
Simeon Akinola 3
Dan Sparkes 3
Anthony Edgar 2
Sammie Szmodics 2
Sean Marks 1
Taylor Miles 1
Alex Woodyard 1

Current form

Braintree; D-W-L-W-D-W

10 Oct Braintree 0 - 0 Grimsby
13 Oct Braintree 1 - 0 Dover Athlet.
17 Oct Lincoln City 2 - 0 Braintree
31 Oct Braintree 1 - 0 Macclesfield
10 Nov Woking 1 - 1 Braintree
14 Nov Halifax Town 3 - 6 Braintree

Last time out

Halifax Town 3 - 6 Braintree

01 Norris
07 Brundle
02 Clerima
08 Davis
03 Habergham (Fry - 46' )
05 Paine
04 Isaac
30 Woodyard
11 Sparkes (Miles - 71' )
23 Cheek (Marks - 74' )
28 Szmodics

Substitutes
06 Fry
09 Marks
12 Sekajja
14 Miles
22 Edgar

Braintree Town manager Danny Cowley has looked at his team's postponed fixture against Kidderminster Harriers in a positive way


“I think the positives of having the game called off certainly outweigh the negatives.

“We’re in a good position with things going well and when you are battling like that, you just want to keep playing, but I think it’s important to see both points of view and we are viewing it in a positive way.

“We have just tried to make the most of the additional time that we’ve been given.

“On Saturday, we took the lads to the 3G pitch at Braintree Leisure Centre and had a really good training session with them then I went to Aldershot-Wrexham and Nicky went to Welling-Southport so we got to see four more teams in action.

“I then went to Woking-Tranmere on Tuesday and Nicky then went to Boreham Wood-Lincoln last night as we’ve got them coming up over the next few weeks and it was a chance to see them first-hand.

“So to get those games in and three training sessions – three really focused sessions – is great as it allows us to keep moving forward as a group.

“We’ve been doing work with the ball, without the ball and been able to learn more about sides coming up.

http://www.braintreeandwithamtimes.co.u ... d_fixture/



From a Torquay United point of view


Smith will return from suspension, and Verma should be fit to return to the line up, however with Campion returning to Port Vale and Marsh still suspended United will be short up front. One things for certain Torquay will have to defend better in this game, if we look at the first and third goals last week, I think it was pretty insulting to schoolboy footballers all over the land to describe those goals, as schoolboy defending, they were worse than that, being over critical the second goal should have been stopped as well.

We've conceded goals from corners and both direct and in-direct free-kicks all season, will a change to, two deep lying midfielders solve a problem, will a change to Christmas tree, diamond or interchanging this that and the other magical formations change anything, no it won't, our team will still concede set pieces which they can't defend for toffee.

Magical formations don't win you games, getting the simple basis right does, bit disappointing when we consider the fact TUFC has two defenders on it's coaching staff that our team can't and has not improved on the very basics of defending.

Current form


Torquay United; W-D-D-D-L-L

10 Oct Southport 0 - 1 Torquay Utd
13 Oct Woking 2 - 2 Torquay Utd
17 Oct Torquay Utd 1 - 1 Grimsby
31 Oct Altrincham 1 - 1 Torquay Utd
14 Nov Barrow 4 - 0 Torquay Utd
21 Nov Torquay Utd 1 - 3 Lincoln City

Last time out

Torquay Utd 1 - 3 Lincoln City

21 Lavercombe
29 Berry
05 MacDonald Booked
16 Richards Booked
24 Nicholson
23 Gerring
11 Murombedzi
26 Heslop
03 Butler
07 Briscoe (Fairhurst - 63' )
27 Campion (Wright - 56' )

Substitutes
01 Spiess
09 Fairhurst
12 Carmichael
15 Prynn
28 Wright

United ready for Braintree Town trip...


We know that we have to be on it,” said player-manager, Kevin Nicholson. “Too many of our players switched off at the wrong time in our last game and gifted a good team three goals.

“You can’t afford to do that; it was a reasonably good performance against Lincoln which was blighted by three costly mistakes.

“Before our last couple of games we had been on a four-game unbeaten League run and we have to remember what we did to achieve that.

“We did the simple things well. We didn’t try to over-complicate anything and our concentration levels were good.

“My job is to show the lads the way and they have been open to that. Each individual has to do their job as well as possible.

“At any level you have to do the basics well.

“Braintree Town have done well over the past couple of seasons. They have more finesse now than previously, but this is a great opportunity for us to go away and look to secure some points.

“We’re going to have to play a certain way in order to achieve the results that we desire, but there is no right or wrong way in football as long as you win.”

Read more at http://www.torquayunited.com/news/artic ... soQtT8L.99

Head to Head meetings


English Conference

20.12.2014 Braintree Town 2-0 Torquay United
17.03.2015 Torquay United 1-5 Braintree Town

[nickbrod]

What you didn't add is that the players travelled to Essex today in their own cars in order to afford an overnight stay. Another fact to show a club in terminal decline.

[davidcaldwell123]

IBraintree have the 2nd best defensive record, tomorrow will be very difficult game and I am not expecting a positive outcome, think it would be unfair too everyone to paint an unrealistic picture, in saying that I still wish the manager and team my best wishes and hope hard work on the training pitch will evoked an unpredictable outcome.

I said this was going to be a journey and we all need to understand I step back may be the only way forward, sorry for being so negative but I also cant be naïve, we still need to try and support the manager, players and club as its the only way forward for all of us at this time.

[Alley]

I agree formations don't win games but selection helps as well as getting the basics right firstly having watched the last few games Nico IMO you need to manage from the side we need to have players playing who are going to put a shift in unlike Heslop and Briscoe who by not doing so puts pressure on the other 9 players Carmichael done enough in 45 than either of these two in the last 2 games Fairhurst if fit must start surely if not match fit if he starts we may get our noses in front even if he doesn't finish the game you have Smith back so if you want to keep butler in midfield maybe Smith or Gerring could replace you Nico just a thought

[lucy6lucy]

What you didn't add is that the players travelled to Essex today in their own cars in order to afford an overnight stay. Another fact to show a club in terminal decline.

I think that's a great idea. Club fork out the hotel and tbh probably paid the petrol, 5 cars with 4 in each, it's a lot cheaper than paying a driver, the coach. And at least they can prepare. 10 rooms at say £60 a room,petrol for the 5 cars £300-400. That's £1000. The coach company would probably want £600 for a same day return.

[nickbrod]

I think that's a great idea. Club fork out the hotel and tbh probably paid the petrol, 5 cars with 4 in each, it's a lot cheaper than paying a driver, the coach. And at least they can prepare. 10 rooms at say £60 a room,petrol for the 5 cars £300-400. That's £1000. The coach company would probably want £600 for a same day return.

Seem to remember playing Bournemouth in a League Cup match (losing on penalties) when they were at their lowest ebb and their team travelled to Plainmoor in a number of cars. I know this because my son & I called in at Exeter Services on our way home and bumped into Steve Fletcher who told us.
If we could replicate Bournemouth's rise from those days I would feel a lot happier.

[arcadia]

Believe it or not I've got a good feeling about tomorrow Wrights starting and it adds a little bit of flare which we've not had.

[Dazza]

They have a chance. About a 10 to one chance I suspect.


That the reason Blissett didn't sign. He was happy to use a car but only a Rolls driven by a man with a peaked hat...

[Jeff]

Perhaps the game will be in some doubt - weather is pretty wet and wild here and forecast to carry on overnight and into tomorrow. Braintree had problems with their pitch a year or two ago and (like us) have had a game called off this season.

Wouldn't be upset if it is off given the depleted nature of our squad. If its on, its going to be one of those wet and windy attritional days we never win

[Gulliball]

Buy a coach and it'll pay for itself pretty soon. Could even rent it out the other 340 days of the year. Not an option now but it's a shame we never did it when we were wasting hundreds of thousands.

[nickbrod]

Buy a coach and it'll pay for itself pretty soon. Could even rent it out the other 340 days of the year. Not an option now but it's a shame we never did it when we were wasting hundreds of thousands.

Seems to me we need a decent coach of another kind!

[standupsitdown]

Cold but sunny down here in Essex.
Looking forward to my first game of the season but sadly not with much optimism.

[torq2u]

Hope Carmichael's back to add some guile to the midfield. Shame Paul Cox didn't send for Heslop ...

Feed the Finch and he will score.

Feed the Shepherd and he will score.

Oh dear, doesn't quite work, does it?

[nickbrod]

No mention of this mysterious Finch signing on anything official and not listed in the squad; he's clearly flown!

[wivelgull]

Not a cat in hell's chance:

Braintree (3) 4
TUFC (0) 0

Att: 697