Hereford United v Torquay United - 5/5/12

[ferrarilover]

I know it's all meaningless really, but we have had some perfectly good goals chalked off recently. One for certain against Oxford (+2 pts), one against Crewe (+2 pts), that's more than enough to see us promoted.
We're not getting hammered in any of our games, just that little bit of luck deserted us recently. Aside from the aforementioned robberies, today, Hereford scored with every attack, Crewe's equaliser came deep into injury time which didn't really exist, from a player rated at £5,000,000 and likely to sign for one of the big four (please note, this very much does NOT include Liverpool, and hasn't done since 1979).

You can cut it however you like, but we haven't been getting hammered, we have been losing by odd goals, or drawing against some good sides.

Southend are scared of us, that much was blatantly obvious from their style against us recently. Cheltenham's forum suggests that we are their least preferred opponents. There is a reason for this, and it's not because we're garbage. No, we're not showing the form that we were a couple of months ago, but then, if we were, we'd be up automatically.

To apply some maths to the situation, Crewe have picked up 20 points from their last 10 games against teams with a Ferrarilover Scale rating of 65, Southend have 19 points from teams with a rating of 54. Cheltenham have made 13 points against teams with a rating of 69 and we have made 15 from teams with a rating of 64.
We see that Cheltenham have had the hardest run in, but have made the fewest points. Crewe have had a very slightly harder time than us, but have garnered 5 more points. They, clearly, are the team to beat. Southend are the real disappointments, with a much easier run in than anyone else, but having made just 4 points more than us and 1 fewer than Crewe.
For clarity, over 10 games, a precisely average run in is rated at 59, the easiest run in possible is rated at 28 and the very hardest possible is, of course, 100.

So, it's all much of a muchness, with Crewe the best and Southend the worst (someone who doesn't appear to know very much suggested Southend would be favourites over us, can't remember who it was though 8/ ) and us somewhere in the middle.

Hope that's clear.

Matt.

[ferrarilover]

You have to go back a month or so when Torquay were sitting second in the league 4 points in front of Crawley admittedly Crawley they had two games in hand but we had a chance to strengthen the squad by the loan market but lingy believed the current squad can do the job and the only player he would bring back was Bodin and we all know where he ended up.This may well come back to bite us in the end as our small squad may burn out in the next few weeks and I'm not sure i can take the heartache of losing in the play offs two years in a row.
As pointed out by previous post here if you think Torquay can go one better next year ( if they fail again in the playoffs this year ) you better think again as their are bigger clubs that us in this league with open pockets and they will not want to be in this league next season Rotherham, Gillingham for example.

As there were last year, and this year. A piece on the Beeb a couple of months back (which was shared on here) revealed that Northampton had spunked some vile sum of cash (something like £7,000,000) in the last couple of years trying to buy success. They finished 22nd last year and 20th this. Look at what Rovers spent in the summer, look where it got them. Look what Bradford pay for Branno (reliably rumoured to be £3000/week) all to finish 18th.

Clubs need to either spend millions (al la Cheaty and Swindon) or they need to do the best with what they've got and take a chance like the rest of us. A few hundred grand won't get you anywhere down here, it's just money down the toilet.

Matt.

[numpte]

You have to go back a month or so when Torquay were sitting second in the league 4 points in front of Crawley admittedly Crawley they had two games in hand but we had a chance to strengthen the squad by the loan market but lingy believed the current squad can do the job and the only player he would bring back was Bodin and we all know where he ended up.

How do we know Lingy was in a position to strengthen cashwise? There was / is probably no money in the pot so as has been suggested elsewhere, we've done extremely well to take it to the last game on a small budget and small squad which is even more limited when you take into account some non contributors on the playing staff. We must have 4 or 5 players who are getting no where near the 1st team for whatever reason.

End result is that we've looked a bit leggy in the last month as was represented in the 1st half yesterday. 2nd half was much better, much more enjoyable and would like to see that change in formation next week. Lets go for it.

[gullintwoplaces]

I went to the game yesterday, haven't looked at the forum since I got back, but it is a new day and I feel better! Quite frankly I am disgusted with some of the comments made on this thread, particularly some of the comments made during the game BY PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT THERE. Jeez Yellowmonkey, what are you on? The accusations against the team of surrender and other similar comments were ridiculous.

The game had positives and negatives for us.

The negatives? Letting the Hereford first goal rattle the team quite badly. Up to the first goal we were on top, could and should have scored, but the goal turned the team into nervous wrecks for a period. Relying on the long ball in the first half. Poor passing in the first half after the Hereford goal. Not capitalising on more of the many chances that we had to score. Defensive frailty after Hereford scored up to half time. Reckless challenges in defence in the first half, allowing Mussolini the ref to give a very harsh penalty.

The positives? Coming out for the second half completely transformed, which must be something to do with the change in players, change in formation and Ling's half time talk. Scoring two well made goals. Making countless chances during the whole game, particularly in the second half. A real fighting spirit in the second half. To be honest (and not putting down Hereford, who showed real bottle) we looked by far the better side in the second half (and in the earlier part of the first half too). Solid defence, particularly from Saah, in the second half.

Overall, the team's nerves gave way to silly season in the first half. The penalty was harsh, given by a prat of a referee who strutted around the park like an idiot, waving his arms around and playing the big I am. Just think of how Hereford fans felt, we were privileged to go so close to automatic promotion, way above our expectations. We are in the play-offs for goodness' sake, who would have expected that? We have got a good side, who are perfectly capable of doing well in the playoffs provided their nerves hold out.

So, to close, I point the finger at some of you who should be totally ashamed at what you said in your comments yesterday. Get behind the team, they deserve your support. To have such a go at a team who have performed so well for so long is disgusting and wrong.

[oxgull]

Now that it's another day and we have the two games against Cheltenham to look forward to it's worth mentioning that although I, and many of you, are dissapointed with the end result of finishing 5th we have over achieved in some ways to reach the play offs so should be well pleased with this so called consolidation season. Yes I was upset yesterday (at not being there as much as anything) but pleased with how the guys performed in the second half and that momentum may serve us well next Sunday at Whaddon Road. Winnable definately so the consolation prize is still on and well done to ML, the lads and all you yellow army there yestrday at Edger Street. It's been a great season and this club is on the up so why was I sooo down yesterday??? 8/ Lots of reasons to be cheerful when you think about it.

[Aussie]

After driving home from the game and sitting in the pub for a while listening to people as they got back I noticed some people saying "Typical Torquay, they don`t want to go up, they`ve got no ambition!" Well this pissed me right off but I was too knackered to bothered saying anything to them. Also there seems to be a massive miss-conception of us making more money from bigger gates if we stay down, this I feel to be a massive load of `orse shite!

[tauntongull]

Having attended the game yesterday, I am not going to wade in on the players of the management, I just have a couple of points really.

For several weeks now I have been unsettled by the fact that it looked like Rene / Damian were both being patched up for games. It is clear to me yesterday that both players are not playing at the level they were prior to their injuries. When you couple this with the fact that we consistently play Rene up front on his own - we can probably begin to understand some of the reasons things have gone the way they have. In a number of games Oxford / Southend spring to mind, we appear to start so slowly on occasions. I am not sure of the mindset of the players coming into these last few games of the season, but knowing you are already in the play-off's should really provide you with a license to attack. It is amazing the number of teams who have come to Plainmoor and given us no time on the ball and we have somewhat caved in. At this level, if you put teams under pressure from the first whistle, they will make mistakes!

I also noticed that when we play Rene up front on his own, the midfield seem to be working much harder to get forward and be perceived as supporting him, because they are conscious of the fact that he can look isolated. At times this leaves a 'big whole' in midfield and when the inevitable clearing header comes out, the ball drops to an opposing player with us nowhere to be seen. We then have to cover the whole pitch to get back.

If I heard it once, I heard it 20 times from the people around me. Why didn't we play in the first half, like we did in the second? I think it's a very valid point. The two forward substitutions in the second half made an immediate impact and the Hereford defenders clearly looked unsettled having to handle two 'fit' forwards. I do hope we take a similar formation into the play-off's as I fear if we stick with what we have been doing recently - it may be too much of an ask.

I think the squad looks tired in positions - probably a consequence of the squad depth and being unable to rotate too many positions.

I hope we do our homework on Cheltenham. Last time we played them Jermaine McGlashan (I think it was!) gave Kevin Nicholson a torrid time turning him inside out. Perhaps a NRT for Danny to add protection would be an option in the away leg.

It's a shame two men shouted 'F$%"$£! Sh£$' at us as we walk past and then proceeded to push my 16 year old son. They were both about 50 and should have been ashamed of themselves. Having traveled the length and breadth of the country all season, we have had two incidents with away fans - both were Hereford!. Can't really understand it - they beat us and so we were not responsible for their relegation.

One thing is for sure - we need to raise our tempo and desire like the 2nd half in Hereford if we are going to get anything from the season.


Does anyone know the 'real' situation with regard to Rene and Damian ?

[Aussie]

The physio isn`t injured or do you mean Damon?

[surreygull66]

I have got to agree with gullintwoplaces, I could not believe some of what has been posted here, yes we are all entilted to our view, but please base it on fact.

Some observations;
To many I suspect forgot what it can mean when your season can depend on one game, we have been there, talk on this site about our winning easily , against a team who we beat easily at Plainmore, oh 1-0 last minute goal

Hereford were up for it, yes we lost yesterday, were we really that bad in the first half, poor but it appeared evey defensive error was punished, 10 minutes we were in contol, two errors had we are 2 down, but how did we not score from those corners then another error and 3-0.

Martin learned from Wimbledon, Howe off, he can only last 60 minutes in his current state, and go for it. If I can remember many years ago we called it attack against defence at school, we could and probably should have at least drawn that game.

We had commitment from all round the team; 10 players in ALL div 2 have played 45 or 46 games this season; 5 of them are ours!
Anybody who says they do not care or are not tying needs their head examaning!

We are one of the smaller clubs in this division who are doing xxxxxx well.

In summary;
If the players played the way some of the posters on here write we would be following Hereford; get behind the boys and support them, we are not talking about big time charlie's but blokes who are busting a gut for this club!

(Good I have got that of my chest now)

[stefano]

Some observations;
To many I suspect forgot what it can mean when your season can depend on one game, we have been there, talk on this site about our winning easily , against a team who we beat easily at Plainmore, oh 1-0 last minute goal

I think you are mixing it up with the Barnet game surreygull. We beat Hereford 2-0 at Plainmoor and they were extremely poor. Apart from that I agree with the rest of your post.

[Dave]

Agreed I was one of the privileged.

Also lovely to have a proper chat with Forever. If you could post that link regards the 71/72 season I would be more than happy to prove my dad wrong!

P.M sent hrg..was nice to see you and meet daddy hrg..

[londongull63]

must admit I haven't seen every Tai performance, but he made a big difference again yesterday. Why do some people moan about him. If you come on a as sub and perhaps your very first bit of control or pass isn't perfect, people make an instant decision rather than over your whole performance (not that that happened yesterday).

if you take our results when Tai started games, and the outcome over the period of games when he's come on as a sub when we seem to score more than the opposition do, I think our form would be better than Barcelona's.