League 2: Shrewsbury Town vs Torquay United

[MattSTFC]

The game should have been over as a contest after 20 minutes but Mark Wright and James Collins both missed guilt edged, simple chances for us with the score at 1-0.

Rene Howe is a disgrace, how on earth it took the shocking excuse for a referee this afternoon until the dying minutes to send him off beggared belief. He should have been booked early doors for an appalling dive and he was lucky not to receive a yellow for other offences long before he received his first yellow card.

We were way below our best today which is very understandable in the circumstances but still won the game quite comfortably with, as has been said, our only four fit defenders making up our back four.

[Plymouth Gull]

Just got home, and I see there are no match reports for you to feast your eyes on, so I'll do one.

The starting line up - the same as the Rotherham game, a 4-3-3 formation, Lathrope and Mansell behind Eunan with McPhee on the right, Bodin down the left and Howe up top on his own.

I must admit, all the journey up, my dad and I were both saying that we'd never been so negative before a game for a long time, both predicting resounding beatings. 3-1, 4-0 etc. I don't even know the reasoning behind our pre-match negativities, but meh.

Anyway, we kicked off, and instantly my bad feelings about this game came about. We looked defensively shaky, and it only took 8 minutes for our hosts to go 1-0 ahead. Lionel Ainsworth picked the ball up fairly deep, just inside our half. He ran at Nicho with pace, which is always a worry. Now I personally am struggling to blame Nicho in this situation, because it seemed it was lose-lose for him. If he stopped backtracking and tried tackling him, chances are Ainsworth would have just done him and had more space. Nicho decided to stand off, Ainsworth got into the box, then pulled it back. The fact that nobody, NOBODY picked up James Collins running in from the edge of the box and then his free shot straight down the middle (Olejnik was at his near post), is beyond me. Anyway, a bit of lax defending saw us 1 down. I thought we'd kick into gear a bit there, but it didn't happen. Infact, it didn't happen all day, but I'll get to that later.

The Shrews continued to attack, Collins enjoying a lot of space in the hole between our midfield and defence, causing endless problems with his running. Morgan up top was giving Robertson and Saah alot of problems. We really were struggling to get into the game - when we got the ball, it would either go sideways or backwards. On one of our more adventurous moves which saw O'Kane slip Howe through, he knocked it too far past keeper Ben Smith, went down but no penalty was given. It was at the far end for us so I won't comment. We continued to pass around our own half, then another chance, this time Bodin, played through one on one but Smith denied him. Oastler had a chance or two, but there were several times where we created shooting opportunities, only for us to play a pass to much and concede possession lightly. There wasn't much else to note between then and half time, so it stayed at 1-0.

The second half started in a similar pattern, we passed neatly, but there was no attacking threat from us, and Shrews looked dangerous and lively. With Wright and Ainsworth using the width of the pitch (something we didn't do), we had a few problems. One or two times we broke through and tried a counter attack, but we couldn't quite make it to their area. Then when we very nearly did, someone (O'Kane?) slipping Bodin through, he was in a race with ex-Gull Reuben Hazell, Bodin knocked it past Hazell, Rubes slid in and took Bodin down. Last man, surely a red card? But no, the ref dished out a yellow, and a freekick on the edge of the box. I can only guess it wasn't a red because Bodin's knock on was not going straight at goal, but thats a limp excuse, if I'm honest. Anyway, the freekick was a shambles. We tried a little fancy thing, like we always do, but there was no communication, and we ended up not even shooting, we just lost possession there and then. Salop counter attacked very quickly, almost getting a second, but Olejnik saved easily, thankfully.

They hit the bar after good work by Wright down the left, but his low cross was directed onto the face of the bar by Collins. It wasn't long before they doubled their lead though, but the manner in which it came can only be described as calamitous on our part. Mansell played a lofted pass back to Olejnik from 20 yards - the only problem was that it had a lot on it. Olejnik was on/close to his line, he controlled it, but by that time a Shrews player was close by. He got it out, but it was a sliced clearance, which reached Mansell. Mansells touch bounced away, Collins picked it up and drilled a good strike into the bottom corner. It was our own doing, and we'd just thrown away any chance of getting anything from the game.

The rest of the game was like a training match really, subs being made every 5/10 minutes and the clock just winding down. Howe got booked for squaring up with Grandison, I didn't see what happened before, but Howe had been warned by the ref before. Atieno hit the post with a header, but that was it.

For the first time ever, we left early. With about 5 minutes to go we went, so missed Howe's 2nd yellow, thankfully no more Shrews goals.

Ratings out of 5:

Olejnik - 2.5 - Average game really, didn't have too much to do to be totally honest.

Oastler - 3 - thought he did averagely too.
Saah - 2 - defensively he and Robbo are a shambles, it has to be said.
Robbo - 2 - see above.
Nicho - 2 - just seemed to have an off day.

Lathrope - 3 - did the simple things, and broke up a couple of attacks.
Mansell - 2 - at fault for their second, not his best game.
O'Kane - 4 - our best player by a country mile, today. Good passing, and full of running, even until when I left.

McPhee - 2 - oh dear.
Bodin - 2.5 - he couldn't get into the game today - I feel he was shaken after his earlier miss.
Howe - 2.5 - not his best, but struggled on his own and then got sent off.

Ref - 2.5 - he was bad for both sides today, I thought, so I can't moan about him being bias against us.

Yellow Army - 1 - never seen it so quiet. 200 or so were there, but I guess the lack of inspiration on the field channelled into the stand.

A final note, to a little bunch of "fans" there aswell. One incident in the first half, Robbo didn't do too well dealing with something, cue shouts of 'TERRIBLE, ROBBO' for about 30 seconds. He looked up at the culprits, looking proper peed off. They then proceeded to sing Ellis' name. Now I fully understand moaning about performances and getting it off your chest, but not while the game is being played! They need support, not moaning. I agree, Ellis needs a chance as we were bad defensively today, but heckling won't get us anywhere.

Also, when the substitutions of McPhee/Bodin off and Atieno/Macklin on, some booed. Then they sang "You don't know what you're doing" towards the bench. I was incredibly close to turning around and telling them to shut up - both players who went off weren't at the races, and we needed pace. These were the same people I heard moaning every time McPhee got the ball.

To conclude, the best part of a very bad day was the fact I got in with my out of date student card, saving me a fiver!

Enjoy.

:-|

[Plymouth Gull]

Just how can Shrewsbury be a very poor poor side? our current league record suggests different, as does our Carling Cup performances.

Today we did look a little tired but our back four excluded our 2 first choice absentees in Sharps (captain), Cansdel-Sheriff, and included our 3rd choice right back making only his 2nd first team start at the age of 18. They kept a clean sheet as well, that's squad strength in depth, it was a game we should have won by 4 or more really considering the chances we did not take but I will take the points.

I wouldn't say Torquay were poor, and played some nice football, it's just we are a better team that you give us credit for!

I agree. You weren't a bad side, but I get the feeling that today you were nowhere near your best? Because you didn't need to be. I don't think you'll get a display as lacklustre as that against you again this year.

Fair play - I really do feel this year you'll be in the top 3 so good luck.

[MattSTFC]

Then when we very nearly did, someone (O'Kane?) slipping Bodin through, he was in a race with ex-Gull Reuben Hazell, Bodin knocked it past Hazell, Rubes slid in and took Bodin down. Last man, surely a red card? But no, the ref dished out a yellow, and a freekick on the edge of the box. I can only guess it wasn't a red because Bodin's knock on was not going straight at goal, but thats a limp excuse, if I'm honest.

I wouldn't have been surprised to see the clown Rushton produce a red card for that given his awful overall display today, but I think he probably got this one right.

There is nothing in the laws of the game about the "last man", it's a case of whether the offence is deemed as denying a clear goalscoring opportunity. I think your lad was heading towards the edge of the box rather than towards goal and that's what saved Hazell, but it was definitely a heart in the mouth moment for me and I was fearing the worst at the time.

[Plymouth Gull]

Being a ref, I know MatSTFC. But it was the fact that Bodin was practically through on goal. As you say (and I said in the part you've quoted me), he has knocked it towards the edge of the box. Had it been straight on goal, it would have been a shock if Hazell stayed on.

We're evens now?

[AustrianAndyGull]

Of all the games so far this season i expected defeat in this so i am not too downhearted. Why isn't Ellis in the first 11? Been saying this since the start of the season. He is the probably the best defender we have, (nico being the best obviously! ). Lets forget this pile of shit of a performance and move on to the Morecambe game, another toughie. Saah is consistent in being shite too which has worried me since day 1 also. We are defensively atrocious as indicated by the number of goals conceded this season and Ling should be sorting this out so we are at least seeing some improvement.

[AlexGulls]

Very dissapointing performance today. Wasnt it Grandison that hacked down Bodin? Blatent red card,..No doubt about it. To me Howe didnt have his best game but the ref was very harsh on him. I did think he dived for the penalty but personally I think he just out muscled your defence and they couldnt handle him.

We were very poor and got we deserved....Nothing. Also when we had that corner and Smith spilt it how can he be fouled when theres no one near him challenging him for the ball?

Shrewsbury fans harping on about Old Trafford at least we got there and didnt choke in the semis.

[tauntongull]

Rene Howe is a disgrace, how on earth it took the shocking excuse for a referee this afternoon until the dying minutes to send him off beggared belief

MattSTFC, whilst I agree to some of your comments I have to say I resent this one. Having arrived 3 minutes into the game to see the ball crossed by Ainsworth having not received a challenge from our defenders (2 or 3 I seem to recall) and then hitting the back of the net from yet more poor defending I could see it wasn't going to be a good day.

Rene Howe is a large and physical presence in the same mould as 'Akinfenwa' He is not particularly fast but he uses his strength well to win / shield the ball. I saw him fall in the area too far away to see if there was any contact but what I can say is he got up straight away and did not make any outgoing gesture to appeal for a decision.

From this point onwards your fans saw this opportunity to 'boo' him throughout the rest of the game constantly shouting 'you fat B@*"£$!' and constantly encouraged the referee to book him every time he made a challenge. Sometimes player challenges look clumsy but I always try to determine was their eye on the ball all the time, and from my point of you it was. At no point did the referee speak to him about his challenges.

I did not see the altercation that resulted in his first yellow card. My son did say he was surprised that he was booked as it looked like your player squared up to him having nudged him with his shoulder before coming into a stand-off with close 'head-head' contact. Hopefully the football league show will shed some light on that.

As for the second yellow, the referee clearly did not see it as a yellow card offence until your player stayed down and the fans started baying for blood. I had a clear view of the incident and whilst Howe did make contact with the heels of your player it was the nature of the way your player fell that made the referee feel there was more to the incident.

There are two sides to every story and I could go on about the time wasting, the constant holding on to the ball and kicking it away or the way in which your goalkeeper incited the crowd or the lunging tackle from Gravison (who if you are going to berate Howe, you should look closer to home after he raked his studs down Jake Robinson last time we played you) who on another day may have been taking an early bath, but that's all rather petty.

I am afraid Shrewsbury are not going to skip through the league with simply pace alone and fast football. In this league you need strong and physical players too. Many teams moan about players of this kind, normally because they simply can't handle them. I feel sure your return visit to Plainmoor will not be an easy ride - as for 'Our Support is S!"£' or similar chant's - we'll see how many fans you bring!. Yes overall I thought you were a good side - but given that we gifted you the second goal you certainly weren't as good as I thought you were going to be - and beatable which is reassuring.

It's early day's yet and a long season.

The planning department also clearly never thought about parking for fans when designing the ground either. Your club must be close to winning the prize for the 'furthest distance away from the ground to park your car'. I'm glad I won't have to do that again this season.

[ferrarilover]

Just how can Shrewsbury be a very poor poor side? our current league record suggests different, as does our Carling Cup performances.

Today we did look a little tired but our back four excluded our 2 first choice absentees in Sharps (captain), Cansdel-Sheriff, and included our 3rd choice right back making only his 2nd first team start at the age of 18. They kept a clean sheet as well, that's squad strength in depth, it was a game we should have won by 4 or more really considering the chances we did not take but I will take the points.

I wouldn't say Torquay were poor, and played some nice football, it's just we are a better team that you give us credit for!

The league table also shows Burton Albion to be playoff candidates and Rotherham to come not in the top three. We have scored the same number of goals as you and lost the same number of games yet we are 11 places behind you. The table at this stage means nothing.
As for Catling Cup, you were beaten comfortably by a lazy and disinterested Arsenal second string. Kudos for scoring at the Emirates, but let's call a spade a spade.
We were a million miles from the way we played against Rotherham last week and we weren't particularly good in that game, so I'm afraid your suggestion that we were good and you were better is wrong. Your shooting was dreadful and, given our performance, you didn't do anything like enough. Rotherham or Crawley (probably others too) would have made mincemeat of us today, and really, you didn't.
Don't get me wrong, I don't suggest you didn't deserve to win, but I am saying that you'll have to be much more incisive and threatening than you were today if you hope to beat any of the competent sides in L2.

Matt.

[Exkeeper]

I am not here to gloat, just to give an honest opinion from "the other side".
The comment about Arsenal is way off the mark. They included 6 fullinternationals plus guys like Oxlade-Chamberlain who has surely got a big future in the game. The way they celebrated their goals would suggest that they were far from dis-interested.
Some of you seem to forming an opinion on our prospects from seeing us just once, which to be fair. Is all you can do. We looked tired and leggy yesterday, which was to be expected. You could have capitalised on this if you had upped the pace. You played some nice passing football with good ball retention, but it led nowhere.
To say we will not cope with the more physical sides is way off the Mark.
At both Gillingham and Port Vale the home sides tried to bully us yet both teams fans readily admit that they were lucky to escape with narrow defeats.
As for Rene Howe, and yes I am forming an opinion on seeing him just once,he looks like a poor man's Akinfenwa. He could have received. A yellow for the blatant dive, and should certainly should have for continually Berating both the ref and Lino for the next 10 minutes. He was later pulled over by the ref for a foul by the tunnel. which could then have resulted in an early bath.
As for the seasons prospects, our squad is certainly better equiped this time to deal with whatever we come up against, so we would hope to go close. As for Torquay, you look a fair distanced short of last seasons level, but - I have only seen you once.

[Stoke_Gull]

Well I haven't posted on here for a while but I felt that I must say something about the debacle at Greenhous Meadow yesterday. It was my first Torquay game since Old Trafford and I was looking forward to seeing the virtually new team that we had accquired during the Summer.

Torquay spent the first couple of minutes passing the ball around at the back not really creating anything, we were playing so deep that it was impossible to get the ball forward and seemingly the only way we got the ball into their half was by taking the Route 1 option which didn't work at any point during the game. One thing I noticed about Howe was obviously that he is a big bloke both width ways and length ways but he never won a single header, he was always outmuscled or on some occasions didn't even go for them which was disappointing to see. It didn't take long for Shrewsbury to take advantage of some appauling defending from Torquay, a Shrewsbury player ran into our half and Nicholson was in front of him but instead of challenging him well before he reached the box he just kept backing off and backing off until the Shrewsbury player jinked past and whipped in a cross to an unmarked Shrewsbury player (Collins I think it was) who couldn't miss from that range.

I thought that maybe that goal would wake Torquay up a bit but we continued to play in exactly the same manner as before, passing it around at the back then trying to get it forward but with no result. Shrewsbury should have had another two goals in the first 20 minutes through exactly the same defensive incompetence that had led to the first goal but they missed what were clear cut chances.

We stumbled through the rest of the first half playing far too deep and Howe playing almost on the wing at times leaving no one in the middle for O'Kane to pass it to, when we did managed to get the ball forward however we were guilty of trying to walk the ball into the net, it was as if we were scared of having a shot.

The second half arrived and I thought that Ling would have worked his magic during the interval and a completely new side would come out for the next 45 minutes, it was not to be. We started the second half as we finished the first, badly. When we couldn't find a way through their midfield by passing the ball it went straight back to Olejnik who launched it up to Howe, who didn't win the header.

I don't remember Torquay having any real chances during the second half or indeed the whole match for that matter and then the second goal came, again as a result of awful defending, the ball was passed back to Olejnik who never really had time to control it and was put under pressure by a Shrewsbury player, scuffed it and the waiting oppositon striker slotted it into the back of the net, all far too easy and rather humilitating. We made some subs but they never really got into the game, in my opinion Ellis should have been brought on at half time in place of Robertson or Saah (both were awful ).

So in the end a very bad day at the office, let us just hope it was a one off as I can see us freefalling down the table if we continue to play like that.

Ratings

Olejnik: 6 - Not a great game, kicking poor at times and perhaps could have done better with their second.....did anyone else notice how much he drank out of that bottle in the first half? Every time the ball went up the other end he took a swig, he can't be that thirsty surely.

Nicholson: 4 - Very poor, too slow and beaten far too easily down the left, at fault in part for the first goal and he didn't improve throughout the game.

Oastler: 6 - Rather anonymous and was constantly pressured by opposition wingers, played better than Nicholson anyway.

Saah: 5 - Far too loose on his marking, no communication between himself and Robertson. Poor in the air too.

Robertson: 5 - Same as Saah really, his confidence probably took a hit after that idiotic chanting from a section of our supporters.

Lathrope: 6 - Wasn't his best day, far too easily shrugged off the ball but then other times made some good tackles.

Mansell: 6 - You could tell he was frustrated with the way the team were playing but he didn't really stand out that much. Not as good as other times I've seen him.

O'Kane: 7 - As stated by Nick already, our best player. Showed real attacking intent at times and when the rest of the team had slowed down he continued to perform.

Bodin: 6 - Made some decent runs but was given little to no support so most of the time when he had the ball in a threatening position he was dispossesed.

Mcphee: 5 - Didn't really notice he was there most of the time, let's hope he improves.

Howe: 3 - Our worst player in my opinion, he was immensely slow on the ball and got it trapped beneath his own feet numerous times. I can't remember him winning a single header and a lot of the time didn't bother going up for them. Far too easily outmuscled off the ball for someone of his size too. We left in the 85th minute so didn't see the sending off.

Referee: 4 - Some strange decisions for both teams, one which struck me was early in the game when the ball went out for a throw in and was flagged as such by the linesman. However the ref decided from his vantage point (the centre circle) he had a better view and gave a freekick to Shrewsbury, it was right in front of the linseman but was overuled, how could the ref have a better view in this instance?

Atmosphere: 2 - It was never going to be as good as the last time I came here but it was flat throughout, some deeply embarassing chanting from our supporters at times and they got rightly jeered from the Shrewsbury fans for it. I can't believe they started chanting "You don't know what you're doing" at the bench when we brought on some subs, awful, how does that help the situation?

Positives: Well it only took an hour to get there and since we left in the 85th minute we managed to beat the traffic.

All in all, not good.

[Dave_Pougher]

Excellent report Stoke sounds like a bad day all round, got to be honest I'm glad I didn't make the trip.

Nicholson does anoy me when he backs off without relly doing anything. He's committed without doubt and he's had a good couple of weeks recently but at the end of the day his bread and butter stuff is defending, which I haven't seen him do particularly well for a while now. Can't help feel he may be one ML's victims before to long. Over critical maybe but I'd much rather he commited himself to a tackle and get it wrong than his current back off and do nothing style.

[Gullscorer]

Judging by Saturday's games, at the end of the season Plymouth Argyle could finish above the Gulls in the table! But before the season began, both clubs were probably happy with the prospect of a mid-table or lower mid-table finish.

Right now though, the Shrewbury defeat, and the manner of it compared with last season's Shrewsbury games, seems like a monumental disaster. Ah well, it's a transitional season....

[diamondgirl]

A bad day for TUFC. No real effort or commitment. Should have lost by more, if Shrewsbury had had their shooting boots on, we would have. Rene was not at the races, and to be honest from the moment he took a dive, in the box, he was "wound" up. The Shrews supporters were having a go at him, every time he touched the ball, and nothing was more certain than he was eventually going to be sent off. The push on the guy, for his 1st yellow, and the kick on the player for his 2nd, were both very petulant acts. He should have been subed off, before the 2nd yellow, thereby avoiding the red card.
Anyway, next Sat. is another day and another game. Lets hope that there are a couple of changes (Mark Ellis please, and probably Danny Leadbitter plus Lloyd to start), and that the boys come out of the tunnel focussed on winning the game, and not conceding within the 1st 10 mins. Still a long way to go this season.

[Awayday]

I made a decision last week not to go on Saturday, and normally I am really gutted and feel I am missing out, however glad I didn't go looking at the reports.

It is interesting reading the other side of the story from apposing fans, and this site always welcomes a varied viewed discussion. But to make some comments on Carling Cup performances.... all 2 of them, 1 of which you lost to half an Arsenal team? Shall we talk about Walsall in the Paint Pot Trophy as well?

I have Shrews down as being one of the top 3 this season, I thought last season you were very good side, shame you couldn't get through the semi finals. This is the first away game I have missed this season, and there has been games (Aldershot) where we were shocking, but got lucky points. I think with or without our lucky horseshoe our luck at this games has run out and the honey moon period of Ling is starting to fade.

Congratulations on the win, hope you have a good rest of season (apart from your visit to Plainmoor in February). Thanks for your contributions on our forum, watch you don't bump your heads on the door frame on your way out