Torquay United v Maidenhead, Match Day Thread 03/10/17

[Plymouth Gull]

Lets also not forget that some of those Maidenhead players would possibly have done half a days work in the morning before the game, before travelling down for 5 hours or however long it took them. Add in the extremely limited warm up and prep, and it's no surprise they were slow out of the blocks. In those circumstances, a fast start is essential and I am glad we got one last night.

It's going to take more than 45 minutes of good football to convince me we're on the way up. Get something from Saturday against a tougher outfit and I'll start to think a bit more positively.

[Bigman]

I fancied checking the Maidenhead perspective, to see if they'd blame it all on their delayed journey, and while they mention their players looking leggy and blame a couple of goals on poor defending they're fairly complimentary of Torquay, suggesting there was no evidence for why they'd taken 14 games to get a win.

http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/maidenhea ... /1-2849574

[brucie]

Noone has forgot any of that. Its stating the obvious. As for 45 minutes - well its 90 minutes really because the second half was completely irrelevant and no surprise that its petered out into nothing.

That's 3 goals conceded in 4 games which is a positive. Given a bit of luck we could have had 4 points from away games against Barrow and DR.

Another positive is that the new players will be getting by fitter by the game. With Dowling/Lee/Pittman returning the squad looks a million miles better than it did earlier in the season.

I will be the first to say that it appears that Nicholson was it seems unlucky to be without the services of Gowling and Davis but squadwise we look likewe have a real chance of getting out of this mess now.

[Ottery gull]

Interesting that the Maidenhead website refers to Reid as ' outstanding'. A website moreover that is user friendly with a clear menu up front. Am I alone in finding ours unecessarily difficult to access?

[MellowYellow]

It's going to take more than 45 minutes of good football to convince me we're on the way up. Get something from Saturday against a tougher outfit and I'll start to think a bit more positively.

As it will be for many others Plymouth Gull. But a win is a win and this one was won in ecstatic style. If we show the same determination. commitment and flair on Sat with a win over Dover then there is definitely 'light at the end of the tunnel' otherwise it will just be back to the old story of 'one swallow does not make a summer'.

Good to see Davis is a class act and could of been MOTM as equally as Gowling or the new born revelation Reid. I am losing track - who brought these three players to the club - they must have an eye for talent!

[budegull1954]

I must agree with Ottery Gull about the club website, it's quite difficult to navigate, you really have to fiddle around to find the right bits (so to speak!). Also, I have made the point before that it would be great to have a 'scouting report' on the website like they do at Wrexham where they do a detailed analysis each week on the forthcoming opposition, how they play, their dangerous players etc.

[tomogull]

Lets also not forget that some of those Maidenhead players would possibly have done half a days work in the morning before the game, before travelling down for 5 hours or however long it took them. Add in the extremely limited warm up and prep, and it's no surprise they were slow out of the blocks. In those circumstances, a fast start is essential and I am glad we got one last night.

It's going to take more than 45 minutes of good football to convince me we're on the way up. Get something from Saturday against a tougher outfit and I'll start to think a bit more positively.

Without taking anything away from last night's very good first half performance and that vital first win, PlymouthGull puts things into perspective. Like any manager, Gary Owers would have known that the Maidenhead players would not be ready either physically or mentally after a five hour journey and the short time they had before 'taking the pitch'. He would have said to go for the jugular right from the kick off. The whole team obeyed orders and in 20 minutes before Maidenhead realised what was happening, we were 3 - 0 up. I also suspect that after a good 3 - 0 home win against Guiseley last Saturday, maybe one or two of the Maidenhead players thought a game against the bottom club without a win would be a 'walk in the park'.

Like Plymouth Gull, I will wait to see how we perform against Dover on Saturday before I start to think about 'turning any corners'. By the way, have you noticed that Macclesfield are now top of the league ? How the hell did that happen ???

[bixieupnorth]

i was lucky enough to be there last night too, my first home game for years and my second game this season after the narrow late loss at guiseley.

well what can i say?? that first 45 minutes was as close to fantasy football as it gets a plainmoor! both full backs bombing forward, higgins and reid linking up to superb effect, four very well worked and taken goals, and the defence almost totally untroubled. young,and lathrope behind him, pulling the strings. mcquoid, murphy and the tireless reid linking up like theyd played together for years!!
amateur referee, altho think davis prob did deserve his yellow for scissors, it seemed to dull his desire slightly in the second half understandably. he's def too good to play for us judging by the first 45!
credit to 72 maidenhead fans battling their way down and singing their socks off
back in sheffield now, would have loved to have stayed for the dover game, its halifax away next for me, hopefully ny record of six goals scored oin two games will continue in the same vein!!

[bixieupnorth]

He would have said to go for the jugular right from the kick off. The whole team obeyed orders and in 20 minutes before Maidenhead realised what was happening, we were 3 - 0 up. I also suspect that after a good 3 - 0 home win against Guiseley last Saturday, maybe one or two of the Maidenhead players thought a game against the bottom club without a win would be a 'walk in the park'.

surely the best policy is to do that in every bloody game we play ever, no one expects to be got at immediately and no one likes it, should be a given, especially at home after every teams long journey?? it really aint rocket science!!
other favourite simple tactics of mine include, doing all freekicks as inswingers where appropriate, putting every single corner right under the bar, not bringing everyone back for corners, take direct freekicks directly, do not knock them to one side as the wall almost always closes you down, and use a long low throw into the area every chance you bloody well get!

[tomogull]

surely the best policy is to do that in every bloody game we play ever, no one expects to be got at immediately and no one likes it, should be a given, especially at home after every teams long journey?? it really aint rocket science!!
other favourite simple tactics of mine include, doing all freekicks as inswingers where appropriate, putting every single corner right under the bar, not bringing everyone back for corners, take direct freekicks directly, do not knock them to one side as the wall almost always closes you down, and use a long low throw into the area every chance you bloody well get!

Yes - it should be, but it rarely happens, does it? Dont get me on corners ! i have a 'thing' about corners - in my opinion, they should be varied with some short corners thrown in the mix. That rarely happens either ..... except by the opposition. And throw ins - should be taken quickly. I think it was Lincoln last season - the player taking the throw in didn't have to wait for players to make room for themselves, they already had. We on the other hand take ages on throw-ins whilst it is decided who is available (usually nobody) and who isn't.

Hope you had a good journey back to Sheffield - at least it would have been better than if they'd lost !!!

[arcadia]

The throw ins were varied last night near the corner flag it was set up for a long one but they created space and played it short and we got a goal from it. Kuhl shouted at the thrower to try it and it became obvious that the players had worked on it. They tried it again on the Bristows side again and it nearly paid off again. Kuhl kicked every ball and gave advice but this is just motivation ploys.
Anyone who can get Reid playing knows what they are doing as last night he defended narrow when needed and worked hard and thats how he got his goal.

The best first half seen in a few years.

[portugull]

Let no one who was not at Plainmoor last night under estimate what a spectacular performance the team put on for the first 45 minutes.
For those of us who were there this was as good as it gets and I started to think is this really happening or is it a dream!
Maidenhead came to Plainmoor having won 3 of their last 4 games and were big and strong with a number of talented players. We absolutely played them off the park and it was the pace, intensity and commitment of the whole team which left Maidenhead, and their loud following, all 72 of them, reeling.
I cannot remember seeing such play for quite a few years. When did we last lead 4-0 at half time?
Gary Owers, on his 49th birthday and Martin Kuhl must take immense credit for setting the team up to play as they did and the players responded superbly.
It was fascinating to watch the facial expressions of the players as they left the pitch to prolonged applause, richly deserved, and I can tell you after rediscovering the winning feeling they will be at it again on Saturday at home to Dover.
This match was transformational in every way and bodes well for the rest of the season.
When you consider we have Jordan Lee returning plus Dowling and Pittman we are most definitely heading for the good times.
I am just sorry for my friend Alan who attends most games and FORGOT to go!!

[gullno4]

didn’t make it on Tuesday, have just seen the highlights and what a way to win, nice to see Reid looking a handful and us looking completely dominant. It’s been a while! Hopefully we can continue this on Saturday.

[brooker]

Are there any highlights up yet? I can't seem to find any!

[CraigUnder]

Are there any highlights up yet? I can't seem to find any!

http://www.thenationalleague.org.uk/mat ... /1-2849574