Gateshead v Torquay United

Bloggy · Post by **Bloggy** » 02 Apr 2016, 23:35

Chris B wrote:A great win, vital 3 points, and a word for Chaney (a bright spark throughout and for next season).

Do we actually have anyone contracted for next season? Thought Blissett had an option but that was all.

wodger of awabia · Post by **wodger of awabia** » 03 Apr 2016, 11:25

Bloggy wrote: Do we actually have anyone contracted for next season? Thought Blissett had an option but that was all.

Yes, three greyhounds, two white ones & a grey one.

BobBobBob · Post by **BobBobBob** » 03 Apr 2016, 11:52

That was an extraordinary game of football. I think the first half played host to some of the most comical defending of all time, perhaps only surpassed by some of the most comical attacking of all time by our opponents. Obviously this isn't the ideal back four for us and we'll desperately need Smith back to have a hope of avoiding relegation. Poor Ben Gerring had a nightmare in the opening exchanges, missing about four key interceptions that somehow Gateshead failed to score from. MacDonald made an outrageous save to kick a goalbound shot onto our crossbar, he was at times doing everything and deserves a medal for keeping his cool. Then Gerring, who keeps his cool too much, hesitated for a bloody ice age as the ball (and the Gateshead attackers!) waited ever so patiently for him to head it away from danger. He didn't - so a chance was such that EVEN Gateshead attackers couldn't miss! 1-0. We weren't totally awful in the first half, Verma put in an exceptional cross for Harrad to head on target and their keeper tipped over the bar. And then MacDonald put it in an even better cross that Harrad put over the line, but was offside. Special mention to Gateshead's number 28, who I believe was trying to outdo our terrible defending. If we were going for an all-time worst defence, and maybe we were in the first half, Mr. CJ Hamilton definitely gets my vote for the left back position!

The best moment of the game occurred in the last few minutes of the first half. Gateshead streamed forward after some loose passing, we backed off, Gerring might have had a run around the athletics track and Shaw hit a strike that beat Moore and came back off the post. It was crossed back in and Shaw once again beat Moore only for his header to come crashing back off the bar. In the same move, Gateshead had a couple more attempts charged down before the last went flying harmlessly over and wide. Wow. I thought in the second half, it would a miracle just to keep the score down. I noticed the BBC had the shots at 10 to 1 in Gateshead's favour. Yesterday was a real lesson to those who don't think Kevin Nicholson is manager material. With a limited squad, he made two extremely ambitious substitutions at half time and completely changed the game to get us that win. Young gave us more zip in the midfield, which complemented Rees' hard work. Chaney was able to have more time on the ball and looked impressive with it. And Allen made the abysmal CJ Hamilton look so bad I think they took him off for the last ten minutes and didn't even replace him with anyone! For me, the star man of the second half was Nathan Blissett. He was getting a lot of stick in the first half from people around me, but I thought he did the best he could. The service was poor, the runners were poor, Harrad wasn't at his best. In the second half, Blissett grabbed the game by the scruff of its neck. You could argue that after he expertly headed the ball down in front him and drove forward towards goal that he should have easily beaten the keeper to score. Yeah sure. But what was impressive is that after missing a great chance, he recovered the ball swiftly to lay an easy chance for Allen to get our first. He made a few other telling contributions too (although one of them was nearly scoring an own goal, so not perfect!) putting pressure on Gateshead and winning headers. The second goal came from a bit of class by Allen, nice little flick, and Andre Wright, literally just on as a sub, burst forward and smashed the ball in. MacDonald was excellent the whole game but I will reserve special praise for the second-half performance of Ben Gerring. He did everything he was supposed to do and made a nasty flurry of corners and throw ins quite tolerable with time running down. The defence must have improved because the BBC say Gateshead had 11 shots all match, meaning only 1 of them happened in the second half. That sounds about right!

I still can't believe we won. Now, I don't care how, let's beat Chester!

Dutchgull · Post by **Dutchgull** » 03 Apr 2016, 13:05

Cheers BobBobBob great report !

Post by **Gulliball** » 03 Apr 2016, 13:21

That's an incredibly accurate report from 3xBob.

In the first half, playing 4 central midfielders didn't work. It wasn't even a diamond because two were wider, though not playing like wingers. I thought Racchi was the best of them, and Richards the worst, and then both came off at half time. Allen gave us pace and width, which along with Wright helped to stretch the game, and in turn allowed Young and Chaney to get time and space with options ahead. Those changes gave us a highly effective game plan and set-up, and we were the better team in the second half. We were very lucky that Gateshead didn't punish us like Dover did and go in 4-0 up, but from half time onwards we took advantage of that.

Chaney is very clearly ready for first team football now. He does have similarities with Eunan, and he's currently playing on the wing in a 4-4-2 as he's not physical enough to play centrally in a midfield two, which is exactly what Eunan did in his first 2 years for us. It's not his best position but he now has to prove that he can play centrally, and hopefully he continues to have a career path that matches Eunan. Certainly one to begin contract talks with asap.

Forest gull · Post by **Forest gull** » 03 Apr 2016, 15:16

Thanks Bob, it sounded just like that on the radio.

We can do this.

lucy6lucy · Post by **lucy6lucy** » 03 Apr 2016, 15:32

lucy6lucy wrote:Gateshead as stated in OP, are in unpredictable form. So it's winnable. Equally there league position doesn't lie. There are no easy games, i am going 2-1 Torquay.

brooker · Post by **brooker** » 03 Apr 2016, 21:12

Highlights here

gateman49 · Post by **gateman49** » 03 Apr 2016, 21:52

Having just watched the comic cuts video, I know Gateshead is up north so was that white stuff behind one goal snow? Judging from the time that it took the sound of our two almost inaudible celebrations to reach the microphones, do I also assume that our fans had to watch the match from the other side of the Tyne?

brucie · Post by **brucie** » 03 Apr 2016, 22:29

Feck me we have fluked three points there. Gerring looks like an absolute liability. Lets hope Smith is back soon and McD doesn't get booked again.

samuel · Post by **samuel** » 04 Apr 2016, 07:41

Brucie is right! We were very lucky to go in one down at half time. They hit the woodwork three times. As for Gerring, he didn't stand out as being terrible, it was a steady performance but he was slow for their goal. Harrad and Richards just not up to it I'm afraid. I like Courtenay but his touch is that of an elephant and his direction of passes is also very wayward. Good second half though and throughout the game Angus was tremendous, well above the performance of a National League player. I have no problem with Torquay being lucky for once. We have only had one penalty all season, when did a player last score an own goal for us, when has an opposition player been sent off. Our players seems to get sent off for minor offences when the opposition players can commit GBH and stay on the field (Dover). Roll on tomorrow. Hats of to Nico, he has given us hope when all seemed lost despite appalling luck with injuries and the tightest of budgets.

gullintwoplaces · Post by **gullintwoplaces** » 04 Apr 2016, 07:44

gateman49 wrote:Having just watched the comic cuts video, I know Gateshead is up north so was that white stuff behind one goal snow?

Coal, painted white so as to make it look nice for us soft Southerners.

royalgull · Post by **royalgull** » 04 Apr 2016, 10:30

With Gerring you have to cut him a bit of slack he is a lower end non league defender, but he is a bit of a lump he does win things in the air pretty well and does the things he is comfortable with, it will at times involve a few shanks out the ground and boots to nobody but I think as a squad player/backup centre half he is actually ok at this level. You'd never want him starting 30+ games but as a fill in I think he's alright on the limited amount of what i've seen.

Massive game Tuesday now, win that and we're in a really good place with 2 more home games to come.

kevgull · Post by **kevgull** » 04 Apr 2016, 10:40

brooker wrote:Highlights here

Comical defending backed up with Moore charmed goal posts. Can we buy posts and get them shipped down?

Post by **Southampton Gull** » 04 Apr 2016, 11:48

How hungry did Blissett look when he managed to pull the ball back for the first?

With the goals he's managed to score as well he looks like a fantastic bit of business by Nico.

Added in 1 minute 17 seconds:

royalgull wrote:With Gerring you have to cut him a bit of slack he is a lower end non league defender, but he is a bit of a lump he does win things in the air pretty well and does the things he is comfortable with, it will at times involve a few shanks out the ground and boots to nobody but I think as a squad player/backup centre half he is actually ok at this level. You'd never want him starting 30+ games but as a fill in I think he's alright on the limited amount of what i've seen.

Massive game Tuesday now, win that and we're in a really good place with 2 more home games to come.

Agreed. At our level right now and with the finances we've had this season he's a good squad filler.

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